Clutch cylinders

Having difficulty shifting gears. Clutch pedal has to be to
the floor to shift. Car is a '97, 62K miles, two P.O.'s never changed
the clutch fluid which I just did & bled, got some improvement, but not
much. Tranny, linkage and clutch r ok as is tranny oil.
I suspect it's the throw out bearing as it was making noise
awhile back, but then stopped. Question is how do I know
if it might be the clutch slave cyl. I've heard that these fail, but I
don't c any leaks and fluid in reservoir stays full.
Can the slave or m.c. fail without leaking?
Don't want to do the throw out bearing now if it's just the
slave or m.c. (Have to save up $ for the throw out bearing fix
which I know is coming in future).

Thanks very much.

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 19:40:30 GMT, mcola
> wrote:

>Having difficulty shifting gears. Clutch pedal has to be to
>the floor to shift. Car is a '97, 62K miles, two P.O.'s never changed
>the clutch fluid which I just did & bled, got some improvement, but not
>much. Tranny, linkage and clutch r ok as is tranny oil.
>I suspect it's the throw out bearing as it was making noise
>awhile back, but then stopped. Question is how do I know
>if it might be the clutch slave cyl. I've heard that these fail, but I
>don't c any leaks and fluid in reservoir stays full.
>Can the slave or m.c. fail without leaking?
>Don't want to do the throw out bearing now if it's just the
>slave or m.c. (Have to save up $ for the throw out bearing fix
>which I know is coming in future).
>
>Thanks very much.
It is possible for the clutch slave to let air in without a visible
leak. Clutch slave cylinders are a frequent source of problems in
Miatas. You should probably change yours.

Natman wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 19:40:30 GMT, mcola
> > wrote:
>
>> Having difficulty shifting gears. Clutch pedal has to be to
>> the floor to shift. Car is a '97, 62K miles, two P.O.'s never changed
>> the clutch fluid which I just did & bled, got some improvement, but not
>> much. Tranny, linkage and clutch r ok as is tranny oil.
>> I suspect it's the throw out bearing as it was making noise
>> awhile back, but then stopped. Question is how do I know
>> if it might be the clutch slave cyl. I've heard that these fail, but I
>> don't c any leaks and fluid in reservoir stays full.
>> Can the slave or m.c. fail without leaking?
>> Don't want to do the throw out bearing now if it's just the
>> slave or m.c. (Have to save up $ for the throw out bearing fix
>> which I know is coming in future).
>>
>> Thanks very much.
> It is possible for the clutch slave to let air in without a visible
> leak. Clutch slave cylinders are a frequent source of problems in
> Miatas. You should probably change yours.

Thanks for the reply Natman. I reckon even if it isn't the slave
cyl. it'd b a good idea to change/repair it since it's been neglected
and the fluid was black with sludge on the bottom of the res.
R rebuild kits easily found and is the savings worth the xtra work
or should I just replace the cyl. How much would I save doing the
kit? Thanks again very much.

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:50:31 GMT, mcola
> wrote:

>Natman wrote:
>> On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 19:40:30 GMT, mcola
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Having difficulty shifting gears. Clutch pedal has to be to
>>> the floor to shift. Car is a '97, 62K miles, two P.O.'s never changed
>>> the clutch fluid which I just did & bled, got some improvement, but not
>>> much. Tranny, linkage and clutch r ok as is tranny oil.
>>> I suspect it's the throw out bearing as it was making noise
>>> awhile back, but then stopped. Question is how do I know
>>> if it might be the clutch slave cyl. I've heard that these fail, but I
>>> don't c any leaks and fluid in reservoir stays full.
>>> Can the slave or m.c. fail without leaking?
>>> Don't want to do the throw out bearing now if it's just the
>>> slave or m.c. (Have to save up $ for the throw out bearing fix
>>> which I know is coming in future).
>>>
>>> Thanks very much.
>> It is possible for the clutch slave to let air in without a visible
>> leak. Clutch slave cylinders are a frequent source of problems in
>> Miatas. You should probably change yours.
>
>Thanks for the reply Natman. I reckon even if it isn't the slave
>cyl. it'd b a good idea to change/repair it since it's been neglected
>and the fluid was black with sludge on the bottom of the res.
>R rebuild kits easily found and is the savings worth the xtra work
>or should I just replace the cyl. How much would I save doing the
>kit? Thanks again very much.

I don't know. Mine went suddenly and I couldn't find a kit right away.
I'd recommend that you get a new cylinder (not OEM). Then if your
original core is still good you can rebuild it at your leisure and
have it ready for next time.

> I don't know. Mine went suddenly and I couldn't find a kit right away.
> I'd recommend that you get a new cylinder (not OEM). Then if your
> original core is still good you can rebuild it at your leisure and
> have it ready for next time.

Thanks. Apparently, rebuild kits only exist for the MC not the slave
and even they r hard to find. Thanks again.

In article >,
Natman > wrote:

> I don't know. Mine went suddenly and I couldn't find a kit right away.
> I'd recommend that you get a new cylinder (not OEM). Then if your
> original core is still good you can rebuild it at your leisure and
> have it ready for next time.

Wise advice!
Clutch slaves are cheap, and even cheaper to rebuild. I do a rebuild on
my spare for $6.00 and some tax, shove it in a ziplock bag with one of
those silica gel packs, mash all the air out, then shove it in another
ziplock and stick it in the glovebox. Seriously!

I can usually have it changed within about 10 minutes of jacking up the
car. Cheap insurance.

BTW, Nat - I had one go sudden once, with no kit on hand - Found out
that a 3/4" drum-brake cylinder cup needs to be *JUST TOUCHED* to a
grinding wheel all the way around to make the clutch work *AT LEAST*
long enough for the rebuild kit to come in. Without the touch to the
grinder, it's just a hair too large, so it gets stuck in the bore after
the first time you apply force, holding the clutch out.

--
Don Bruder - - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

In article <998vg.10$Pi.1@trndny08>,
mcola > wrote:

> > I don't know. Mine went suddenly and I couldn't find a kit right away.
> > I'd recommend that you get a new cylinder (not OEM). Then if your
> > original core is still good you can rebuild it at your leisure and
> > have it ready for next time.
>
> Thanks. Apparently, rebuild kits only exist for the MC not the slave
> and even they r hard to find. Thanks again.

Whoever told you that is full of it right up to his eyebrows.

Slave rebuild kits can be had from Autozone, Kragen's, and probably just
about anyplace else that does parts - I get mine for about $6 at the
local "mom-n-pop" parts place, where they keep 'em in stock. Jerry at
the counter says they sell at least 4 a week to the large local
"riceboy" population.

Ditto MC rebuild kits, only those are about $11 a pop.

If your parts-critter can't source it for you as a Miata kit, have him
try looking for a '79-up 323, 626, or 929, or a 77-ish Ford Courrier
kit. They're all the same kit. Several Hondas and Toyotas also use that
kit from what I'm told, but I don't know which ones specifically.

--
Don Bruder - - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info

> Whoever told you that is full of it right up to his eyebrows.
>
> Slave rebuild kits can be had from Autozone, Kragen's, and probably just
> about anyplace else that does parts - I get mine for about $6 at the
> local "mom-n-pop" parts place, where they keep 'em in stock. Jerry at
> the counter says they sell at least 4 a week to the large local
> "riceboy" population.
>
> Ditto MC rebuild kits, only those are about $11 a pop.
>
> If your parts-critter can't source it for you as a Miata kit, have him
> try looking for a '79-up 323, 626, or 929, or a 77-ish Ford Courrier
> kit. They're all the same kit. Several Hondas and Toyotas also use that
> kit from what I'm told, but I don't know which ones specifically.
>
My local guy told me that nobody stocks rebuild kits for either the
MC or SC. Told me the same thing for a rebuilt alternator I just
bought from him for a diff. car I own. I used to rebuild those
years ago. He apparently doesn't want to deal with any rebuild kits,
more $ for him selling full on replacement units I reckon.
I ordered the kit from Trussville that "Lanny" wrote about.
Thanks all.

mcola wrote:
> Having difficulty shifting gears. Clutch pedal has to be to
> the floor to shift. Car is a '97, 62K miles, two P.O.'s never changed
> the clutch fluid which I just did & bled, got some improvement, but not
> much. Tranny, linkage and clutch r ok as is tranny oil.
> I suspect it's the throw out bearing as it was making noise
> awhile back, but then stopped. Question is how do I know
> if it might be the clutch slave cyl. I've heard that these fail, but I
> don't c any leaks and fluid in reservoir stays full.
> Can the slave or m.c. fail without leaking?
> Don't want to do the throw out bearing now if it's just the
> slave or m.c. (Have to save up $ for the throw out bearing fix
> which I know is coming in future).
>
> Thanks very much.




Just to let u all know, I rebuilt the clutch slave cylinder over the
weekend and it is working just great now. Clutch engages now, where it
should, and not a 1/4" off
the floor anymore. Had trouble with the lower mounting bolt, but
finally got it off. Used compressed air to remove the old piston, no one
had told me I'd have
trouble with that. I thought there'd be a circlip to remove and then
the spring would push it out, but that wasn't the case. With nothing to
grab the piston by, I tried compressed air and that shot it out!
Lightly sanded the interior of the bore to remove some rough, rusty
spots. Reinstalled and bled using the usual two man method. Also,
cleaned out the resevoir while I was at it.
Thanks everyone for all your help.

mcola wrote:

> Clutch engages now, where it
> should, and not a 1/4" off
> the floor anymore.

Mine engages about 1/4" from the top, but that's because the clutch is
virtaully worn out. The car spent its first 59,000 miles in London...