IPSC

89 Turbo S 123,00 miles on supposedly the original clutch. Last couple of days I have been hearing a whirring sound from the clutch area only when the clutch is depressed. Tonight the pedal went to the floor and would not come back up till I reached down and pulled it up with my hand. Now it is up but will not depress AT ALL no matter how hard I push on it. So what the heck is that?

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Kokopelli

One of your clutch cylinders has spat the dummy. Check for leaks. I am sure other people will fill you in with more details.

chitown928s4

Could be your clutch master cyclinder. Check in front of the big brake booster. The little cyclinder goes into your car just behind the clutch pedal check for fliud just underneath your pedal. Then follow up to your engine. Also check in the middle of your car underneath the clutch area where the clutch slave is. Those are 2 places to start looking for leaks. Also check the little hoses coming out of the cyclinder in front of the booster. If you find the leak and its not a hose its your clutch master or clutch slave. Its recommended to replace both however I just replaced my clutch master and have the slave ready if it goes out. That's most like what the problem is. Senior members will correct me if I'm wrong. I did just learn all this and just replaced my clutch master about a month ago with my brother. Good luck.

StickShift

Same thing just happened to me earlier this week. I decided to bite the bullet and do the clutch since I am at 160k on the original. I should have it apart by this weekend, and I will let you know if I have broken bits in the clutch or if it is just the slave/master issues. But I didn't have the master leakage, so I am leaning towards the clutch. Mostly just because I dropped the dough for a kit!

Tom

83na944

I wonder what that means.

Anyway, the reason your clutch pedal does not return is there is no hydraulic pressure to force the master cylinder back. So you either have a failed seal in the master or slave cylinder or you have a hose that is leaking.

The master cylinder usually leaks into the passenger compartment into the boot that surrounds the push rod that connectes the clutch pedal to the master cylinder. Just move the boot back and check for wetness. The slave cylinder will leak out of the part that's inside the clutch housing, but you'll see brake fluid on the bottom of the housing.

Either way, the repair is fairly easy and the parts not too expensive. Check clark's garage for procedures.

IPSC

So this is not a clutch thing? I had figured that the throw out bering had gone and been wearing away at the fork till something really bad happened like the fork jammed in there or something. The part that has me worried is the fact that I CAN NOT push the clutch in at all. I mean I step on it with enough force that I feel if I go any harder something is going to bend.
She goes up on jacks today and the master and slave get replaced.

IPSC

P.S. "Spat the dummy" that is a new on on me. Not bad, I like it.

blackcube

My 1983 NA had the same symptoms twice - onnce when the slave cylinder bit the dust and once when the rubber hose to the slave split.

IceShark

I agree, the locked up hydraulics would have me concerned. I wonder if you somehow broke the clutch throw out fork and locked it solid.

The squeeking noise you were hearing was probably the throw out bearing. The clutches were designed all backassward and instead of pushing on the PP springs to release the clutch the fork pulls on the springs via the TOB. And there isn't much of a contact area between the fork fingers and TOB. So if something failed there I could see you may lock things up tight.

How you got your clutch to last 123,000 miles is beyond me. My 951S clutch bit the bullet at 40, 000 and about everything failed that you could think of. Inner springs gone, friction surface worn down and past rivets, throwout bearing screeching like crazy, flywheel took 0.025" to grind it smooth, grease on the splines hard as a rock ..... quite the mess.

IPSC

"I agree, the locked up hydraulics would have me concerned. I wonder if you somehow broke the clutch throw out fork and locked it solid."

That has me concerned as well. I was thinking throw out bearing from the whirring sound when the clutch was pressed in.

As for getting 123,000 I bought the car at 121,000 and the senond owner had records and he never changed the clutch from 50,000 on and if the first owner ever did it he did not have any records of it.

Is the fork visible through the inspection hole?

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IceShark

No, I don't think you could really see it even if you had a scope. Through either the top hole or the side one.

I was thinking about this and I think your only hope is to pull off the starter and slave and see what you can see. The problem is that the clutch fork is so stiff, being held back by the pressure plate, there is going to have to be some major damage for you to notice in that fashion. You certainly can't push on a good fork with your finger and expect to move it much. And you are locked solid.

It is too bad the bellhousing wasn't designed a bit better so you could get in there without a couple days of labor.

IPSC

Yep a 968 split bell housing would be grand right about now. The problem is with this happening now, I have plans to completely go through the whole mess. Rebuild the engine, clutch, do all of the suspension work. My plan is to pull the car off of the drive train and do it that way. All or nothing was the battle cry. My fear is it's time to start all.

I will get it up on jacks this afternoon and pull the starter and see. I have a master and slave on the way in the hopes that it is just that.

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RMills944

The whirring is from slack in the torque tube. You're probably missing part of the rubber center on the clutch. My 84 did the same thing. About 2 days later, it had locked up the tranny from the slack in the driveline and they replaced the clutch. You may as well have the master/slave cylinders done at the same time as that is what makes the pedal stick to the floor and not return like that.

IPSC

I thought the turbo clutch did not have a rubber center? I have been through a rubber center clutch failure in my 87 S and this is all different. That just "clunked every time it went into gear. This (untill last night) felt fine if just made a bad whirring sound anytime the clutch was pushed in. What has me completely worried is the fact I can NOT push the clutch pedal in at all.

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RMills944

Mine was the same way with the whirring sound. The spring center clutches can have springs go out and do the same thing. The slack in the drive train is what was causeing the whirring sound.
Bottom line: If I were you, I'd have it checked out right away because the slack will take out the tranny if you do drive it like that. When you start and there is slack, it's harder on the tranny than dumping the clutch every time you start.

Danno

" Last couple of days I have been hearing a whirring sound from the clutch area only when the clutch is depressed."

This is most likely the pilot bearing at the end of the crank. It's the only part that gets spun when the clutch pedal is depressed.