Changing/non-existent bite point, 1993 corolla

[jayn5]

Hi all,

I have a 1993 E10 corolla (1.3L 4EFE) with a clutch pedal that's giving me problems. I've had the car for two years and it's always been pretty hard to shift up and down smoothly without the use of perfect rev matching. But recently the bite point has mostly disappeared in it (and does seem to move around) and it's very very hard to tell where the clutch engages without looking at the tach to see the revs fall/rise at the bite. When pushed the pedal is almost nothing until a good 2-3 inches then it firms up, using the term firm loosely as the pedal is quite soft. It wasn't until I drove one of my friends hondas and noted how easy it was to shift smoothly, and also feel the bite, and that has got me wondering what's up with mine. It's also very hard to pull away in 1st smoothly as said, the bite point changes and it's very hard to feel where it is.

The car has 54k on it, 2 owners from new. The clutch shouldn't need replaced on it with such low mileage is my thought surely? The clutch doesn't slip at all, it struggles a bit getting into reverse but otherwise it shifts and accelerates fine. 

There is a leak somewhere, oil is dripping down the middle seam where the engine and bellhousing meet, never been able to find exactly the cause, but more than likely is a main seal and not related to this issue. I've changed the gearbox oil about 1k miles ago. Is it possible it simply just needs new clutch fluid/flush/bleed to fix this? Hoping it's not going to be anything too serious.

Thanks all

[Cyker]

It sounds like the clutch hydraulics need flushing and replacing, and the slave and master cylinders checked!

In a lot of Toyotas the brake and clutch share a fluid reservoir so if you've had your brake fluid changed and they bled the brakes but not the clutch some air could have gotten into it.

[jayn5]

2 minutes ago, Cyker said:

It sounds like the clutch hydraulics need flushing and replacing, and the slave and master cylinders checked!

In a lot of Toyotas the brake and clutch share a fluid reservoir so if you've had your brake fluid changed and they bled the brakes but not the clutch some air could have gotten into it.

Thank you, I'll have a check over both today and get it booked in for a fluid change and bleed. I'm a panel beater by trade so would rather leave the experts to it😆

[Cyker]

Hopefully that's all it is, as it'll be much cheaper than a clutch job, esp. as the hydraulics are all external on yours. (My Yaris Mk2 had a CSC, which is a combined slave cylinder and release bearing - Expensive part and it's inside the clutch housing so you can't check it without taking the gearbox out!)

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

[oldcodger]

With that age of car think  we would consider both the master cylinder ( is it separate  from the brake cylinder on yours ?) and the slave cylinder as after 30 years all the internal rubber seals could be failing.

If its not a simple hydrualic problem, trouble selecting the gears does suggest it could be the clutch is not disengaging correctly, was told by some clutch pros the gearbox input shaft oil seal is the more likely cause of an oil leak down there rather than the main seal, but again at 30 years old ....

54k miles sounds very low for such an old car, less than 2k miles per year ! has it been stored for years ?   the point being the clutch plate could still have deteriated as though few miles done it could have been heavy stop start driving with someone always riding the clutch pedal.

Be  interesting to hear how you get on  

 

[jayn5]

The master cylinder and brake cylinder share the same fluid to my knowledge. Interesting about the input shaft oil seal, will investigate that when the clutch is getting sorted. I'm no mechanic, so I assumed it would have been the main seal leaking due to age! 

It was owned by an elderly couple in Kent for 27yrs, they drove it to and from the shops once a week! A lad then bought it and brought it up to Edinburgh for a year, then I bought it and I've since been using it as a daily. When I passed my test this year it was on 44k, it's on 54k now. Its never let me down, always started first turn of the key. I have been servicing it every 3k, replaced the power steering pump as that did go kaput. Besides the power steering pump and this clutch issue it's been perfect. No rust on the underside as the elderly couple had it in a garage for its life (I've also just had it undersealed)

Will investigate further into the clutch and all the seals, thank you 🙂

[APS]

Regardless of mileage, clutch and brake fluids must be replaced every 3-5 years. Even if it is just stored. If that is not done you will get rust in the slave cylinder as these are generally made of cast iron. I would start by either replacing or rebuilding the slave cylinder. Either option is cheap and can be done by someone with moderate mechanical skills and a pinch of determination. The master cylinder can also have gone bad, but is less likely.

[oldcodger]

37 minutes ago, jayn5 said:

The master cylinder and brake cylinder share the same fluid to my knowledge. Interesting about the input shaft oil seal, will investigate that when the clutch is getting sorted. I'm no mechanic, so I assumed it would have been the main seal leaking due to age! 

It was owned by an elderly couple in Kent for 27yrs, they drove it to and from the shops once a week! A lad then bought it and brought it up to Edinburgh for a year, then I bought it and I've since been using it as a daily. When I passed my test this year it was on 44k, it's on 54k now. Its never let me down, always started first turn of the key. I have been servicing it every 3k, replaced the power steering pump as that did go kaput. Besides the power steering pump and this clutch issue it's been perfect. No rust on the underside as the elderly couple had it in a garage for its life (I've also just had it undersealed)

Will investigate further into the clutch and all the seals, thank you 🙂

Interesting history  ...  see how it feels after the fluid change,  might just be as simple as that  🤞