Clutch Disengagement Point

[SubSonic]

Sometime around October of Last Year I picked up a 1991 Comanche (wanted the HO motor, since I had great luck with Cherokees with the same motor). Anyway, picked it up for cheap because the motor was bad and took that one out and dropped in a fresh one. While it was out I checked the clutch and it looked almost new...

 

5 months later the disengagement point has crept to ridiculously low levels, after it is warm it would no longer go into any gear from a stop and will creep forward with the pedal completely depressed. It continued to get worse so I decided it was time for a slave cylinder, which means a clutch as well. Old clutch was now more or less destroyed from the abuse of not ever completely disengaging. Put in new clutch and slave cylinder/tob. (Put in new crankshaft pos. sensor while I was at it b/c it's been getting poor gas mileage and taking a while to crank since I've been driving it.)

 

Unfortunately problem still exists, so I then decided to go with a new master cylinder... no dice. Extended the linkage on the master cylinder slightly... yet still dangerously low disengagement point, still hard to put in gear from a stop.

 

I am almost out of ideas, besides maybe some sort of spacer between the flex plate... but I'd prefer not to have to pull it again. So, any input is greatly appreciated.

[Red 1989 MJ]

Got there done that :smart:

 

I think that you have to bleed your hydaulic circuit.

 

The new slave cylinder have a plastic retainer to hold it in place. It is okay to install it with the retainer. To brake the retainer, you have to bleed and bleed again until you get a good working pedal. :wavey:

[SubSonic]

It has been bled... and bled some more. I am creating an adjustable length link on the master cylinder, hopefully going to get enough distance to get the clutch pedal up some more...

[Wildman]

2 thoughts :hmm:

 

Did you replace the line from the master to the slave??? You know........like get rid of the 20 year old rubber.

 

And.......the clutch pedal pivots on a bushing at the top, is it possible that the bushing is worn out, and causing the pedal it-self not to throw a full stroke????

 

Also.....are you installing after market slaves??? I've never hear anything good about the after market slave in the "kits" only good from an OEM slave cylinder from a dealer.

 

I'm sure Eagle will jump in here about how the after markets slave only last about 6 months, which is about the amount of time you have on your :roll:

[mjeff87]

While it was out I checked the clutch and it looked almost new...

 

Either the hydraulic line is balooning like Bob said, or perhaps the PO had the flywheel machined when the "almost new" clutch was installed prior to you acquiring it.

 

Jeff

[Wildman]

While it was out I checked the clutch and it looked almost new...

 

Either the hydraulic line is balooning like Bob said, or perhaps the PO had the flywheel machined when the "almost new" clutch was installed prior to you acquiring it.

 

Jeff

 

Yes.......the Flywheel........ :doh:

 

Good point MJeff ;)

 

If the flywheel was machined......... :no:

 

It can not be machined, it has a concave surface, and only a New flywheel should be installed, this could be your problem with the 'premature' failure of your clutch.

[Lloyd]

Had a simular problem with my 91'. The "after it is warm" clue pretty much signify's the problem I had and your's are most likely the same and i had to replace the hydralic line and it solved the problem. My old worn line was expanding when the heat would warm it up.

[one_bad_MJ]

my 89 pioneer came with a new aftermarket clutch master. and it was bad i had goofy pedal and you could bleed it until your blue in the face, it would still loose pressure.

 

well i changed my trans and slave cyl. they my clutch pedal was still acting up. so i went to the junkayrd anf for 5.00 i got a OEM one from a cherokee. big resi on it for fluid and it works fine try to get a older orginal style master cyl for your clutch not the POS aftermarket ones.

[SubSonic]

Thanks very much for the input. The line actually looks fairly new. The flywheel was my next guess, actually. It's finally just going to a shop, blew out a new master cylinder my making it possible to push it all the way in before the pedal quite hit the floor. Even then the problem still existed. Even cold. So I'm guessing the flywheel was machined before.