Rep Power: 0

I have a 2001 5 speed and yesterday, on the way to work, I was approaching a stop light and I put the clutch in and pulled the car out of gear so I could downshift. Well, when I tried downshift the car would not go into ANY gear. Finally it went into first and then second (with some effort), but when I tried to shift into 3rd it wouldn't go into any gear again. I pulled over and with the motor stopped I could easily put the car into any gear I chose. I finally put the car into second with the motor stopped, and then started the engine while revving the engine enough so it wouldn't stall. This manaed to get me home.

I immediately thought that my clutch had gone out. I have never had a clutch go out on me before, though. I'm thinking that I should have had some warning. Everything was absolutely fine with my car, I haven't installed my turbo yet, and I was just cruising very normally. Do clutches just work 100% and then suddenly fail?

The slave cylinder and hydraulic plumbing look fine. The shift bushings on top of the transmission look relatively clean and lubed.

In a couple days I am going to Put in an ACT Clutch, flywheel, and change the tranny fluid to some Motul Redline.

If anyone has any insight into this problem, I would GREATLY appreciate it. Even a, "Yeah, its just the clutch idiot." or a, "Sorry, you've got major problems." would help me out.

 
Rep Power: 302

Bleed the clutch cylinder. It sounds like the clutch was not disengaging fully. Clutches rarely go out "suddenly". Last time that happened to me at a stoplight, it was the clutch cylinder leaking internally. I'd start there at least. THEN go on to the expensive stuff.

 
Rep Power: 0

I bled the system right after I posted and everything is still the same. I start the car up, push the clutch in, and nothing but grinding from any gear I try to select.

 
Rep Power: 302

Hmmm.... then perhaps the throwout bearing went. Sounds like you HAVE to take it apart. BTW, how many miles??

 
Rep Power: 0

Damn that sucks. Mine always throws it out of 2nd and just started grinding going into 3rd. I took it to the dealership and they said it wouldn't be under warranty but just by driving it said it was probably a bent shift fork so I am also just going to upgrade and put in an ACT clutch, fix the broken parts and put in a Revo Short shifter. Should have it all in by the end of Jan.

 
Rep Power: 0

Yeah, I'm pulling the tranny tomorrow. I have 85,000 miles.

 
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i just swapped my clutch to and ACT xtreme and 6puck.
check ebay for some good deals.
havent tested it yet but the thing sounds fine...
i just finished putting it together yestarday...
have fun with the axels...

 
Rep Power: 0

Dropping the tranny isn't as much work as I thought. I did a little prep work last night and it's ready to fall out. I just ordered the ACT HC5-HDSS and streetlite flywheel. How is the pedal effort with the xtreme & 6 puck? I want something that has good torque capacity but I daily drive this car and am sometimes stuck in LA traffic.

 
Rep Power: 0

Did you try re-lubing the shifter? That fixed my stiff-shifting problem.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ill let you know today... I got the fluids in

 
Rep Power: 0

No pedal effort at all. prolly might want a street disk but definately get the plate.
The clutch engags like there is no tomorrow.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ok, I pulled my tranny yesterday and one of the 4 springs on the clutch came out and was rattling around in there. I'll post pics of it when I get a chance to borrow a digital camera. While I have everything out, I'm changing any type of bearing, gasket, or seal I can think of. My new parts won't be here until next week so I'm without a car until then. It looked like I would have still had about 40,000 miles left on the clutch.

 
Rep Power: 0

Not bad for a first clutch destruction.

 
Rep Power: 0

if you buy a kit it comes with the throwout bearing and the alignment bearing. thats all you need to replace.
if you dont have a lightened flywheel I recommend it.

 
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as for the shifter I lubed it with paintballgun oil. it shifts smooooth.

 
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im stupid. I read that you bought a streetlite after i typed that.....
good luck breaking the flywheel free.

 
Rep Power: 0

if you need help msg me. Ill be more than happy to tell you anything you wanna kno if you dont already.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks alot. It has seriously been a breeze, though. Flywheel is off. I had a friend of mine who is a tech at Honda come over and check everything out and he gave me a shopping list of seals and gaskets that needed to be, or would soon need to be, replaced in lieu of the throwout and pilot bearing.

 
Rep Power: 0

sweet. I am at the sucky part... The break in period.
Have him get you some honda-bond. That stuf roxx