Dying clutch?

My truck is a 1993 Toyota V6 4x4 with 199k miles. The clutch was
replaced at 119k miles when other engine work was being since the
transmission was already pulled back. At the time, the tech told me
that the new clutch should last even longer than the original one.

Well, here I am 80k miles later and I don't know if I have clutch
problems or what. Sometimes when I put the truck into 1st gear, it
will pop out of gear from a cold start (if I shift into 2nd gear before
going into 1st, this never happens). I've been driving this truck for
so long that it's hard to remember what it used to drive like, but I
swear it's losing power, especially going uphill. It got new plugs and
points recently, which didn't improve the performance at all.

I recently tried pulling an empty dual axle trailer and the truck drove
jerkily. I assumed it was the trailer, but maybe it was the clutch?

What's the definitive test to find out if my clutch needs to be
replaced?

Thanks.

--MATT

Popping out of 1st usually means you have an engine or tranny mount worn
out.

To test the clutch find a steep hill and floor it in high gear. If the
engine revs and you don't speed up, the clutch is slipping.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Matt wrote:
>
> My truck is a 1993 Toyota V6 4x4 with 199k miles. The clutch was
> replaced at 119k miles when other engine work was being since the
> transmission was already pulled back. At the time, the tech told me
> that the new clutch should last even longer than the original one.
>
> Well, here I am 80k miles later and I don't know if I have clutch
> problems or what. Sometimes when I put the truck into 1st gear, it
> will pop out of gear from a cold start (if I shift into 2nd gear before
> going into 1st, this never happens). I've been driving this truck for
> so long that it's hard to remember what it used to drive like, but I
> swear it's losing power, especially going uphill. It got new plugs and
> points recently, which didn't improve the performance at all.
>
> I recently tried pulling an empty dual axle trailer and the truck drove
> jerkily. I assumed it was the trailer, but maybe it was the clutch?
>
> What's the definitive test to find out if my clutch needs to be
> replaced?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --MATT