Hello, I am new and have some questions for you guys. I just bought this car a couple months ago when I got to this base and am already having problems...It is hard to shift into all gears and it is kinda crunchy, not sure if you call it grinding but you don't hear a noise you just feel it in your hand like a crunchy kinda feel. I was going to get the clutch changed Friday at Cottman Transmission which the kit comes with a new flywheel as well so I figured not bad. I then rethought about that today thinking what if its not the clutch...and I go pay $275 for them to drop tranny and they say hey your syncros are bad as well. I have enough money to put in a new clutch kit but am not going to come up with a lot more money and I don't like charging things so I figured I would see what you guys thought. The car has 83K and original clutch. A girl(no offense) was the only owner before me and drove it until I bought it. I am not sure how the tranny oil is and I need to know how to check it. I know the fill plug can be reached easily by taking off driver's side tire but do I just stick my finger in there and point it downward to feel for oil or what? BTW as far as I know there isn't any leaks so I don't know how oil could just evaporate out of it so oil level "should" be fine but who knows what they did with the car before I bought it. Clutch pedal feels "spongy" a friend told me before I bought it and said I would have to replace clutch soon. I know the clutch isn't very sensitive which I don't like, cause when I first bought it you had to press the clutch in almost all the way to the floor to put it in gear just sitting there which isn't right. Any ideas would be great because I want to get this fixed.

Thanks,
Jared

1. That is the exact procedure for checking the fluid level.

2. Spoungy pedal the master or slave cylinder leaking is 99% of the time. Pull back the boots and look for fluid.

3. Air in the system from a leaking master or slave cylinder will make it hard to shift, because the clutch isn't fully disengaging.

4. 99.9% of the time, stupid people will always tell you its your clutch when it is infact not.

Thanks for your input. I went to go check the fluid now and thats crazy to fit your hand in there. It is more like my fingers doing the work and its hard to get the plug out but I didn't try too hard cause the thing started hissing at one point lol. I am scared if I get the plug out I won't be able to get enough hand in there to push it back in. Hmmm slave or master cylinders are located where your feet go or what? Man this sucks...I hate car troubles. Thanks,
Jared

The master cylinder is attached to the pedal. The slave cylinder is on the front of the transmission.

The plug hissed because the transmissions creates a vacuum when the fluid cools off. if you heard the hiss, thatmeasn you're probably not leaking anywhere, but i'd check the fluid regardless.

The plug is a lot harder to pull out than it is to put back in.

Originally posted by DarkOne
The master cylinder is attached to the pedal. The slave cylinder is on the front of the transmission. The plug hissed because the transmissions creates a vacuum when the fluid cools off. if you heard the hiss, thatmeasn you're probably not leaking anywhere, but i'd check the fluid regardless. The plug is a lot harder to pull out than it is to put back in.

Well thanks for your reply. Today after work I am going to take it to AAMCO for that free check and they inspect your oil and hook your tranny up to the computer and see if they can find anything wrong externally. They also drive it so if they say it is the clutch they think also then thats two transmission places that think its the clutch and I guess my only choice is to go for it and hope that is the problem. My cousin said I might as well go to pep boys since it is a $100 cheaper and same warranty. He said they have certified mechanics and every shop can make mistakes so what do you think I should do as far as that goes? Pepboys will do it for $500 -10% military discount and Cottman Transmission will do it for $600(he screwed up on price and said it wouldn't be more but now that I told them the kit comes with a new flywheel he found out they are "losing" $130 but it was the manager that told me it wouldnt be more than $600 so he is still going to honor the price. I had pep boys do my brakes which they did fine but I had to make them bleed them again for them to work great. Thanks again

Jared

There is no transaxle computer on an MTX car.

It sounds to me more like your master or slave cylinder than your clutch. But if you already bought the clutch it can't hurt to have it installed ... just don't be surprised if you have to spend money again to fix something else associated. Park your car somewhere flat, sit inside and push the clutch pedal a few times. Then get out and look to see if you have any spots on the ground. If you do it's difinitely your slave or master. Master will leak towards the fire wall. Slave will leak to the inside of the drivers side wheel.

Originally posted by techboy
It sounds to me more like your master or slave cylinder than your clutch. But if you already bought the clutch it can't hurt to have it installed ... just don't be surprised if you have to spend money again to fix something else associated. Park your car somewhere flat, sit inside and push the clutch pedal a few times. Then get out and look to see if you have any spots on the ground. If you do it's difinitely your slave or master. Master will leak towards the fire wall. Slave will leak to the inside of the drivers side wheel.

Thanks your your replies. I went to AAMCO a little bit ago and the guy drove it and also said it's definatley the clutch. He said to get a little more life out of it if I can't afford doing it is to wait a couple seconds in neutral before going into next gear which works. He said he checked for leaks and said that its the clutch. They also said the clutch is auto adjusting on this car. It seems every shop has something wrong about a car or maybe they are right. I know I read about a screw on the master cylinder but is that really supposed to ever be changed? They said its hydraulic system auto adjusts the clutch so who knows. They said it is engaging high or something along that lines. I think I will just go ahead and get Cottman Transmission to do it tommorow for $600 -10% military discount since pep boys only gives a 3month warranty on labor unlike Cottman is a year. I just pray that it is only the clutch cause if it is the tranny I heard they cost a ton of cash to rebuild and I don't have it and in that case I would have to pay $275 just for labor and get nothing out of it. AAMCO guy also said many people always like point to the syncros but he said that is very rarely ever what is truly wrong. They wear but not the problem. So wish me luck because looks like I am throwing almost $600 out tommorow hoping its the clutch. Thanks again!

Jared

have you tried bleeding your clutch? IM going to laugh very hard at you for being foolish and spending 600 dollars on something that i could do for free. a new clutch is only 150 bucks and getting someone else to do it isn't worth 600. bleed your clutch lines and see how that feels.

Originally posted by 420AYE
have you tried bleeding your clutch? IM going to laugh very hard at you for being foolish and spending 600 dollars on something that i could do for free. a new clutch is only 150 bucks and getting someone else to do it isn't worth 600. bleed your clutch lines and see how that feels.

I just got a new clutch installed with everything including my military discount it was only $563 so not too bad. The clutch pedal is really easy to push in now though...is that good or bad? It isn't good to get on it and go crazy until you break it in so I am not too sure how good it will catch. He said he drained the tranny fluid and replaced it and said there were no metal pieces on the drain plug so thats good. He said he put new fluid in so looks like I am good for a year he said which a year lol I heard like change it 30K-40K miles. How far should you have to push the clutch down to get it into a gear just idling? Thanks

Jared

The pedal will tough up after you break in the clutch. Give it time.

Originally posted by DarkOne
The pedal will tough up after you break in the clutch. Give it time.

Great! Thanks for the reassurance.

Jared

A couple more questions. Are the clutches on the 1998 NT self(i mean by themselve) adjust? Also should I have to push the clutch almost all the way to the floor for me to be able to get into gear when I am idling? I know it isn't good to shift without pushing the clutch all the way down but I just wonder because it was like that before I got a new clutch too. I heard you should only have to push it down like a 1/3 of the way but who knows. I always push it all the way down but just wondering. Thank you

Jared

you will never have to adjust the clutch. My new clutch is much easier to pushin....i have a aftermarket disk with factory plate/flywheel. I have noticed the LUK brand clutch is slightly easier to work than the SACHs brand clutch. nothign wrong just design style so dont be surprised if you notice it is easier in the long run. As for mileage to change the fluid.....dont, just check the fluid level every 2-3 motor oil changes to make sure you are still ok. The factory i think recommends 100k trans change, not sure though.

Good luck and remember....you taking advise from Dino (Darkone) who hasnt had a running motor in his car for quite some time now...lmao.

just fu*&^% with ya dino.

terry

96 Eagle talon ESI
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97 Eclipse
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