What just broke on my car ? (pics)

[GT Wagon]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh.

Everything was hunky dory, we drove about 200km's today. We just came home from Home Depot with the A/C in if that makes a difference ( and probably explains the water) and the car drove fine.

Here's where it got weird. I backed into the driveway and when I stopped the car started to shudder like it was about to stall which was weird. The clutch was all the way down. Then it stalled. That's when I noticed the clutch was stuck all the way down. I had to get out of the car and reach down and pull the clutch pedal.

Then I noticed the car was stuck in reverse. I managed to get it out and put it in another gear. Started the car and the same thing happend, stall. I look under the car and there's fluid slowly dripping down right on the Y pipe portion of the exhaust. I put my finger down through the top of the motor where the 1st blue arrow is pointing. Its an oily like substance. I don't think its oil since my oil is dirty and this is clean. Tranny fluid ?

Any idea what on earth just happened ? Does it have anything to do with the AC being on ? As yhou can see from the pictures there's something wet all the way up top on the motor where the arrow points to. I can't see why there would be any water there at all, it makes me wonder if there was a problem with the AC dripping moisture in the wrong place or something. I really hope my clutch isn't screwed now.

I am at a loss with this. Anyone have any suggestions what's wrong or what to do ?

After typing this all out I went out and sat in the car, With the motor off I can change gears no problem, however when I depress the clutch it is sticking by the floor.


http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3575/top6la.jpg

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/3179/underfar6op.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8651/bottom7qr.jpg

[2.5GT]

hm..weird huh? i have almost the same leak in the engine bay as yours. except mine is on the left hand side. I thought it was oil the first time i look at it. But still can't find what else is it. I just left it there lol.

But take it to a Dealership asap and see what's going on.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Do you have a cable clutch or hydraulic? Sounds like its brake fluid from your clutch master or possibly slave cylinder. The fact the clutch is now staying put, and the stalling sounds like the clutch isn't engaging all the way. When my mastercylinder blew out on my pickup the clutch went straight to the floor with almost no resistance and then I had to pull it out myself.

[GT Wagon]

Do you have a cable clutch or hydraulic?

How do I tell ? Its a 97 GT

Is there a chance that fluid has run over the clutch itslef and ruined it or is it not engaging because there's not enough fluid to do so ?

Thnx

[GT Wagon]

I checked the level on the passenger side and its full. Its pretty wet down there but I can't tell where its coming from. Its getting too dark to see anymore.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4656/levelstick2ef.jpg

Could this be where the leak is coming from ? The air box over the motor is in the top right of this photo. This hose seems to connect to that resevoir that's low. Should the end piece look like this ?

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9812/hose17pp.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/945/hose21nn.jpg

[Huffer]

Have you checked all your fluid levels?

[Wiscon_Mark]

If it's a 97 GT, it's hydraulic clutch. You might be leaking tranny fluid, that is definitely your transmission. But it sound more like the clutch line, and the clutch is right in there too. Check the levels yet?

[GT Wagon]

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8486/resevoirlarge9tr.jpg

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/92/resevoir9qi.jpg

This one's low, it appears to be the clutch fluid. The fluid that's spilled looks to be the same clear yellowish colour. As per my earlier post the tranny fluid level (below airbox) checks out as full.

What I don't understand is

1) why it was running 100% until I backed up (nicely) into the driveway

2) where that fluid is coming from

Without starting the motor I can play with the stick shift and change gears no problem. The clutch goes down and releases no problem but as soon as I put the car in any gear, the clutch sticks at the bottom.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Your last statement...is that consistent with the motor being on and being off? Does it happen no matter what?

[GT Wagon]

How do you recommend I find the source of the leak ?

Will I damage anything if I start the motor (does the clutch not engage now or will it slip ?)

[Wiscon_Mark]

If it's stuck down, the clutch itself is actually disengaged. You won't damage the motor, no. Maybe the pressure plate is toast? I don't know. That wouldn't explain the fluid. I guess to find the source of the leak, go to the highest/most concentrated portion, and follow it down.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Check the lines coming off of the clutch master cylinder (I imagine its somewhere on the driverside firewall near the brake booster, I have a cable clutch though so I am not certain), see if any of the lines have broken or popped off, also check the level of fluid in there. If its low, add some, and check if the pedal is sticking. As far as starting, you wouldn't do any damage if its low on fluid, but the car might stall out right away.

You could remove the air box tomorrow, and some of the other things around there to better source the problem.

[Plays_with_Toys]

ok, now your pics showed up. Yeah, thats the clutch master cylinder. So something between that and the slave cylinder has leaked. Fill it up, pump the clutch some see if the leak becomes apparent after pumping it. You will have to find the leak, fix it, then bleed the system of air to return it to prime operating conditions. Also, make sure you cap that reservoir off as soon as possible because brake fluid absorbs moisture out of the air, which can cause sponginess in the pedal, and poor performance.

My guess would be the mastercylinder itself busted, and any auto parts store will have that piece, you just have to give up your core and you get some money back. Make sure you keep the plastic reservoir itself though.

[SHOfast]

That is the clutch hydralic system. Look for leaks by filling the little reservoir and pumping the clutch. Either the line or one of the cylinder seals is gone, it almost looks like the line from your pictures, but you really need to look down in there.

The pedal will sink down to the floor when the fluid drains out, then lifting it back up should refill the master cylinder. You will need to bleed the system when you are done.

If the leak is not bad you may find that you are able to "pump up" the clutch when you need to shift, allowing it to work just long enough to get a shift in. Once the reservior is low that will not work.

[GT Wagon]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

Well I ordered the hose and we went to work on it yesterday night. Took off the airbox and when the clutch is pumped you can see it leaking out the hose just past where it starts in this pic. Of course, the dealer ordered the wrong hose (too short) so today I had to re-order and it won't be in until tomorow.

[Wiscon_Mark]

your pic isn't showing.

[ivwarrior]

Just saw the thread, glad you got it figured out. I was looking at that last pic before reading the note, and was going to tell you to check closely where the rubber meets the metal, as it look like it might be frayed, but I couldn't tell for sure from the angle of the pic. Sounds like thats it. Get the new hose on, and bleed everything and you should be good to go again.

[GT Wagon]

What a fricking day ! Subie dealer calls me this afternoon to tell me the Toronto wharehouse DOES NOT have the part. That's the Eastern Canada main depot. Earliest delivery is June 30 which tells me its coming from Japan. Ugh !

So, many phone calls later ( no-one seems to be able to fabricate a clutch hose in town) I found a place that thinks they can do it before Friday. I just removed the cable from the car. I couldn't see how to stop all the fluid from draining out so the resevoir is now empty, I really hope that doesn't screw it up besides a little more bleeding to do.

I was reading the "DIY" forums on the SS lines and someone else with a '97 chimed in. He seems to have bypassed the damper and run the lines straight from master to slave. Unfortunatley the "wrong" part I have is about 2 inches too short to do so. I'll be taking my hose in tomorow to see if they can make me a new one.

I notice the banjo bolt has a hole which needs to line up with the hose. How do you know its lined up or does it thread exactly down so its aligned ?

TBC

[AussieDan]

I'm the guy who did the damper bypass mod, and I'm very happy with it.

As for the banjo bolts, the banjo part has a space inside it for the fluid to flow through, so you don't have to worry about the holes lining up with anything.