Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

My clutch has been squeaking on and off for months. Checked by mazda and other technicians at local shops and they say the brackets are fine. But this isnt why im creating this thread.


All of a sudden, in the mornings when i start my car, the clutch is EXTREMELY SOFT. Ever since ive had the car its been stiff as hell but recently in the mornings its really soft and as i ease off into first gear the engagement point is at the very bottom. I let go about an inch and the car moves. After a while of driving the clutch goes back to being stiff and engagement point is back at the top again.


Anyone know why its doing this ?? Im really hoping its an easy fix cause i really want to sell this car now.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Your Clutch Master has failed.

to confirm, bleed the Clutch slave, if u see gray-ish fluid coming out, yep, ur clutch master has failed. Ask me how I know

I'm probably the first one who had a failed clutch master on this forum, and it was exactly like urs.

at first I thought it was the pedal, checked and not the pedal, thought it was the slave, so I swap my original slave back in (I was using Big Slave Cylinder from Fujita Japan), Nope, so I took the clutch master out, yep, it's the clutch master.

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

oh man. Do you know roughly how much the part costs ?? And how much labour would cost ?

Is the car still driveable for a few months ?

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

The part isn't that expensive. if that's the part that's causing problems.

like I said, u need to check it first, just bleed the clutch slave and see if Grey-ish fluid comes out. mind you the fluid should come out yellow-ish and clear. It's Brake Fluid afterall.

if you can't do it yourself, well, find someone u know who knows how to do it. it's not hard, just kinda annoying to squeeze your arms into that tiny *** area right by the transmission underneath the car. so make sure the car has been cooled off, otherwise, good luck to the person working on it ...

again, the part is not expensive. I don't remember exactly how much right now. should be less than 100

not hard to install either, but you are looking at around at least an hour of labor to 2 hours of labor, that's assuming the person did it before + with a pair of quick hands.

it goes like this :
- Remove Clutch Master
- Brake fluid will be everywhere, wipe it, or just use water to water it out, Brake fluid meets water = harmless and wash away.
- Quickly install the new clutch master with a new gasket into the same position and the hose
- make sure no leak, Start bleeding all Brakes and the clutch slave, simply because it shares the same reservoir and air might get into it during removal.
- Done
- 2 person minimum, 3 or more person will speed things up significantly.

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the help !!

One last question. Lets say the liquid does come out yellow and clear. What other things could cause my symptoms im having?

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

Called my shop that i go to whenever i need something major done to my rx8 and he quoted my $80 for the clutch master. And $120 for labour. This is canadian price but is the labour price good ??

It sounds pretty to replace and i dont know if im willing to pay $120 to get this thing swapped.

BTW he said the same thing after i described the symptoms and said its prbly the clutch master.

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

THat doesn't seem like a bad price, but it is very easy to do yourself, and you don't really need a lift just a jack and jackstands. It took me about an hour or two to get it done on mine in my one car garage. You can do it with basic tools.

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

What does the color of fluid have to do with anything. I've had my truck brake fluid be black before, changed it of course. Just don't understand what that has to do with anything.

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

ill try to look up the DIY for it and see if i can handle it. Also about checking the fluid, he quoted me like 60 bucks to bleed it. To be honest if anything id rather change the 200 bucks off the bat cause it makes no sense to spend 60 bucks then if the fluid is done then spend another 200 bucks.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

because when the fluid changed color, that means something in the system has failed. Let it be the fluid itself turn bad, or actual mechanical failure.

In this case, it changed to silver because the plunger (some people call it piston) has failed, it's self-destructing and spreading powdery substance. it does not affect the whole reservoir above because it's a 1 way system. and the powdery substance if u leave it for too long, it will also eat your slave cylinder. Do you want that to happen ?

This might not be the actual cause for OP, but judging from the symptoms, it does sound like the Clutch Master is going. easiest way is just bleed the clutch slave, then u will know. OP already checked the Clutch bracket and if it's not the bracket, it's the clutch master.

both Clutch master and slave is rebuild-able. but in this case I'm not gonna bother, just replace it, bleed it 10 times and call it a day.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

I did it in front of my garage too.

but there are people who can't do it, or just don't want to do it. Not everybody wanna get their hands dirty.

my hands are always dirty no matter how many times I wash it, cuz I work on my cars a lot, let it be the 8 or 7. Just today I spent 4 hours on my FC, to remove the old garbage alarm, whatever "treasure" I can find under the carpet and tons of left over wires from the car. 20 years of dust everywhere and all the grim and slimey **** all over, 1/2 the wires are not connected and just "left there" by one or more of the previous 5 owners, I found 10 feet 2 AG speaker wire dinging not connected, maybe 50 ft of all kinds of wires for alarm/tweeters/etc, and loads of other crap. ahh.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Moved to Troubleshooting

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

kk thanks guys. The cars going in tomorrow to get the clutch master replaced for 200 bucks.


Also everytime i slowly brake now i hear a clunk clunk clunk noise from my rear calipers. Had it before and it went away after a while now its back. ABS AND TCS lights come on sometimes when i brake.

Man im starting to HATE this car. I dont wanna keep dumpig money into it trying to fix it if its going to give me so much trouble

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

Look at my signature for all my issues I have had.

Rotary-RX8

iTrader: (1)

^ and you still have the car ?!?! I wouldve honestly just sell the car.


Also i forgot to mention my car does have low compression which was tested by a member. I need to get the engine replaced as well. Either next year before it expires or soon but im busy with work lol.