New Clutch Slips Terribly but only after 10 miles - Dodge Stealth
 

Had a new clutch put in my 2WD 1993 Dodge Stealth a month ago -
$900.00. It starts the day just fine with no slipping and quick
acceleration. After about 10-20 miles it starts slipping terribly in
all gears where the RPM's go from 2000 to 4000 without ANY
acceleration.

Why does this happen only after 10-20 miles are driven? Is it
overheating? Could it be the wrong clutch parts? Is it overheating? Do
I have a leak of some kind (I see no fluid on the driveway)? Thanks for
any thoughts

wrote:
> Had a new clutch put in my 2WD 1993 Dodge Stealth a month ago -
> $900.00. It starts the day just fine with no slipping and quick
> acceleration. After about 10-20 miles it starts slipping terribly in
> all gears where the RPM's go from 2000 to 4000 without ANY
> acceleration.
>
> Why does this happen only after 10-20 miles are driven? Is it
> overheating? Could it be the wrong clutch parts? Is it overheating? Do
> I have a leak of some kind (I see no fluid on the driveway)? Thanks for
> any thoughts

A suggestion, but you would need a mechanic to prove it.

The cluth mechanism is designed so that in its normal position it is
fully engaged.

When you press the clutch pedal the clutch plates are pulled apart and
held apart by the hydraulic system.

When the pedal is released the mechanism pulls the cluth plates into
contact.

If the hydraulics is not releasing properly the plates may be held
slightly apart.

This may be a build up of pressure after multiple uses of the clutch.

It should be able to be duplicated by sitting in the driveway and
pressing and releasing the clutch pedal. In Nuetral with the parking
brake on.

After 10 - 20 cycles press the clutch in and put it in gear, then see
if it slips.


Personally I would take it back to the shop that did the work and get
them to fix it. hopefully for no cost as a guarenteed repair.

that would cause the clutch to not disengage ...

On 14 Jul 2005 16:00:36 -0700, wrote:

>that would cause the clutch to not disengage ...

Exactly the problem with my dad's '87 Nissan Pickup....there was too
much air in the system, so the clutch wouldn't disengage from the
flywheel....

Sounds like maybe the pressure plate is either bad or not installed
properly,

-LMB

Who did this installation, Chris? What do they tell you?

Seems pretty expensive. I found a clutch kit for that car for about
$200, but there could be cheaper and more expensive. Did you
go with some sort of trick aftermarket clutch?

I agree with another poster that overheating in the hydraulics to the
clutch
is suggested.

Let us know what you find.

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. No word from the mechanic
yet - he hasn't looked at it yet. This is actually the fourth time I
have been back there this month about the new clutch (once before for
slipping and twice for clutch pedal not springing back completely (O.K.
now) - each time he went to the floor pedal to make adjustments on what
he says is "a wierd clutch pedal setup"). The mechanic was puzzled 2
days ago when I returned again and explained that the new clutch he
installed slips ONLY after ten miles, yet when I went back yesterday to
review with him all of your thoughtful posts he said "I never needed no
internet to fix a car" (sigh). I think he agreed to try and bleed the
hydraulic system first cause your suggestions that the cause may be air
in the lines that heats and expands after ten miles is a great
diagnosis and could be explained by a sloppy clutch installation. While
there I started it up cold and then pressed and released the clutch
pedal 30 times to try the suggestion re pressure buildup from multiple
uses of the clutch. I then drove it (still cold) - no slipping until
5-10 miles of driving. There is no visual leakage but still could be a
problem with the hydraulics - (?? cylinder, plunger, or whatever all is
involved). Maybe the clutch is overheating due to poor installation or
wrong parts. The clutch fork had snapped and was replaced at the same
time.

All parts should hopefully be stock - this ain't no race car (though my
black Dodge Stealth is pretty and has PA license plate BATM0BL). Total
cost = $900.00. Clutch kit = $262; Clutch fork (was snapped)= $71;
Resurface flywheel = $75; Labor (5.5 hours at $75/hr) = $412.50; Shop
supplies = $11; PA Sales Tax = $50.

Will repost once it is fixed and no longer slips after ten miles.
THANKS AGAIN!!!

Answer: Air in the lines that expands when heated up resulting in
clutch slip only after ten miles. Or, at least I think that was the
cause. Drove 200 miles with no clutch slip. The mechanic said he
adjusted the clutch (a fourth time) AND bled the system.

Thanks for the great diagnosis!

wrote:
> Answer: Air in the lines that expands when heated up resulting in
> clutch slip only after ten miles. Or, at least I think that was the
> cause. Drove 200 miles with no clutch slip. The mechanic said he
> adjusted the clutch (a fourth time) AND bled the system.
>
> Thanks for the great diagnosis!

"adjusted the clutch"... in a hydralic system?

He's giving you a load of bunk.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> wrote:
>> Answer: Air in the lines that expands when heated up resulting in
>> clutch slip only after ten miles. Or, at least I think that was the
>> cause. Drove 200 miles with no clutch slip. The mechanic said he
>> adjusted the clutch (a fourth time) AND bled the system.
>>
>> Thanks for the great diagnosis!
>
> "adjusted the clutch"... in a hydralic system?
>
> He's giving you a load of bunk.

He likely adjusted the pushrod between the clutch pedal and master cylinder.
If that rod is too long the port in the master cylinder is closed which
traps the fluid. When that fluid heats up it expands and pushes against the
piston on the slave cylinder which makes the clutch slip. His problem had
nothing to do with air trapped in the system, it had every thing to do with
a misadjusted clutch linkage, just not in the traditional way.
Bob