Truck left me stranded. Ideas on the cause?

[Jesda]

I've been borrowing my dad's '78 Toyota pickup while I've been in town visiting. Last night I noticed it took more and more clutch pedal work to get it to engage and change gears. Eventually, it would no longer go into gear. Rev matching sort of worked for about a mile, then it rapidly worsened and I wasn't able to get it into gear at all. The clutch pedal didn't feel much different, it just ceased to consistently "bite."

Once it did get into gear, however, it accelerated and held the gear fine, so I *think* that means the clutch itself is good? I may have a fluid, cylinder, or linkage/cable issue? The way it gradually got worse as the day went on makes me believe that it's due to some fluid issue.

Any hunches?

I had it towed home at 3am last night. I'd like to fix it myself but never serviced a manual transmission.


We initially broke down near Spokane's red light district. Fortunately, my friend was able to push it a few feet (away from the homeless guy sleeping on the grass next to us) and I managed to get it into gear and go south a mile where it was much safer.


Felt bad for waking up the tow guy in the middle of the night so I gave him an extra $20.





I love this truck though. I've had a blast driving it.

[float_6969]

Clutch actuation issue. If it's hydraulic, either the clutch master or the clutch slave failed. If it's cable, then the cable failed. From the description you're giving, it sounds hydraulic. I'd also replace any rubber clutch lines while you're fixing it.

[Jesda]

Some other info upon taking a look at it this morning:

Fluid level is fine.
Linkage -seems- okay. I can hear "things" clicking about when I move the shifter.
Clutch pedal has no pressure.


I think you're right, it seems like a hydraulic issue. NAPA has the master and slave for only $30 each! Gotta love high-volume extended-production globally built vehicles -- their parts are as plentiful and cheap as water.

[float_6969]

Clutch slave is the most likely. Usually when the master fails, you get fluid leaking back into the passenger compartment. For something that old though, and for as cheap as the parts are, I'd replace both and be done with it. Invariably, if you replace one, the other will fail shortly after, leaving you stranded again.

I just had a thought though, it could be a rusted line that's introduced air into the system. It would have the same effect. Should be easy enough to diagnose that though. Top it back up and have someone pump the pedal while you look for fluid coming out of the line.

[Bubba1]

Clutch slave is the most likely. Usually when the master fails, you get fluid leaking back into the passenger compartment. For something that old though, and for as cheap as the parts are, I'd replace both and be done with it. Invariably, if you replace one, the other will fail shortly after, leaving you stranded again.

.

This^^. not that unusual an occurance. and if dad intends to keep the vehicle for awhile, if you replace the slave, you should do the master at the same time.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

If it were just hydraulics, you SHOULD have been able to get the vehicle into gear by rev-matching it.

Can you put it into all the gears with the engine off? I'd probably go ahead and replace the master and slave like has already been mentioned. Pray you don't strip the line nut going into the master. PB blaster is your friend. Buy the proper line wrench. If it starts to strip out, just go ahead and vice-grip the sum b****.

I've seen masters fail 2 ways: they blow an external seal and leak back into the passenger compartment (slowly). There is of course some fluid loss during that time. The other way is they blow an internal seal, the fluid turns black as hell, nothing leaks out anywhere, and there is no pedal pressure.

[Jesda]

Fluid seems to be at the proper level, but who knows, air could still be in the system?

I was sort able to get the vehicle into gear by crudely rev matching for a half mile or so then got frustrated and decided to call for a tow.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

True, maybe you're just not skilled enough in the rev-matching ways. I drove home from Maryland to RI with no use of the clutch pedal.

[Mr1der]

no pedal pressure, most likely the slave cylinder taking a dive.

and what number 2 said.

It's a tricky pain in the a**. I did it in my Civic when my clutch decided to fall apart and left the pedal locked up. I'd have been f*** if I stalled it as it has a safety switch on the pedal.

[Jesda]

Reservoir was empty after all. Topped it off, pumped the pedal, and now I'm good. Replacing the slave cylinder tomorrow (15 bucks!).

My dad neglected to tell me that he occasionally had to add fluid, even after we went out to look at it this morning.

[Ozzie]

Replace master and slave cylinders.
Slave gave up in Ruby (the TA22 Celica), so I replaced it.
Everything was fine for about a month, then the master died (leaking into passenger compartment)
When ordering the master, my parts guy told me if I'm ever replacing one of those parts, I should replace the other at the same time.
Total cost for parts was about $35, including the brake fluid, so not a huge deal really.
Old toyotas should rev mach easily. I could drive Ruby all day without using the clutch if I wanted to (but I don't)

[OriginalWheelman]

Do what Ozzy says. The fresh slave is going to put more pressure on the seals in the old master. It will probably blow soon if you don't change it now.
F/a^2 = F/a^2
Once the slave starts holding pressure, the next weakest point will blow out.

[NolimitZ32]

Glad you figured it out, for future reference if anyone ever runs into a problem and cant figure it out. Lots of 1st and 2nd gen 4runners have an issue where the bracket holding the pedal and mechanism to the body actually tears and when the clutch is pushed the bracket itself pulls back enough from the mounting point to not provide enough travel on the clutch master plunger, everything seems/feels like its working but you have no operation in the clutch at all.