Clutch cylinders change

[mcsmarte]

Today my 2.5 '98 started acting weird while going on the freeway, the clutch could only be pressed half way down, but I was still able to change gears and so thought it was a one time thing. Obviously it wasn't because when I exited the freeway and entered city traffic again, I had to stop for a red light and had the same weird problem again. I pressed the clutch down half way and tried to change gears, but neither 1st nor 2nd would engage. I then pressed harder and floored the clutch and everything was normal again, or so it seemed. When pressing the clutch now, halfway engaged it would have some resistance, but I could press it to the floor with a little extra effort. It was as if the clutch was becoming sticky when being pressed more than half way and later tended to stay on the floor for a few moments.

I made it all the way home in the garage and was curious what was the problem. I stopped the engine and pressed the clutch a couple of times, the 4th time the pedal got stuck on the floor, when I pulled it back with my hand, it would go right back to the floor. Hmm, then I looked under the car and noticed that the car had puked clutch/brake fluid all over the garage floor.

Now after reading a couple of other posts about sticky clutches and so on, I figure that the clutch slave cylinder is kaput and need to be changed. I do have a copy of a workshop manual and there is indeed an illustration of how the bleed the clutch. One other website has a picture, http://boxster.wikia.com/wiki/Brake_Fluid_System

I guess the bleeding valve is on the clutch cylinder itself, so far so good. I also found other illustrations of how the transmission and clutch is put together so I have a good idea where this clutch cylinder should be, but how do I get to it?

There is a big thick kind of triangle plate that covers the bottom of the engine, I'm not sure it is advisable to start to remove it. How much do I have to take apart to get to it? Has anyone actually ever done this themselves at home in the garage? Some pictures or advice would be really cool

Also the 996 forum has instructions on how to do it on the 911, and the description sounds like something that can be done http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12922 but what about the Boxster?

Now everybody says it is a good idea to change the master clutch cylinder as well at the same time, any advice how to fix that one?

Thanks for any advice

[RFM]

After reading the symptoms you describes, the leaking cylinders are not the cause but the result of a clutch mechanism failure. Let it check by a mechanic before you blow up the new cylinders again.

[mcsmarte]

Found that the old clutch slave cylinder could be removed lifting up the rear left on the car and change it without taking anything else apart. I removed the old cylinder and after wiggling it a little, the inner parts jumped out

It turned out that the whole inside had been pushed out and during that the o-ring had been damaged - so I suspected hat the arm inside the clutch was not pressing back enough.

I bought a new clutch slave cylinder, mounted it but thought that there should have been a little more resistance from when compressing the inside spring. After bleeding the system I could hear that the clutch was working, but only a little. The pedal could only be pressed down halfway... No luck

After finding explanations on how to change the clutch on my own and having taken a look at the tools available in my garage, I decided to take it to a friend of mine who is a mechanic for fixing. Bought the Sach's clutch kit and a clutch arm, just in case.

The old clutch arm removed, notice the crack - there must be very strong forces in action on the clutch system

The clutch disc itself was ready to be changed as well, the fly wheel was not changed but just re-surfaced

Also had to change the rear main seal as it was leaking a little. Finally got the car back on the road after 3 weeks in a Ford Explorer - the clutch is so smooth and light that it took me a little time to get used to again, very hard to find the actual position where it engages, but what a joy to drive again :lol: