Clutch slipping?

[thewheelerZ]

Hi there:

I just received my new Delica. Took it out for a drive yesterday, after about 15km, the clutch started slipping under acceleration, then got worse going up hills and finally as I was trying to limp it home and it would hardly accelerate at all. It also felt like as soon as i touched/depressed the pedal, the clutch was disengaged.

I live in Chile and we need to have a the steering changed over. I wonder if a questionable job at this would have anything to do with the slipping clutch? Are there any adjustments to the clutch pedal/cylinder that I can do or is it a case of a worn out clutch that needs to be replaced?

I tried to search the forum but with not much info on this topic.
Thanks for any help in advance.
Mark

[snelson]

Hey Mark -
I was going to say check your clutch fluid level etc... but if you're loosing power up hills etc then fluid levels etc really aren't going to help anything. Sounds to me as though you need a new clutch.
Your getting enough engine power though right? It's not bogging out or anything?

If you had a dead clutch pedal, or couldn't get it into gear, then I would suspect clutch fluid level, master or slave cylinder, or air in the lines, but sounds like shifting and pedal action are fine.

Geeze the switching over of the steering would concern me a bit too - I would think there's tons of bits that need to be moved extended etc...wonder if something wasn't connected properly.

[thewheelerZ]

Hey:

Has plenty of power.

The looks to be some sort of adjustment for the "rod" that conects the pedal to the cylinder. would say there is about 5mm of adjustsment. In theory i have room to adjust it in the proper direction, which would fully (or at least more then it is now) release the cylinder connected to the pedel (pardon my ignorance, not sure if it is master or slave) and let the clutch fully engage. Once the clutch was warm and getting to its worst yesterday, as soon as i put my foot on the clutch pedal, the clutch was fully disengaged. I had zero play at the top of my clutch pedal. I when you say dead pedal, you mean that i can press it all the way to the floor and still not have the clutch disengage? The problem I have (I think) is that it is the other way around, the clutch might not be fully engaging? Is that possible?

Fluid resivior is nearly full, so i dont think that is the problem.

I hope those descriptions make sense?!

Thanks,
Mark

[snelson]

EDIT - Oops, just noticed you say your fluid level is full....and I understand now what you're saying about the pedal and it engaging just as the pedal is let all the way out....hmmm, then ya, it would make sense then that for the 15km you mention you were driving around you were actually riding the clutch - did you smell the clutch burning at all? I'd say take it back to whoever did the switcheroo for you - sounds like they've Fd up somthing. And now you may have glazed the clutch from 'riding' it so long the other day that it's toast.....


Hey Mark,
Master is right at the pedal and the slave is at the transmission.

I also should be clear, I've never seen a 5 speed Deli before, but I have worked on my 5 speed toyota, and have experienced my clutch die on a climbing trip to Tennesse. It just goes, no warning at all.

By dead pedal I meant that you push the pedal in/down, and it wont come back up - this is indicative of either air in the system in which you'd want to bleed the system. Also if the pedal is stiffer than usual, this can mean you have some water in the lines. Check your little brake fluid reservoir level (I believe the clutch and brakes share the same fluid).

That adjustment rod might help a bit for a little while, but its more for adjusting the pedal play when it's properly working.

I'd start with the fluids, make sure there's enough. Next try bleeding the system a bit to get any possible air/water out - you need two people to do this. Then I'd find where the slave cylinder is (usually attached to the main transmission - try searching the shop manuals on this and other sites) and watch it while someone else presses the pedal in to make sure it actuallly moving for you.

However, from your description, I suspect the clutch is just dead and needs replacing - that's how mine died. Was fine one day, and then going up some hills, I just couldn't get any power.

Hope this helps a bit, try searching this site as well as the UK one, there's TONS on info on that site too.

Cheers
Steve