Wanted: Car-literate person with tools!
So something is up with the clutch on my 03 mazda (hydraulic.) I'm not sure if it is the fluid or if it's the master/slave cylinders (and I can't even find the damn reservoir for the hydraulic fluid since the owners manual doesn't have a diagram) so I'm trying to see if there are any car literate users here that would be willing to lend me a hand. Yes I know I can take it to a mechanic but I called around and replacing the clutch in general will cost 600-800 depending on whats wrong exactly, even though a clutch kit (complete) is about $160 online and I know its a fairly simple job requiring few tools. If all else fails I'm going to drive the thing to my coworkers house in south jersey and make his son fix it but it would be much mobetta if someone here could give me a hand.
In it for you is booze and money, depending on the amount of work required (I am not trying to shaft whoever helps me on this, plus this is fun for me anyway as I've never worked with a hydraulic clutch before and it would be a learning experience for me)
Anyone? Anyone? Or if anyone wants to give me a hint about WHERE THE HELL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS PLEASE FEEL FREE. I've googled the shit out of this and it's supposed to be "next to the brake fluid reservoir" but I can't figure out which one I'm seeing and since they both take dot3....
In it for you is booze and money, depending on the amount of work required (I am not trying to shaft whoever helps me on this, plus this is fun for me anyway as I've never worked with a hydraulic clutch before and it would be a learning experience for me)
Anyone? Anyone? Or if anyone wants to give me a hint about WHERE THE HELL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS PLEASE FEEL FREE. I've googled the shit out of this and it's supposed to be "next to the brake fluid reservoir" but I can't figure out which one I'm seeing and since they both take dot3....
Comments
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Can't help you, but I'm assuming you already googled it and checked youtube...
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Youtube shows how to change the fluid if you can find it, and yes I googled. I googled the hell out of my specific make and model and everything I could think of...apparently hayes only produced the manual for this specific car for like 45 seconds (many people are on the lookout for it!)
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Did you check ebay for the manual?
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ebay does indeed have the manual, but I imagine someone who has a teeny bit of experience with hydraulic clutches will be able to at least see whats wrong with this in a snap
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Message sent
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Mougar wrote: Message sent
stfu you has no tools -
Carmen wrote: [quote=Mougar]Message sent
stfu you has no tools
You don't need a full wrench set tard, just a pair of pliers for the bleeder screw. It's not hard ... -
are you volunteering
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Shop manuals can often be found on wikibooks.org, I just searched for mazda protege. The clutch won't die suddenly; it's going to be gradual.
If you want to ply me with roast chicken and alcohol, I wouldn't say no to helping. The only thing is it might be a little hard / impossible without a jack if your car is very low to the ground. I forgot about that part ... and sadly my set is in CT -
youre skinny, crawl your ass under there.
And i hate your google skills, I really did look for this. -
whynot has tools ...but will not go anywhere near your clutch. Whynot prefers to work with wood.
Mougar can borrow whynot's tools.... but must come soon. whynot is out of town 7/25 - 8/3.
(the blog might be in a less inane state as a result) -
The items needed are
-dot3 brake/clutch fluid (they're the same thing)
-plastic tube for bleeding
-jack and stand if i can't wedge my perfectly shaped ass under the car
I'm only willing to put in a minimum of effort though, and that doesn't include running around to the hardware store (unless I get free tools) or whynot's (unless I get free tools). -
I'd love to video tape this.
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Subject: Re: Wanted: Car-literate person with tools!
Carmen wrote: So something is up with the clutch on my 03 mazda (hydraulic.)
What are the symptoms, what does it do or not do that it should or shouldn't?Carmen wrote: WHERE THE HELL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS PLEASE FEEL FREE.
Lift the hood and look in the engine compartment above where the clutch pedal is, just a guess. -
why the f is that db whynot talking in the third person? See, there are plenty of tools on this board. Whynot is one. Anyone who calls their own ass "perfectly shaped is another. Carmen, you have come to the right place.
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Mougar wrote: The items needed are
If you are bleeding the clutch you should also include a jar of some kind. Put some fluid in it and one end of the tube you use for bleeding. That way you can see the air dome out and you will only suck fluid back in.
-dot3 brake/clutch fluid (they're the same thing)
-plastic tube for bleeding
-jack and stand if i can't wedge my perfectly shaped ass under the car
Personally I spring for the extra $12, or whatever it costs now, for a bleeder hose down at Pep Boys or Strauss -
Lol, you're all fancy. I just use a water bottle and 2' length of hardware store vinyl tube.
It sounds like you have more proper tools though, maybe you'd do it ... -
1. Mougar will not get free tools from Whynot, but can BORROW them.
2. Mougar is too cheap to buy a bleeder hose.
3. Mougar's ass is not perfectly shaped, he will need a jack.
4. Mougar might jack the car up under the fender, destroying the fender and crushing himself.
5. Scarlett..... -
Oui mon enfant qui pue le merde?
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scarlett wrote: Oui mon enfant qui pue le merde?
Je pense que vous avez voulu dire "Oui mon enfant qui pue comme le merde." -
Carnivore wrote: [quote=scarlett]Oui mon enfant qui pue le merde?
Je pense que vous avez voulu dire "Oui mon enfant qui pue comme le merde."
Ou peut-être "Oui mon enfant, qui est étrangement obsédé par Mougar du cul" -
Et non, en fait, on utilise "pue la merde!"
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Aussi, Carni, on peut se tutoyer, non?
Le cul de Mougar pue la merde!!!!!!!! -
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Subject: Re: Wanted: Car-literate person with tools!
Carmen wrote: So something is up with the clutch on my 03 mazda (hydraulic.) I'm not sure if it is the fluid or if it's the master/slave cylinders (and I can't even find the damn reservoir for the hydraulic fluid since the owners manual doesn't have a diagram) so I'm trying to see if there are any car literate users here that would be willing to lend me a hand. Yes I know I can take it to a mechanic but I called around and replacing the clutch in general will cost 600-800 depending on whats wrong exactly, even though a clutch kit (complete) is about $160 online and I know its a fairly simple job requiring few tools. If all else fails I'm going to drive the thing to my coworkers house in south jersey and make his son fix it but it would be much mobetta if someone here could give me a hand.
Your clutch reservoir is going to be the smaller of the two (it has only a single slave cylinder to actuate, as opposed to four for your brakes).
In it for you is booze and money, depending on the amount of work required (I am not trying to shaft whoever helps me on this, plus this is fun for me anyway as I've never worked with a hydraulic clutch before and it would be a learning experience for me)
Anyone? Anyone? Or if anyone wants to give me a hint about WHERE THE HELL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS PLEASE FEEL FREE. I've googled the shit out of this and it's supposed to be "next to the brake fluid reservoir" but I can't figure out which one I'm seeing and since they both take dot3....
That said, if you have no hydraulic pressure in your pedal, it's probably too late to simply top off the reservoir and go on your merry way -- you'll have to bleed it, and odds are good you have a leak.
Your instinct to avoid mechanics at this point may be appropriate. You can drive for years with a small leak in the clutch hydraulic system, and most mechanics will insist on replacing the entire thing (master and slave cylinders and the hose) at the first sign of trouble.
I've got the tools and know-how and lust for free booze, but I won't be in the nabe for six months so I won't be much hands-on help unless you can wait that long
What exactly are the symptoms of this clutch issue? -
Subject: Re: Wanted: Car-literate person with tools!
eastbloc wrote: [quote=Carmen]So something is up with the clutch on my 03 mazda (hydraulic.) I'm not sure if it is the fluid or if it's the master/slave cylinders (and I can't even find the damn reservoir for the hydraulic fluid since the owners manual doesn't have a diagram) so I'm trying to see if there are any car literate users here that would be willing to lend me a hand. Yes I know I can take it to a mechanic but I called around and replacing the clutch in general will cost 600-800 depending on whats wrong exactly, even though a clutch kit (complete) is about $160 online and I know its a fairly simple job requiring few tools. If all else fails I'm going to drive the thing to my coworkers house in south jersey and make his son fix it but it would be much mobetta if someone here could give me a hand.
Your clutch reservoir is going to be the smaller of the two (it has only a single slave cylinder to actuate, as opposed to four for your brakes).
In it for you is booze and money, depending on the amount of work required (I am not trying to shaft whoever helps me on this, plus this is fun for me anyway as I've never worked with a hydraulic clutch before and it would be a learning experience for me)
Anyone? Anyone? Or if anyone wants to give me a hint about WHERE THE HELL THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR IS PLEASE FEEL FREE. I've googled the shit out of this and it's supposed to be "next to the brake fluid reservoir" but I can't figure out which one I'm seeing and since they both take dot3....
That said, if you have no hydraulic pressure in your pedal, it's probably too late to simply top off the reservoir and go on your merry way -- you'll have to bleed it, and odds are good you have a leak.
Your instinct to avoid mechanics at this point may be appropriate. You can drive for years with a small leak in the clutch hydraulic system, and most mechanics will insist on replacing the entire thing (master and slave cylinders and the hose) at the first sign of trouble.
I've got the tools and know-how and lust for free booze, but I won't be in the nabe for six months so I won't be much hands-on help unless you can wait that long What exactly are the symptoms of this clutch issue?
After finding an owners manual with the diagram (thanks Moug) I've discovered that the the reservoir for the clutch and brake are the same and it's full. So there's plenty of fluid and I don't think there's a strong enough leak to be draining fluid but there may be air in the line.
Symptoms are basically that the clutch engages fine and doesn't slip, but the engaging point gets lower and lower on the clutch the "hotter" it gets (meaning if I'm in stop and go traffic for an hour its bad, but I can drive 5 hours on the highway with no problem.) It doesn't begin to disengage or grind or anything, it just becomes loose all the way till about 2 inches from the floor and loses the "springyness." The pressure returns after letting off the clutch for a while (driving a long distance without shifting or something.) I have been doing a lot of driving lately for work (outside of the city) and I'm nervous I'll hit a jam on the masspike or something and it will die completely, leaving me stranded on my way to a client.
After doing some more digging, I'm wondering if maybe a seal or hose needs to be replaced because it's worn out and the lack of pressure occurs when the heat causes the rubber to expand? I don't know much about what seals are in there but that seems like it could be a possible cause. I don't think it's a *leak* per say but maybe just some rubber getting old... while the car has low miles, it is 6 years old and has been driven pretty hard in almost totally city traffic. With that said, 35k seems REALLY low to need to replace either of the cylinders, and I can just see a mechanic totally fucking me over... any ideas on the seals/hoses issue?
Its times like this that I miss living in a "normal" town where I could drive to a friends driveway, leave them with a 6pack and have it done in an hour... -
Hoses don't go bad after 6 years, unless they are physically damaged. If it was, you'd be leaking fluid. If it was a seal, you'd be leaking fluid. Since you're not, both of those are pretty unlikely.
After 6 years it's time to bleed the clutch anyway (should probably do the brakes too if they've never been done). You'll be out a few bucks and it'll get better or it won't.
Hydraulic systems all work on the principal that the fluid in the lines is incompressible. Under normal operating temperatures, DOT3 fluid that hasn't absorbed a lot of water meets this requirement.
Air, however, is compressible and takes up volume in the hydraulic lines. The higher the temperature, the greater the volume and so the incompressible fluid (DOT3) is displaced by a compressible one (air). When you push down on the pedal, you first have to compress all the air in the line before anything will happen. -
If there's no damage to a leak or seal, how does air get into the line anyway?
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The reservoir is not air tight, so it is able to enter over time. The fluid will also absorb water over time, which turns to steam when it gets hot and needs to be compressed for the clutch to work. This is less of an issue since the water first has to get hot enough to boil. The fix is basically the same though, just replace the old fluid with new fluid when you are bleeding it.
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I think you should call Click and Clack, they'd love this one.
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