clutch issues! (HELP!)

I'm not too sure what the problem is, just wanted to see if anyone else has had this happen to them. 85 XJ 3.4L with AX-5 tranny. When I press the clutch in it just goes all the wat to the floor without doing anything. After pumping the pedal for a while it will barely let it shift into gear. While in gear, the clutch slips pretty bad. Is it just the clutch needing to be rebuilt, or is it something else? I've checked the fluid and bleed the line, no air came out. Does anyone know???




TIA
Patrick

Well, you are stating two things here IMHO. If you pump the pedal it will go into gear. That tells me that you need to replace the hydraulic system which is an easy job and not very expensive.

Then you go on to state that you clutch slips. That tells me you need to replace the clutch which is a little bigger deal. You may get a different opinion, but it sounds like you have two things going bad at once. You can bleed all you want, but if they are both done it will do nothing for you.

I would look into the hydraulic first, because it is easy and cheep and then if you are slipping, and I feel you will, you need to replace the clutch.

Curt

So what needs to be replaced with the hydraulic system?




Patrick

Well......

Master and slave! Master is on the firewall next to the brake master, and the slave is on the passanger side of the bellhousing. HTH!

I'd say either the clutch MC or the slave/throwout assembly have crapped out. Was the fluid level low when you checked it? How was the fluid condition, nice and clear, or dark/muddy looking? Check under your dash where the clutch MC rod comes thru the firewall for signs of leakage out of the rear of the MC (quite common). It leaks out and down onto the fuseblock and will eventually ruin it and all the associated wiring. Also check the bottom of the bellhousing around the inspection plate area for signs of leakage from the slave/throwout (assuming yours is internal, should be on an 85). One more thing you can check is the clutch hydraulic line between the MC and the metal line entering the bellhousing. If it's old, it can swell when it's pressurized, which reduces the effectiveness of the slave/throwout.
Just a few ideas, hope they help ya....
Jeff

well, if you have an internal slave, you might as well kill two birds w/ one stone and install a new clutch too because you have to pull the tranny to do either. by the way, if you just end up needing to replace the master, make sure that the new cylinder moves exactly enough fluid for the slave otherwise you'll blow out the slave every time.
dan f.

it sounds to me to be the piolit bearing