Moved: Vague Clutch On Rav4 2006 2.0l Petrol

[conorbuzz]

Hello all,

I've owned a Rav4 2006 2.0L Petrol for nearly a year now, and I'm still having trouble with starts from stop, and hill starts. I've been driving for years, and never had this problem before. I know that cars take getting used to but this is too much .

If you imagine the arc of the clutch to be 12 inches ( 0 being depressed and 12 being fully out) it only seems to engage on the 10-11 range. Before that the engine revs like crazy to get it to go, after that range it stalls. it seems a really sensitive balancing act as I don't want to leave 2" of rubber at the lights nor do I want to stall it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated?

Is there something that can be adjusted ?

Did any of what I said make sense ? I'm not very technical, sorry

Thanks in advance

Conor

[conorbuzz]

So more scouring the web, is it possible that the pressure plate is acting up ?

Feels like something isn't "clicking/moving' into place as soon as it should. Jesus, the internet is a dangerous place! LOL

Going to drag the car to a garage this week I hope, but would be nice to tell give him some idea in "garage" terms whats going on.

Thanks again,

[Jamesbelfast]

There are a number of possibilities. A worn clutch plate or weak pressure plate or oil on the friction plate or sticking release bearing could all cause such symptoms. Is there any signs of oil leak around the gearbox bell housing engine area??:)

[anchorman]

Are you saying it revs without you doing anything? As james says, it could just be a worn clutch and the bite point is high but if it definitely fierce then it could be contaminated with oil or the crankshaft thrust bearings are worn or failed engine mountings.

[conorbuzz]

Are you saying it revs without you doing anything? As james says, it could just be a worn clutch and the bite point is high but if it definitely fierce then it could be contaminated with oil or the crankshaft thrust bearings are worn or failed engine mountings.

Thanks all, looked underneath and in the engine bay, no oil that I could see, no oil underneath when i move it in the morning. Decided to wash it while i was out there, great fun at 0 degrees. lol

Engine oil levels are fine,

Pink fluid is low, I think this is the engine coolant from the manual, the small reservoir behind it is also low, is this power steering fluid? as I know where the water goes. ;)

Anchorman, no it doesn't rev with out me doing anything, I have to rev it high in order to ensure it won't stall, too high. I've driven loads of cars in my life and never had this problem with the clutch. Is the clutch bite on a rav 4 normally a bit higher than ur average car, granted this car has more HP than most of my other ones

Think I'll take it to the garage then to a Toyota dealer as I'm still in my 1 second hand warranty

[conorbuzz]

So, took it to the dealer and got the whole, "the ravs are like that" speech, got mu30K service done and there replaced all the fluids and filters, think is like a dream now !

:)

Thanks all and Go Rav;s

[conorbuzz]

Perhaps that was me just being hopeful, wasn't doing a whole pile of driving since now

So, still there, the balancing act between the clutch and accelerator, I'd have to rev quite high inorder not to stall it. the clutch was on/off.

soooo.......adjusted the "push rod" on the back of the clutch, moving it in and out have given me that bit of "play" I'm used to. I love it

Was thinking of selling, but now it's a keeper!!!!!!!

:)

Delighted, just thought I'd mention it, as it was simple and "customised" the clutch to me, I've taken it for 4 spins this evening, just for the drive :)

[Catweazle]

Hi Conorbuzz

I'm having exactly the same problem as you with my 2005 RAV which I bought a couple of weeks ago and still can't get used to the clutch.

Not sure if the clutch is the same as yours but can you give me any further info on exactly how you adjusted it?

Many thanks

[Catweazle]

Can anyone give me advice on this as, like Conorbuzz, I feel like getting rid of the RAV as after 3 weeks of owning it I'm still having problems getting to grips with the excessively high biting point on the clutch which would be a shame as I love everything else about it (apart from the drumming panel sound coming from the rear).

[anchorman]

rav4_gasoline.pdf

The freeplay is shown at the top of page 2. There is stop bolt you can back off but there should be no more freeplay that the 5-15mm. Don't worry about the bite point at the top as long as it doesn't slip. If anything it will give you cleaner gearchanges as you release the clutch near the top. On 4.3 diesels we have the opposite problem where we have the bite point near the bottom. The 4.3 diesel has a constant stroke clutch because of the hill start assist and keyless start. It never comes to the top like a conventional clutch but the downside is that unless it is pressed all the way to the bottom it can give some rough gearchanges.

[Catweazle]

Thanks Anchorman. It doesn't seem to be slipping but is just taking me ages to get used to the really high biting point. It's booked in for an inspection in a couple of weeks with my local independent Toyota garage, so I'll get them to check it while it's in.