clutch slipping problems - Honda Prelude Forum

zameoj · 11-12-2002, 12:12 PM

I hope you guys can help. To start with some history. I did a 5 speed swap and put everything in to spec. The new tranny and clutch appeared to operate properly. Upon further driving (stop and go) the clutch started to slip as more stop and go driving would heat up the car. I could feel that the clutch pedal pushed (felt) different right before it started slipping. We bled the system numerous times and even built a custom plate for the master cylinder because it would flex the very thin firewall and adjusted the master cylinder shaft. Everything so far seemed to help the slipping to some extent. It would take a little longer for the clutch to start slipping. It would slip and then if you drove it some more it would stop slipping. I did notice that when the car was cool the slave cylinder would be loose from the relase arm. You could actually move the arm around a little bit, but after driving it would be tight against the arm. Also, the clutch felt like it was a little notchey, so we replaced the slave, rerouted the hydrolic lines (to make it neater), bled again, and went for a test drive. It took forever for it to start slipping and when it did it wasn't too bad. It always starts to slip usually in 3rd or 4th gear and then progress to the lower gears. If you take the car out of stop and go driving and head to the highway, the slipping seems to go away for awile untill you heat it up again. This leads me to believe its heat related. How does the hydrolic fluid perform related to heat? Also, right before it starts to slip I can instantly tell by the clutch pedal feel. It goes to the floor differently, hard to explain, just has a different feel. This would lead me to believe that its a hydrolic issue, not a clutch issue. Everything we've done so far has seemed to aid in taking longer for the clutch to start slipping so that would also lead me to think that its a hydrolic issue. I will try and ajust the clutch pedal some more to see if that helps.

MAIN POINTS:
no apparent leaks in the system and the fluid level has stayed constant.. The slipping starts in the higher gears first than goes to the other 5-4-3-2-1 in this order.. Slips sooner while driving in stop and go setting and takes longer for more open road/some stop and go driving..Everything we've done to this point has helped lengthen the time it takes to slip..

conundrum07 · 11-13-2002, 11:07 AM

Make sure you are putting in good fluid. If i recall correctly, it takes brake fluid, so you might go with DOT 4 or even DOT 5 syntheteic (which has a extremely high heat rating).

zameoj · 11-13-2002, 02:15 PM

Huh, I think I will try that. Also, I just checked out my friends Prelude and there are some pretty big (1/4 in.) spacers that go behind the clutch pedal mounting bracket. This could definately affect the master cylinder shaft from taking its full travel to completely releasing, therefore putting slight pressure on the clutch and making it slip (not sure on all my terminology there). We are putting in some spacers tonight and I'll check out the Amsoil brake fluid becuase I'm a dealer. Thanks. Any other suggestions??

71dsp · 11-13-2002, 02:18 PM

Clutch fluid is brake fluid. Just use DOT3 or equivalent. It doesn't have to be high heat rated. The clutch doesn't get nearly as hot as your brakes.

I would check these spacers out first, then if that doesn't work, make sure the system is properly bled.

zameoj · 11-14-2002, 12:56 PM

Yep. It was the spacers. I put some bolts (1/4 in) behind the pedal bracket and drove for 3 hours city and suburb driving and no slipping. Pedal feels lose compared to before. One thing the Helms doesnt show are the little thing that they expect the car to already have. I'll be sure to put all this fabrication stuff and wiring in my swap write up on my homepage.