Originally posted by papadage:
We'll see tomorrow. The clutch pedal feels too normal to have a burned out clutch. It's almost as if the clutch completely disappeared. There was no fade, just a sudden lack of clutch and the engine was racing. The clutch has under 3,000 miles on it and exhibited no prior problems or weakness before sudden failure to engage.

When I have had clutches burn out in the past, they have caused the shifter and the clutch pedal to lock up. This feels completely normal, except the clutch is missing.. I mean really missing in action.

I've been doing a little research and it looks like it may be a throw out bearing or slave cylinder. Hope not, but that means the trannie is coming out again. Guess i'll have to put in the MSDS headers while the subframe is down.

Anyone else have any ideas?



I am trying to think this through and I am tending to agree with WM...

If your clutch pedal feels normal, then we can at least rule out hydraulics. If the pedal felt soft, then we could say hydraulics. If the pedal was stiff, then we could say throw-out bearing, pressure plate or return fork but it's not, so...

Pedal feeling normal to me sounds like some fluid has gotten on the clutch, pressure plate or flywheel surface. Reason I go with that one is because if your pedal feel is still the same, then that would mean that everything from the Diaphram Springs (located on the pressure plate) back to the pedal is good. So that only leaves the surfaces of the PP, Clutch & Flywheel or the items themselves. And since there was no noise in relation to the failure, I would have to rule out mechanial failure of any of these items. And the only thing that I think could cause the symptoms that you describe is fluid on one of these surfaces.

If this is the case and when you pull the tranny and find no leaks from in rear crankseal, oil pan (in this area), tranny input shaft seal - I would have to suspect greasey finger prints accidently left behind on one of the three pre-named surfaces. Most likely the clutch or pressure plate.

Anyway, just trying to think this through. Since I am in the process of changing out my wife's clutch assy and flywheel in our 3.2L Passport, due to a failed throw-out bearing from rust, I am starting to find MTX conversations a little more interesting.

Phillip Jackson `98 Mystique LS 262K+ and counting... ATX rebuilt @ 151K "This storm has broken me, my only friend!" RIP Dime