Clutch Does Not 'Return' - what would cause this?

'92 Nissan 240SX 140K mi, 4 cyl, put new Beck Arnley clutch in including disk, bearing and pressure plate about 2 years ago. Also put new master cyl in about that time.

Couple weeks ago it went to the floor and sat there. I can flick the pedal with my foot and it comes up. Then it works fine about 20 times and might intermittently 'stick' again. I've also observed the behavior from underneath with someone operating from inside. Sure enough the slave cylinder activates the clutch and it stays down (indicating there isn't likely a problem with the hydraulics?). Clutch feels fine and engages sharply - no sponginess or difference in 'feel'.

I've never run into this kind of problem before. Possibilities? Weak spring on clutch plate? Something wrong internally? 'sticky' hydraulics?

Reply to
LoadHawg
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Clarification request: Does this mean the clutch *IS* activating at the times the pedal "sticks", and *REMAINING* activated until the pedal is kicked loose?

If so, my first suspicion would be the throwout bearing binding up on whatever it rides on in a Nissan. On my Mazda, my first move would be to pop the throwout fork boot and try to verify free, smooth motion of the throwout bearing on the "tube" it rides on through the hole in the side of the bell-housing. Dunno if that's functional for your Nissan, though...

Could also be something got jiggled into position to block the pedal's return travel, I imagine.

I'd think that would cause the problem to be more repeatable, not to mention changing the "feel" of the clutch.

Here's hoping not...

Hmmm... that makes me think of something that happened with my Mazda a few months after I first got it. Clutch got "flakey" - It just wasn't feeling right, then started intermittently "going away" completely. Looked at the MC, and the reservoir was full, but I didn't have any clutch. Got back in and I had clutch. Next stoplight, clutch wouldn't come back up to get rolling. Kicked the pedal, up it came, and off I went. Next light I had to stall it to stop - No clutch. Pumped it a couple of times, and got clutch back. Pulled into a gas station, and had to stall it again. WTF?!?!?!?

Took me chasing problems that turned out to be not problems to begin with, and finally, after half a day of "pull this piece off and check it

- Nope, seems fine, put it back on - On second thought, while I've got it off, and I have the rebuild kit on the shelf waiting for an excuse, rebuild it first" before getting to the MC. Started pulling it off for an inspect/prophylactic rebuild (which forced me to empty the reservoir) before I found the true problem: A ball of what I can only assume was off the top of a brake-fluid bottle, not much bigger that the head of a pin, had gotten into the reservoir - more specifically, into the bottleneck at the bottom that lets the fluid into the MC proper - and depending on how it jiggled and wedged, it was acting as a one-way valve, sometimes in the MC --> slave direction, sometimes in the slave

--> MC direction, sometimes just a partial obstruction, and sometimes being "blown clear" so that everything worked exactly as it should.

Don't ask me how the seal got in there in the first place! If the bottle doesn't have the "easy pull off" type seal, I've always used the tip of my knife to cut the entire thing free of the bottle and get rid of it. Specifically to avoid that sort of mishap! My best guess is that the previous owner wasn't as careful about how he dealt with the seal when he wanted to put fluid in the beast.

Reply to
Don Bruder

"Couple weeks ago it went to the floor and sat there. I can flick the pedal with my foot and it comes up"

I have a vague memory of an '80s Toyota Tercel where the clutch pedal would work it's way to the floor on cold days. The dealership couldn't fix it. So I had to take a look. It's been a while but the problem was caused by the self-adjust not working correctly in the cold. Fixed it with a 50 cent plumbing washer. probably not your problem but I would crawl under the dash and work the pedal lots until it happens. in particular, look at how the return is designed. ...thehick

Reply to
thehick

Yes precisely.

After reading your post (thanks) I'm beginnign to wonder if the clutch is adjusted to where it pushes the bearing too far... I think what I'm down to is bleeding it and then maybe adjusting up at the pedal so it doesn't have quite as much travel into the MC. thanks

Reply to
LoadHawg

Yep - I think I'll have a very close 2nd look at the whole pedal thing while under there. Thanks!

Reply to
LoadHawg

If there is a return spring on the clutch pedal, I would suspect that has broken.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

bearing and pressure plate about 2 years

with my foot and it comes up. Then it works

the behavior from underneath with someone

it stays down (indicating there isn't

- no sponginess or difference in 'feel'.

clutch plate? Something wrong internally?

Reply to
Mike Romain

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