wierd clutch problems....

[mazdamx3freak]

I have:
NEW master cyl.
NEW slave cyl.
NEW SS clutch line
NEW fluid and bleed it right with NO air/bubbles in lines

Now the clutch engages/ disengages wonderful and can shift fine with no problems but the things is like when I sit at a light or let it idle it slowly starts to loose pressure. But it only looses pressure when I hold in the pedel and then I have to pump if a few time to start going again. any ideas? could the new master be bad? i dunno I give up.

[Murdastylez15]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said when you're sitting at a stop light you continue to hold the clutch down?
Let off the clutch and hold the brake not both. It's always bad to hold the clutch down continuously.

[mazdamx3freak]

I just went out and checked and even if I let let the car sit and idle in neutral it looses pressure very slowly. without being in the car or holding the clutch down. then I have to pump it to start going again.

[wytbishop]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said when you're sitting at a stop light you continue to hold the clutch down?
Let off the clutch and hold the brake not both. It's always bad to hold the clutch down continuously.

First of all...I disagree and anyone who teaches driver training will tell you that it is safest to always be in gear, ready to move if the situation arises.

Second...either your master or slave piston cup is leaking...or possibly there is a leak somewhere in one of the lines. Check every connection for leaks. Then you're down to either the master or the slave. There's a leak somewhere.

[mazdamx3freak]

well thenif there was a leak after driving it for a few weeks wouldnt the fluid level be a lil low? its still topped off and its been this way for a while now, I just cant stand driving like this anymore!

[mazdamx3freak]

know I just thought of somthing else if could be. im using a probe master on my mx3 and the hook up for the hard line is on the oppisite side compaired to the stock mx3 one. so I made a lil bend in the hard line into the master to reach the oppisite side on the probe one. but it doesnt look like its kinked in any way. maybe still it could be reducing flow some causing this problem?

[wytbishop]

Either item #3 on this page...

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... /H-014.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or item #8 on this page...

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... /H-011.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is allowing pressure to escape back, slowly allowing the clutch to release.

You are correct that if there were an external leak the fluid level would have indicated it.

[Murdastylez15]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said when you're sitting at a stop light you continue to hold the clutch down?
Let off the clutch and hold the brake not both. It's always bad to hold the clutch down continuously.

First of all...I disagree and anyone who teaches driver training will tell you that it is safest to always be in gear, ready to move if the situation arises.

Second...either your master or slave piston cup is leaking...or possibly there is a leak somewhere in one of the lines. Check every connection for leaks. Then you're down to either the master or the slave. There's a leak somewhere.

I beg to differ. You show me your manual drive certification from the school you attended then I will tell you that I'm wrong....haha

You keep your clutch down continuously and you'll be pushing your car back home.

[wytbishop]

That's just not true. I've been driving for 25 years with the clutch on the floor and I have never burned out a clutch before it's time. My current one has 290,000kms on it.

[Ryan]

I also stop with my clutch in all the time. I also wiggle my shifter around in neutral all the time. The only thing that I can see wearing out is the spring... but springs are meant to be... springy. Why would holding it in its compressed state be any worse for it than cycling it twice? Its not like it sits compressed for hours....

And for the safety factor... it could go either way, either you need to move, or your car moves you unintentionally, or it stalls. All could be good or bad...

[onlytrueromeo]

Throw out bearing will wear out faster...thats about it. (unless your clutch pedal play is not within specs so your clutch is slightly engaging when its pushed in!)

[Ryan]

Throw out bearing... doesn't that only spin when the clutch is disingaged? Oh, thats clearly the point.

But I hope wheel bearings don't wear out at the same rate... I hope all bearings can handle trillions of revolutions.

I might be going crazy (aka I might have no idea what I'm talking about)

[SuperK]

silly, wheel bearings are on the wheel... why would they wear if you have the clutch engaged/disengaged?

However, it's not a problem you holding the clutch (if your clutch is working correctly, which it is not)
I would suggest trying bleeding the clutch again but bring a buddy to make sure it's done thoroughly.

[onlytrueromeo]

Throw out bearing... doesn't that only spin when the clutch is disingaged? Oh, thats clearly the point.

Quite the opposite! It pushes against the pressure plate to relieve the pressure on the clutch! I wasnt saying it would wear out fast, I said it would wear out *faster!

[wytbishop]

If your clutch is well adjusted, there is no drag at all against the flywheel.

Your clutch is disengaged for maybe a total of a few minutes for every hour of stop and go traffic. The vast majority of that is at idle so say the average engine speed is 1000RPM. That's maybe a few thousand revolutions of throw out bearing use per hour of stop and go traffic. The throw out bearing is a pure axial sealed deep groove roller bearing and is designed to spin many trillions of revolutions in it's lifetime. That's not an issue at all.