Clutch or Clutch cylinder that needs replacing?

[CarCrazed4Life]

I've been feeling like the car's pedal effort is lighter, but engagement point is very short (at almost 90%.) I tried to see if the clutch would spin in any and all gears, but it didnt. I smell a real faint smell lately which seems more like my rear brake pads then a burnt clutch.

Could it be I'm over conscious about the clutch needing replacing and it could be as simple as a master or slave cylinder?

In comparison I feel as if there is no feedback and I'm driving a 4 cylinder Accord...

 

[D'Ecosse]

Symptoms for clutch & hydraulics issues are completely different - a worn clutch will slip, whereas with a hydraulic issue clutch will fail to disengage.

A high engagement point is fairly typical in the NSX (early models anyway)

 

[CarCrazed4Life]

Well I guess the reason I realy posted was because it seems higher then it was. My car is a 97, and is my daily driver and there has been 25k miles since the previous owner replaced it with an OEM.

Butt he clutch still feels different. Maybe its nothing, but it feels like engagement point went from 2/3 to 9/10s. Also, effort feels less...

I was hoping there would be other symptoms that I should look for that would help me figure this out.

 

[NSXTech]

A slipping clutch smells exactly like (factory) burning brake pads. A worn out clutch engages higher to the top because of the increased travel of the pp and midplate covering more gtound with less friction material. Sounds like the 'end days' of a clutch to me.

You should check your clutch fluid though- If you have a leak, the clutch will engage closer to the floor, not closer to the top- but hey, checking the fluid is easy and should be done at the onset of any clutch sysmtpoms.

HTH,
MB

 

[CarCrazed4Life]

I just checked the fluid, and sure enough it was empty. Added some ATE Super Blue since I had some in a can, and filled her back up and tried pumping the hell out of it to get the air out... It feels better, but not like it use to. I'm sure I have air in the system.

But what would have caused the leak? Master or Slave cylinder? I didn't see any leaks on the floor of the driveway?

Thanks in advance guys.
Charlie.

 

[NSXTech]

Just playing the odds, the slave leaks more often than the master does, and it will not show up on the garage floor. You need to get a flashlight and look under the dash. Follow the clutch pedal up, and you will see where the pushrod is attached to it. Follow the pushrod towards the firewall where it penetrates a rubber boot. This will be where the fluid from the master tends to drip. It will look grayish in color becasue it is mixed with the alloy from the bore. If it is wet here at all, the master is bad.
Slaves do leak also, and will collect fluid inside the clutch arm cover before it hits the garage floor, but it will eventually drip. I have also seen several hoses leak where they go from the rigid line to the slave.

Doing the slave and the master at the same time is good insurance. The increased pressure from a fresh master will sometimes cause a borderline working slave, to fail.

HTH,
Mark

 

[EIFFEL]

Look inside the car for leaks. Directly above the clutch pedal is where you will see the pushrod from the clutch master cyl. leaking. Probably soaked the carpet already. HTH Eiffel

 

[bjmills]

Mine was a failed slave. Replaced it myself using the excellent guide by D'Ecosse. I should have noticed the indicators, including the drips on the garage floor which peeled the paint (the paint on the floor, that is). Instead I let the resovoir run dry, got air in the system, and almost got stranded.

 

[juejaimon]

If you have any doubts regarding the cylinders... you should change them out... i replaced mine due to age.. it makes a nice weekend DIY job... If you have any sort of fail on the cylinder right above you clutch pedal.. you should notice some leaking oil near there....

 

[NSXTech]

Just playing the odds, the slave leaks more often than the master does, and it will not show up on the garage floor. You need to get a flashlight and look under the dash. Follow the clutch pedal up, and you will see where the pushrod is attached to it. Follow the pushrod towards the firewall where it penetrates a rubber boot. This will be where the fluid from the master tends to drip. It will look grayish in color becasue it is mixed with the alloy from the bore. If it is wet here at all, the master is bad.
Slaves do leak also, and will collect fluid inside the clutch arm cover before it hits the garage floor, but it will eventually drip. I have also seen several hoses leak where they go from the rigid line to the slave.

Doing the slave and the master at the same time is good insurance. The increased pressure from a fresh master will sometimes cause a borderline working slave, to fail.

HTH,
Mark

As evidenced by the rest of my post, I meant to say that the master leaks more often than the slave.
I am somewhat dyslexic- I am also amsomniac and agnostic- I lay awake all night and wonder if there really is a Dog.

Mark

 

[CarCrazed4Life]

lol, Guys thanks for your help. Found fluid right by the firewall along the line and clutch pedal. I'm most likely going to order both since the car has 125k miles and is still gaining pretty well. Seeing how I just did head work due to human error (someone inspected the air filter, placed it on a work bench, and then placed it back in the filter... in the process a screw got stuck under it and made its way into the engine, requiring new valves...) The car is in great condition and is my daily driver.

Besides I can't afford for this one to be out of comission since my other car is the project car... This isn't as bad as new clutch time thats for sure though... I'm glad