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How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system


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Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 2:52 PM

Post #1 of 12 (1429 views)
How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

Heyo, my Mazda 6 is having clutch problems, it feels like it isnt completely disengaging the transmision (hard to change gears), and sometimes the pedal wont come back up completely, also feels soft or spongy if you like. It also gets worse when the car heats up during a traffic jam for example. If i can start going fast again it gets better since the clutch systems cools down.

I sent the car to the workshop and they want to change the whole thing (obviously, since they can charge me an eye and both kidneys). So i am extremely suspicious since it really feels like an hydraulic problem due to the pedal feeling spongy and not coming back completely sometimes. Also heat is affecting the clutch mechanism as i said, it feels like there is air in the system, since more heat, more dilatation means its harder to actually clutch the car, with heat the feel changes drastically. Besides I changed the clutch press and disc like 2 or 3 years ago.

Anyway, as the title my question is what are the main symptoms for each of the parts failing. How can i tell when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or actual clutch disc/press that's failing.

Thank you!


(This post was edited by Niandco on Oct 25, 2022, 2:59 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Oct 25, 2022, 2:59 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1421 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

First you check the fluid level. If you have lost fluid, then you will be needing a new master and slave. I would never change just one or the other.

What it won't be is just air in the system.

It is possible the pressure plate has broken springs but someone knowledgeable needs to examine it to determine that.

If it does need a clutch, then everything should be changed including the hydraulics. You will have nothing but headaches trying to get a pedal back after a new clutch using old hydraulics and end up having to change them anyway.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 3:01 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1418 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

Hey thanks for your reply. The car shares the clutch fluid with the brake system. Fluid level hasn't changed much as far as i can tell. Its above mid level in any case

The transmission doesnt slip, ever. It has full traction. Its just the pedal thats acting weird.


(This post was edited by Niandco on Oct 25, 2022, 3:04 PM)


Hammer Time
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Oct 25, 2022, 3:03 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1415 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

In that case the clutch needs to be examined more closely.

Get a second opinion and ask them to explain the estimate.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 3:17 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1409 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

The other thing that tells me its the hydraulics is that the first symptom the car had is that suddenly the clutch pedal got stuck to the floor, i had to pull it back up with my feet. Like it lost all its springiness so to speak, then it went back to normal for 2 or 3 months, and then it slowly started to get harder and harder to engage the clutch. Like the engaging point went lower with time until it almost didnt engage at all as the car heated up.


(This post was edited by Niandco on Oct 25, 2022, 3:18 PM)


Hammer Time
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Oct 25, 2022, 3:32 PM

Post #6 of 12 (1404 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

You might be right but remember, the spring that pushes the pedal back is the pressure plate.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 3:38 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1401 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

agreed, but if it was a plate problem, aka a more "mechanical" problem it wont magically get fixed no? it would stay broken once it breaks i believe.
On the other hand hydraulics can act up so to speak, since its air that gets in the system if the seals get old or slightly break etc.

I dont know, i just dont want to pay 2k usd when i already replaced the the clutch kit just 2 years ago, less than 50k miles.

But yeah, i think i need a second opinion as you suggested.


(This post was edited by Niandco on Oct 25, 2022, 3:43 PM)


Hammer Time
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Oct 25, 2022, 3:45 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1397 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

You could be correct about it being hydraulics but no matter how long we discuss it, until it gets inspected you aren't going to know for sure.

If it did get air in the system, that's no better than a leak and both parts still need to be changed to resolve the issue.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 3:49 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1394 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

Ok thanks, i just thought maybe there was a symptom that could tell me with a degree of certainty if it was one or the other. But yeah, i need a second opinion.

Thanks!


Tom Greenleaf
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Oct 25, 2022, 4:23 PM

Post #10 of 12 (1382 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

? This isn't a specialty of mine but do/did whatever with clutches there's some confusion to me here whether "engaged" is locked on like no clutch pedal used at all vs slipping makes heat could, would slip - not for long if so soon it wouldn't move.

Site has a specialist for now if even my own would do it all over again IMO pointless not to while you're there or the shop if you aren't doing it.

I can't pin down one thing wrong but do think a lot more is worn now if going on for a while it isn't good for any items mentioned for that matter not good for this car at all it it's any good otherwise save it now.

IMO if frequently in traffic or worse, traffic on hills a standard shift to me is a pest is also hard on them much faster than anything normal - some last as long as the car no issues if all open road, no constant hill starts and knowing how to drive one.

Don't forget there's a flex hose to slave cylinder too I'd do that too.

Cost? Up there but value of it done and a good car again (if so) is worth it,

Tom



Niandco
Novice

Oct 25, 2022, 6:00 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1372 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

Hey! thanks for the input. Engage in the sense when you push the pedal and the clutch does its thing, aka "disengaging the transmission"


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Oct 25, 2022, 7:49 PM

Post #12 of 12 (1364 views)
Re: How to know when is the master cylinder, slave cylinder or a worn out Clutch system Sign In

Right. "Disengaged is like disconnected, and it is or should be.

Same area of pedal travel though where + when that happens or something isn't right with it. That can even be motor mounts but let's not go there yet,

Tom







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