No Travel at all on clutch anymore

[brunswick240]

I was just drivin around with my dad last tonite and we pulled into a nissan dealer lot and we were looking at some 350s and we stopped the car and admired an STi. Then all the sudden we couldnt get the car to get into first, so we had to start in second all the way home. Do you guys know what it might be i have a 92 240sx SE completely stock, 127xxx miles on transmission,engine, and chasis. Im either thinkin that i dont have a clutch anymore or im leak oil. Guys the faster you respond the better, because i hate having something wrong with my car and not know what it is/how to fix it. Thanks for all the help in advance.UPDATE:I started the car to day and there was no clutch at all, i had to roll start it...if that helps.

[Ubernoober]

Replace clutch.

[brunswick240]

Thanks that not the most obvious thing anyone couldve said...But that helps me a lot since i couldnt come to that conclusion myself wow i guess your name speaks for you

[Chaotic_Warlord]

as simple a solution it is, it's safe to say that yeah you're about to lose your clutch. If you can start ot roll forward in 5th gear and it doesnt stall out you have a bad clutch. And honestly 127K on a stock clutch is a really good life span for a manual, especially if it's been abused at all. Check your fluid levels in your Master cylinder if they're fine you don't have a leak, or not a drastic one that would cause you to not have a first gear. I was able to limp my 5 speed galant for a month, transmission slipping and all, even drove back and forth to class on the PA turnpike on a near daily basis. Not to say yours will last that long, but if you have a the rest of gears just keep an eye on the amount of slippage, when it starts to take you 5 min to get up to speed and the rev get closer to the red line on your tach through out the gears and you feel less and less momentum then you should go home, park your car and get yourself a new clutch.

[Ubernoober]

Don't be insulting, I wasn't. You came on here for advice and I gave you accurate advice. Just because I didn't turn you over and rub your belly by writing 5 paragraphs about how great an analytical mind you have doesn't make my two words any less correct. And if you already knew the answer, what exactly are you looking for by posting here Mr. Obvious?You need to inspect your clutch and hydraulic system. To do so, take off the transmission. While it is off, replace the clutch. End of story. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to damage your flywheel, which in the end will cost you more.

[xekushnr]

The longer you wait, the more likely you are to damage your flywheel, which in the end will cost you more.

[benemorius]

Doesn't sound at all like a bad clutch to me. Sounds like a hydraulic problem.Have someone operate the clutch pedal while you look under the car at the clutch slave cylinder. I believe it is on the passenger side, toward the front of the transmission. You should see the hose from the master cylinder going into the slave cylinder, then you should see a lever coming out of the slave cylinder going into the transmission. This lever should move back and forth as your pal operates the pedal. If not, (or if only slightly) check the fluid in the master clutch cylinder, check for leaks, broken pipes/hoses, etc.

A bad clutch and a clutch hydraulic system problem cause practically opposite symptoms. If you think about it, they shouln't so easily be confused. A bad clutch prevents full engagement (clutch slips - redlining in first and only going 10mph, etc.) while a hydraulic problem prevents full disengagement (clutch won't let go - difficulty shifting into lower gears, car creeps forward like an automatic, etc.)

[Dirtylou]

What about bad synchros mainly the 1st gear synchro? It's a shot in the dark.

[deathkeeper]

I had this same problem at times when I bought my car. It would not go into 1st and I had to continually start in 2nd. Come to find out, the previous owner had just gotten the transmission fluid changed at some lube joint.The *** clowns there obviously did not know that you needed to completely tighten the drain plug. It was very loose and had leaked enough fluid to cause this problem. I drained what was left and refilled it, fearing that they also probably put in GL-5 fluid.

Don't immediately take a really expensive path to fixing this problem. If it is your clutch and you burn it up and scar the flywheel, big deal, it is a nice time to upgrade to a lightweight aluminum one anyways.

[benemorius]

It seems all anyone has is gl5. I went to four different stores around here before finally ordering some gl4 over the internet. In two of those stores the salesman was so intent on selling me gl5 because it "works for gl3, 4, and 5" (or whatever) that I had to rudely tell him to go home and learn his friggin merchandise before storming out of the store.

[/offtopic] (sorry)

It's always possible that synchros could be bad, but usually when that happens you wind up grinding as you shift. The symptoms really do point to a hydraulic problem.

As someone reminded me in another thread, be sure not to try to force the stick into gear. Very not good for the synchros. As for driving the car in it's current condition, learn to match revs if you don't know how. Look it up if you've never heard of it. It's a very valuable skill for any 5-speed driver, if you ask me. Also fun to strike up an interesting conversation if you can do it smooth enough... "wtf! Are you not pushing the clutch down?" "Right. I'm shifting a 5-speed without the use of a clutch" "" " "

[brunswick240]

Sorry uber for actin like a jerk didnt mean it to come out that way i just had a bad week and then the problem with my clutch just topped it off. It ended up being that there was some weird stuff in the bottom of the clutch fluid container, blocking the flow of the fluid, which dissabled my clutch and not letting me go into gears, dont ask how i got home with it like that because i dont even know. But after refilling the fluid and getting rid of all that stuff the clutch works fine. Thanks for the help and sorry if i pissed anyone else off

[benemorius]

Glad you got it taken care of. If you ever actually emptied the fluid reservoir while cleaning out the crap, some air may have been allowed into the line that ought to be bled out. If you're not a perfectionist though, I probably wouldn't worry about it unless it gives you more trouble.

As for the not knowing how you got it home without being able to get into any gears, read up on matching revs and you'll have no trouble next time your clutch decides to stop responding.

[Ubernoober]

Not a problem. Be aware that at 120+K miles that the clutch itself is going to be very worn. If a previous owned replaced it within the last 50K, you are ok for a bit, but if it is original, start saving now. Mine was completely toast at 130K and if I had waited even 20 miles longer, the rivets would have gouged the flywheel.

[brunswick240]

Thanks for the help guys, and i have been lookin at clutches, im thinking about gettin an aluminum flywheel and a stage 2 clutch, but i dont know too much about the clutch so should i get the stage 2 or just another oem. My future plan include headers, intake and exhaust and thatll be it for this car. Thanks again.

[hondahunter180]

And honestly 127K on a stock clutch is a really good life span for a manual, especially if it's been abused at all.

man my first s13's engine went at 189,000 and the stock clutch was still strong. but 127 isnt bad, my car right now has 164,000 on it and its just about to finish its second. so you could just use it as an exscuse to get an SR20.

[Ubernoober]

Yes, that makes perfects sense.A $200, two hour clutch job is a perfect reason to spend more than $3000 and 4 weeks replacing the engine also.