Slipping Clutch -sc300

[CLightning]

HI! Newbee here. My clutch seems to slip only when I go up hill. It makes contact and barely catches but it does not do this all the time. My most annoying time was when I was stopped on an on ramp entering the freeway (up hill) waiting for the light t turn green. When I released the clutch to go, the clutch slipped again and did not catch all the way. I looked at the odo and it was already at 4000 rpm with the speedo only at 10 mph. ...and yes, my foot was already off the clutch pedal. The person behind me already started honking. I decided to try throwing it in second and the same thing happened again. At this time I smelled the clutch burning. :cries: I pulled over to the side of the freeway (flat ground) and waited a few minutes. The car worked fine from there.

I just had the clutch replaced like 3 months ago so I don't think it's the clutch. I took it back to the place where I had it replaced and they could not replicate the problem. They said the reason for the problem was the 'master cylinder' that operates the clutch was leaking. hmmmm I have no recollection of any fuild drips on my driveway. What do you guys think?

[jzz30]

could be... why not rebuild it?

[bean_8044]

If it was your master cylinder then you would not be able to put it in gear or out of gear. If you dont have any problems when youre driving(assuming that you can get going) then most likely its the clutch or pressure plate from how youre describing the problem. Or possibly the face of the flywheel...

[johnny3]

Get your mechanic to bleed your clutch hyd. system before you ruin your new clutch. Then repl. the clutch master cyl. or slave cyl., which-ever is leaking & bleed it again (bleeding very simple.)

[bean_8044]

If your master cylinder was leaking then you should be able to tell with a rag. You may not notice alot of fluid, but youll definitly see the color of the firewall on the rag. Hydraulic fluid will eat through paint pretty fast and you will be able to look at it and see if its leaking that much. When you have a few hundred lbs or so in a hydraulic line any leak is a big leak

[CLightning]

Thanks for the input. The car was taken to the shop and the master cylinder was ordered. I hope they do the installation procedure correctly as you guys described. I'll see what happens next.

[CLightning]

If it was your master cylinder then you would not be able to put it in gear or out of gear.  If you dont have any problems when youre driving(assuming that you can get going) then most likely its the clutch or pressure plate from how youre describing the problem. Or possibly the face of the flywheel...

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I don't have a problem putting it in 2,3,...5, but I do have a problem putting it in 1st. The only way to accomplish first gear is if I slide the shifter to second, and then forward to first.

Putting it straight to first gear will not work unless some kind of grinding occurs. Spoke to the mechanics about the problem and they said the transmission is old needs to be rebuilt/ replaced. They said if what I am doing (putting it to second gear before putting it in first gear) works, then I'll be fine.

[SC4Million]

Seems to me like your mechanics are taking you for a ride. "Uh...It's broken and needs to be rebuilt" Thats 'mechanic code' for "I don't know what is wrong and I hope it isn't my fault." Also known as BS.

[johnny3]

That mechanic is B S ing you, your clutch is not completly releasing probably because of a hyd. leak. Take it to another shop.

[CLightning]

What a difference! Just got the car back from a Lexus independent svc shop and had the clutch master cylinder replaced (spent $170). Now I know how a Lexus clutch suppose to feel like (just got the car 3 months ago). The shifts are more firm and my SOTP dyno tells me it's a more powerful car. :D