Is this a sign my Master Cylinder is dead?
07-05-2012, 08:12 AM
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Is this a sign my Master Cylinder is dead?
If the car is at a dead stop and I press the clutch pedal real fast, and as soon as it hits the floor I throw it into a gear, there is a slight notch in the gear stick and you can feel the drive train clunking as if the pedal wasn't full in. I also get this notchyness when i change gear quickly during acceleration.
If I press the pedal wait a few seconds and then give it a gear, there is no notches on the gear stick and there is no transmission clunk.
I have changed the brake fluid at the master cylinder several times and within a short period of time the fluid goes black.
I went looking and could see this gunk coming out of the cylinder above the clutch pedal.. is this a sign of my master cylinder seal bust and that it cant get the pressure up quick enough for a quick gear change?
If I press the pedal wait a few seconds and then give it a gear, there is no notches on the gear stick and there is no transmission clunk.
I have changed the brake fluid at the master cylinder several times and within a short period of time the fluid goes black.
I went looking and could see this gunk coming out of the cylinder above the clutch pedal.. is this a sign of my master cylinder seal bust and that it cant get the pressure up quick enough for a quick gear change?
07-05-2012, 11:50 AM
#3
That gunk looks like grease, not brake fluid. Nothing to worry about.
07-06-2012, 03:16 AM
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Originally Posted by stezie' timestamp='1341504734' post='21835811
If the car is at a dead stop and I press the clutch pedal real fast, and as soon as it hits the floor I throw it into a gear, there is a slight notch in the gear stick and you can feel the drive train clunking as if the pedal wasn't full in.
That gunk looks like grease, not brake fluid. Nothing to worry about.
Thing is , I cant get a quick gear change at high revs without chrunching the gear. When I say the gear change is notchy it as if there is a slight cruch hitting the next gear as its selected.
If I clutch, then wait for revs to drop, the gear change is smooth. Surely this isnt 115% normal?
07-06-2012, 04:24 AM
#5
Feel free to gravity bleed the clutch fluid; or you can run the cycle of sucking out the black fluid from the reservoir, cleaning it out, then refilling and drive till its black again then repeat. I don't know that you will notice much of a difference in the notchiness of your shifts. I have it as well, and I think it is somewhat normal on our cars. I replaced my clutch recently, bled the fluid, adjusted the pedal, and used a different trans fluid and the notchiness got a liiiittle bit better but is still there, specifically when the car is cold. I also think it has more to do with the internals of the transmission; the synchros and such.
07-06-2012, 08:34 AM
#6
Originally Posted by bdo' timestamp='1341517839' post='21836421
[quote name='stezie' timestamp='1341504734' post='21835811']
If the car is at a dead stop and I press the clutch pedal real fast, and as soon as it hits the floor I throw it into a gear, there is a slight notch in the gear stick and you can feel the drive train clunking as if the pedal wasn't full in.
If the car is at a dead stop and I press the clutch pedal real fast, and as soon as it hits the floor I throw it into a gear, there is a slight notch in the gear stick and you can feel the drive train clunking as if the pedal wasn't full in.
That gunk looks like grease, not brake fluid. Nothing to worry about.
Thing is , I cant get a quick gear change at high revs without chrunching the gear. When I say the gear change is notchy it as if there is a slight cruch hitting the next gear as its selected.
If I clutch, then wait for revs to drop, the gear change is smooth. Surely this isnt 115% normal?
[/quote]
Agree, THAT is not 115% normal. But maybe 60%.
Crunching between gears is more subjective and depends how quick a "quick gear change" is. No idea if yours is worse or better than normal, but none are perfect. Waiting for the revs to drop WILL always be smoother (that part is normal) because the synchros don't have to change the speed of the gears within the trans so drastically or so suddenly. I could be wrong, but I'd suggest focusing more on the transmission fluid to try to improve this, than clutch system. Replace it it it's old, or maybe try a different fluid.
07-06-2012, 09:24 AM
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Agree, THAT is not 115% normal. But maybe 60%.
Crunching between gears is more subjective and depends how quick a "quick gear change" is. No idea if yours is worse or better than normal, but none are perfect. Waiting for the revs to drop WILL always be smoother (that part is normal) because the synchros don't have to change the speed of the gears within the trans so drastically or so suddenly. I could be wrong, but I'd suggest focusing more on the transmission fluid to try to improve this, than clutch system. Replace it it it's old, or maybe try a different fluid.
Crunching between gears is more subjective and depends how quick a "quick gear change" is. No idea if yours is worse or better than normal, but none are perfect. Waiting for the revs to drop WILL always be smoother (that part is normal) because the synchros don't have to change the speed of the gears within the trans so drastically or so suddenly. I could be wrong, but I'd suggest focusing more on the transmission fluid to try to improve this, than clutch system. Replace it it it's old, or maybe try a different fluid.
I replaced the tranmission fluid when i bought the car less than 2000 miles ago and its bent he same all along.
I can shift my EK4 vtec Civic real fast at 8400 RPM , and with no throttle lift off and gear change is smooth as silk..
its as if there is a delay, or a slowness, in the clutch fork engaging fully on the pressure plate.
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07-06-2012, 09:26 AM
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Feel free to gravity bleed the clutch fluid; or you can run the cycle of sucking out the black fluid from the reservoir, cleaning it out, then refilling and drive till its black again then repeat. I don't know that you will notice much of a difference in the notchiness of your shifts. I have it as well, and I think it is somewhat normal on our cars. I replaced my clutch recently, bled the fluid, adjusted the pedal, and used a different trans fluid and the notchiness got a liiiittle bit better but is still there, specifically when the car is cold. I also think it has more to do with the internals of the transmission; the synchros and such.
i did bleed the clutch fluid a while back, but from looking about the forum at other methods, maybe i should remove the slave cylinder from the gear box, so that I can tilt the bleed nipple incase there is trapped air in there some how.
07-06-2012, 11:43 AM
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07-06-2012, 12:09 PM
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My master cylinder went out and I had it replaced along with the slave, but I also have the same "crunch" you mention. It's just a quirk of the car as far as I'm concerned. I only really notice it with first gear; it doesn't bother me really at all.
You might take notice that, if stopped, and you move to first, it will "crunch", but move back to neutral and right back to first and it is very smooth. As others have stated, it's more of a tranny issue than clutch/clutch fluid problem. It's normal for the fluid to go black/dark quickly.
You might try regressing the shifter. I've been meaning to do this but haven't got around to it yet; I'm sure it won't hurt.
You might take notice that, if stopped, and you move to first, it will "crunch", but move back to neutral and right back to first and it is very smooth. As others have stated, it's more of a tranny issue than clutch/clutch fluid problem. It's normal for the fluid to go black/dark quickly.
You might try regressing the shifter. I've been meaning to do this but haven't got around to it yet; I'm sure it won't hurt.