Clutch Adjustment?

[Xelkos]

Every so often the clutch does not disengage all the way which makes shifting not as smooth.
Feels like there is a grab between 2nd going to 3rd, and sometimes hard to get from 2nd to 1st. I can still get the gears to mesh without any noise.

The master cylinder looks good as far as no leaks. So I am assuming it is time for a clutch adjustment. I do not have a shop to do the work myself, so if this is not an easy job then I am going to need to find a shop.

Bad part about living in Payette, Idaho is trying to find someone that works on Suzukis. I was hoping to find a shop in Ontario, Oregon, that knows imports well. Anyone know the time-frame to adjust and/or replace a clutch assembly and cost for parts minus the labor?

[jim_naisium]

Hi,

Have not been to Ontario in a long time (used to live in Hermiston), I don't have any recommendations for a local shop.

I have the automatic tranny so I'm not sure where this is going to be, follow the hydraulic line from the clutch master cylinder to where ever it goes, where it ends up is going to be the transmission slave cylinder. The slave cylinder is going to have a bleeder valve on it, bleed this just as your would the brakes.

Coming out of the slave cylinder is going to be some kind of push rod, this is not adjustable but is going to have a spring buried inside some rubber parts that pushes it out, if this spring is old and worn out and is no longer "springy" it may cause the problems you are having, replacement of the entire cylinder is the only thing you can do. If you push in on it it should spring back out when you let go.

If that appears to be fine try pushing/pulling on what the push rod comes into contact with, it should be the operating rod that applies and releases the internal clutch parts, if this has excessive play in it your pressure plate may need to be replaced, your clutch pads shouldn't be worn down or the tranny would be slipping, if you want to look at the pads pull the starter out you should be able to see them.

Aside from replacing and bleeding the transmission slave cylinder this is a job I would leave to a shop to do unless you have replaced the clutch in a front wheel drive car before.

[Xelkos]

This is odd. The clutch seems to be working, disengaging and engaging at the right spot. When the car has not been on the road long, it shifts fine, as with most days. Every so often, after I have driven the a while, the gear shift seems to grab; not release or mesh into the next gear.

Does not happen all the time, just been getting more noticeable. I will have to find that slave cylinder I think.

Thank you for the reply.

[jim_naisium]

Check the fluid level of the oil in the gear box, the oil level might be low, there is usually a plug in the side of the gear box that you can remove to add more oil into it. If you stick your finger in the hole (with the car level) the oil level should come right up to the bottom of the hole.

[Xelkos]

Have an appointment with Hometown Toyota, where I purchase the Esteem used, to have it checked out.

When I started out in second gear todat when it was acting up, the next 1st to 2nd went smooth. Then was back to sticking.

Had taken it to Big-O when I swapped out my winter tires and the manager was unable to find the filler area to check the fluid.
Next I went to a transmission shop and they seems reasonable to a point until the fella there could not distinguish a Suzuki from a Suburu, so I decided to not have it checked there. - However, the mechanic there did not think adding fluid to the transmission would help any.

I should of had it checked out during Spring break but all I could think about was relaxing after a very stressful winter college term.

Will post more if and when I find out anything. Hard to find a good mechanic that doesn't charge you half a house motgage to do anything...

[jim_naisium]

Here is a picture I found that shows where the oil plugs are, from the view it gives I'm pretty sure this is from the Driver's side of the car.

http://home.comcast.net/~lj_robins/p..._oil_plugs.jpg

[Xelkos]

Thank you, Jim.

I'll show the Toyota people too. Big-O was sort of in a hurry today.

I assumed that when I took my Esteem in a while back for a full fluids check-up, that they would of checked the manual transmission fluid too. I was wrong in that assumption, as if it is not convenient to check the service people will not check manual transmissions.

[Xelkos]

Got back from Hometown Toyota.

The mechanic could not find anything wrong with the test drive. I took him for a spin too, and the car was behaving. Talked with the mechanic, so he took it in and hoisted it.
The manual transmission was down 1 quart, and he filled it. He took apart the fittings for the shifting linkage, lubricated that. He could not find anything wrong.
Got a free car wash. The total bill was $0.

For a Toyota Dealership, they ranked high on my list today. I was expecting to pay at least $80, but since they could not find an issue the entire visit cost me nothing.


Now, he did say that if the problem continues the problem may lie in the transaxle. The have to decide on new, used, or rebuilt. Then new clutch and having the flywheel turned.
There was no estimate for this giving.

On the way home there was a bit of stiffness in the actual shifting from 1st ro 2nd, but was not like what I was experiencing before.

Will have to hope for the best, least until I hit the lottery or find some big bucks along the way to bet a newer vehicle.