[Roland07]

So on my way to work today, at a balmy 17 degrees f, I grind the crap out of second gear. Not normal. Then I start paying attention to my numb, shivering limbs and realize that my clutch isn't offering up any resistance for 85% of its travel. As I would expect to go along with this, I was having to ride my synchros pretty hard to get into each gear.

While I was listening to my stomach drop at the notion of replacing the clutch myself in this lovely weather, the clutch slowly but surely got it's groove back, and I was clutching and shifting normally by the time I pulled into my office.

...what the what?

 

[Highball116]

Yeah, I'm not sure about that. Last winter I had a couple scares on really cold days where the thing just would not go into first gear. I was sitting at a green light with angry drivers behind me as I sat there trying to shift into first. Both times it happened, I pumped the clutch to no avail, but when I shut the car off and restarted, it popped into gear like normal and off I went.

Toby

 

[sailor]

Rubber seal in the clutch master cyl. can give trouble cold, check for possible leakage inside above the pedal. Warm up & OK again.

If you match speeds closer when shifting, only first needs the synchros appreciably to get it into gear. (out of gear to neutral, match revs, stick it into the next gear)

Getting into first when trans is still cold is a typical cold weather issue from cold trans oil, tries to keep spinning the gears and you can get first easier at a stop by using another higher gear first to slow them down.

Two different problems in the two posts.

P.S. - Roland - double check for any leakage from the trans bellhousing just in case the slave cyl. leaked when cold.

 

[Mandroid]

My s10 used to do that. I had a master cylinder leak

 

[sailor]

First car I ever owned lost all the clutch fluid out the slave one below zero Winter night. Never DID end up replacing it either IIRC, fine afterwards until I sold it the next summer.

 

[Roland07]

Good to know. I'll check the clutch fluid as soon as I can go outside without my corneas crystallizing, and top off if necessary.

I -do- want an excuse to replace my clutch and install an LSD, but I don't have the cash or the weather for it right now!

 

[Mandroid]

Master cylinder is pretty easy. Most of the work is done from under the dash

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

The slave cylinder will stick sometimes too. Not much you can do about that except warm it up. Even warming up the inside of the car won't help with that.

 

[Highball116]

In that case, I might add that my clutch master does weep a little bit of fluid onto the pedal. It's so little that I didn't even wipe it off, but the film is plainly obvious.

Toby

 

[Mandroid]

In that case, I might add that my clutch master does weep a little bit of fluid onto the pedal. It's so little that I didn't even wipe it off, but the film is plainly obvious.

Toby

Than its probably catching air

 

[Highball116]

Dang. More work to do.

Toby

 

[Roland07]

Catching air?

*takes Focus over some sweet jumps!*

Thanks for your input, gentlemen. I'll put it on the "next summer or until the clutch fails" list. XD