1990 Clicking Clutch issue
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
1990 Clicking Clutch issue
My ZF-6speed, is giving me some clutch worries.(Clutch replaced 8k miles ago, vehicle has just turned 100k). The following started 5 days ago.
When I depress the clutch pedal it makes a click sound just before it reaches the floor and again as I leaves the floor on the way back up. As the days go by the pedal is getting more difficult to fully depress. Last night on the way home from work, shifting from 4th. to 5th., the clutch pedal went to the floor and never came back, Aargh!.
I checked the thread history for the "clutch click" on the this Forum and found strong evidence for the Clutch Fork and Pivot Ball as the culprit.. I sent an Email to www.zfdoctor.com 3 days ago and did not receive a reply.
Is the Clutch fork the problem here or something else? How difficult to repair.
Any light you can shed on the subject is appreciated.
When I depress the clutch pedal it makes a click sound just before it reaches the floor and again as I leaves the floor on the way back up. As the days go by the pedal is getting more difficult to fully depress. Last night on the way home from work, shifting from 4th. to 5th., the clutch pedal went to the floor and never came back, Aargh!.
I checked the thread history for the "clutch click" on the this Forum and found strong evidence for the Clutch Fork and Pivot Ball as the culprit.. I sent an Email to www.zfdoctor.com 3 days ago and did not receive a reply.
Is the Clutch fork the problem here or something else? How difficult to repair.
Any light you can shed on the subject is appreciated.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,356
Likes: 291
From: MA
When the pedal goes to the floor it is usually the Clutch Slave and or Clutch Master Cylinder failing!
Happened to me this way!
By the way the clicking noise is something I ran across with a new defective Clutch Slave!
Check the fluid in the Master first and see if it is low. If it is then your slave and or master cylinder are bad.
Hope this helps!
Happened to me this way!
By the way the clicking noise is something I ran across with a new defective Clutch Slave!
Check the fluid in the Master first and see if it is low. If it is then your slave and or master cylinder are bad.
Hope this helps!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,139
Likes: 482
From: H-Town Texas
I had problems with the pivot ball and fork. The pivot ball had grooves worn into it, and the fork would scrape the pressure plate when the pedal was fully depressed. However, this would not cause the clutch pedal to stay on the floor, that would have to be hydraulics.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
I had problems with the pivot ball and fork. The pivot ball had grooves worn into it, and the fork would scrape the pressure plate when the pedal was fully depressed. However, this would not cause the clutch pedal to stay on the floor, that would have to be hydraulics.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
I had problems with the pivot ball and fork. The pivot ball had grooves worn into it, and the fork would scrape the pressure plate when the pedal was fully depressed. However, this would not cause the clutch pedal to stay on the floor, that would have to be hydraulics.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
The exception would be if the slave piston got around the fork and binded, but that is very unlikely.
Check the bottom of the bellhousing for fluid. If you see a leak there it is probably clutch fluid. Your slave could have gotten over extended or damaged.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
When the pedal goes to the floor it is usually the Clutch Slave and or Clutch Master Cylinder failing!
Happened to me this way!
By the way the clicking noise is something I ran across with a new defective Clutch Slave!
Check the fluid in the Master first and see if it is low. If it is then your slave and or master cylinder are bad.
Hope this helps!
Happened to me this way!
By the way the clicking noise is something I ran across with a new defective Clutch Slave!
Check the fluid in the Master first and see if it is low. If it is then your slave and or master cylinder are bad.
Hope this helps!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
Any chance the Clutch master cylinder plunger/shaft has come disconnected from the clutch pedal?
Other possibility is the Clutch slave cylinder was damaged or defective and is not moving the clutch fork.
Suggest removing the clutch master cylinder reservoir cap and have someone press the clutch pedal, and see if you see any movement in the fluid -- if not, might suggest the pedal to plunger/shaft problem.
Next step (if you do see fluid movement), is to get under the car while someone is pressing the clutch pedal and look to see if the clutch fork is moving.
Other possibility is the Clutch slave cylinder was damaged or defective and is not moving the clutch fork.
Suggest removing the clutch master cylinder reservoir cap and have someone press the clutch pedal, and see if you see any movement in the fluid -- if not, might suggest the pedal to plunger/shaft problem.
Next step (if you do see fluid movement), is to get under the car while someone is pressing the clutch pedal and look to see if the clutch fork is moving.
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Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
Any chance the Clutch master cylinder plunger/shaft has come disconnected from the clutch pedal?
Other possibility is the Clutch slave cylinder was damaged or defective and is not moving the clutch fork.
Suggest removing the clutch master cylinder reservoir cap and have someone press the clutch pedal, and see if you see any movement in the fluid -- if not, might suggest the pedal to plunger/shaft problem.
Next step (if you do see fluid movement), is to get under the car while someone is pressing the clutch pedal and look to see if the clutch fork is moving.
Other possibility is the Clutch slave cylinder was damaged or defective and is not moving the clutch fork.
Suggest removing the clutch master cylinder reservoir cap and have someone press the clutch pedal, and see if you see any movement in the fluid -- if not, might suggest the pedal to plunger/shaft problem.
Next step (if you do see fluid movement), is to get under the car while someone is pressing the clutch pedal and look to see if the clutch fork is moving.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,139
Likes: 482
From: H-Town Texas
You said the pedal feels loose, as in soft? Can you still shift fairly smoothly? When mine started, I could still shift, and everything was pretty much normal other than the clacking when the pedal was fully depressed. However, as a little time went by, the clacking began sooner in the pedal travel.
The clutch fork is inside the bell housing on the driver's side. If you remove the slave, you will see where the slave piston lands, that is the fork. Unfortuneatly you will not be able to see the pivot ball. For this, the bell housing needs to come off. But in any event, you'll have to take it out to see what's going on. It could also be the release bearing, a pressure plate finger out of whack, misalignment issue, clutch disc problem. There's just no sure way to tell without inspection.
The clutch fork is inside the bell housing on the driver's side. If you remove the slave, you will see where the slave piston lands, that is the fork. Unfortuneatly you will not be able to see the pivot ball. For this, the bell housing needs to come off. But in any event, you'll have to take it out to see what's going on. It could also be the release bearing, a pressure plate finger out of whack, misalignment issue, clutch disc problem. There's just no sure way to tell without inspection.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
You said the pedal feels loose, as in soft? Can you still shift fairly smoothly? When mine started, I could still shift, and everything was pretty much normal other than the clacking when the pedal was fully depressed. However, as a little time went by, the clacking began sooner in the pedal travel.
The clutch fork is inside the bell housing on the driver's side. If you remove the slave, you will see where the slave piston lands, that is the fork. Unfortuneatly you will not be able to see the pivot ball. For this, the bell housing needs to come off. But in any event, you'll have to take it out to see what's going on. It could also be the release bearing, a pressure plate finger out of whack, misalignment issue, clutch disc problem. There's just no sure way to tell without inspection.
The clutch fork is inside the bell housing on the driver's side. If you remove the slave, you will see where the slave piston lands, that is the fork. Unfortuneatly you will not be able to see the pivot ball. For this, the bell housing needs to come off. But in any event, you'll have to take it out to see what's going on. It could also be the release bearing, a pressure plate finger out of whack, misalignment issue, clutch disc problem. There's just no sure way to tell without inspection.
I'll get back to you once the she is on a lift.