d3lux

Well tonight I went out to hop into my totally stock 01' S and found out some bad news . Pushed the clutch down to start it up and felt basically no resistance till the very bottom of the clutch travel. The top part was all play. Tried putting it in gear, wouldn't go. So I got the car started and pushed the clutch down all the way to try and throw it in reverse with the car running and it still wouldn't go. Tried the same with first, wouldn't go. So I put some muscle into pushing the clutch pedal down real hard and muscled it into reverse. Barely letting off the clutch, it started engaging and rolling backwards. I drove the car earlier today and it seemed fine, maybe alil softer clutch than usual but no where near as huge a change as it feels now. I don't see how the clutch could slip that much by just sitting in my garage for 4-5 hours . Any ideas/opinions from you guys? I drive the car normally and don't drop/slip the clutch from high RPMs, nor ride the clutch, so I'm hoping its not a driver error.

Thanks!

Billman250

Clutch fluid.

Prolly low enough where it sucked air. Clean out the res spotless with a paper towel, then fill it to the full line with brake fluid. Put the cap back on.

Pump the clutch pedal slowly, only pressing it 3 inches, like 20 times. If the clutch doesn't come back, you'll need to bleed.

MitsukillinS2K

^ agreed and bleeding the clutch really isnt that hard tho you may need 2 people to do it. one to pump the clutch and the other to watch the resivour

d3lux

Wow you guys are life savers. Checked the clutch fluid and it was insanely low. Added some heavy duty DOT3/ DOT4 brake fluid and it'll go into gear and drive now. Only problem is engagement is still at the bottom of the clutch travel, not near the top like it used to be. Just had it in for 30k service at the dealership and all the fluids check out OK. Got 33,7XX on it now so my problem now is why it lost so much fluid in so little time or that Honda forgot to check it or something.

Also is there any links to a DIY for draining the clutch fluid? Mine was dark black and gross, and the old stuff suspended itself in the new cleaner fluid I added. Id like to flush the whole thing and add all new fluid. Thanks again to Billman and Mitsu!

Billman250

Did you wipe it clean first?

d3lux

Yeah wiped it totally clean. The fluid in that was in there was dark black and suspended itself in the clean fluid when I poured it in. I'd like to flush the whole system, don't have any clue how to though. Pumping the clutch helped move the engagement up alittle but there is still tons of play. It's definately driveable, I actually like the lower engagement alil better.
However, I'm still taking it to the dealer sometime this week. I think theres more wrong than just the clutch fluid and possibly something with the cluctch assembly. I took it over to my friend with a SRT-4 who is mechanically inclinded, he thinks it has to do with the throw out bearing assembly. He said that would explain the abnormally loud buzzing during deceleration and audible whine from outside the car/ticking against your foot when the clutch is depressed all the way.

Billman250

The buzzing on decel is from the disc. There was a tsb on it.