2004 Celica having clutch problems

cricket610 wrote:
> When I put the car in gear and release the clutch. It does not move
>
Does it move in any gear, even reverse? How many miles are on the car?
Did this problem suddenly happen? Does it make any unusual noise(s) when
you release the clutch?
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

Does it not move in any gear, or just not 1st?

Me thinks you really have a transmission problem ...





"cricket610" wrote in message

> When I put the car in gear and release the clutch. It does not move
>
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"Jeff Strickland" wrote in message

> Does it not move in any gear, or just not 1st?
>
> Me thinks you really have a transmission problem ...
>

If the clutch were not disengaging, the OP would have a difficult time
shifting into gear and he/she probably would have mentioned a grinding
noise.

The only transmission problem that would cause the symptoms described by the
OP is an input shaft that is not transmitting power to the rest of the
transmission or a broken shifter. If the input shaft broke, it would have
made a huge bang that is impossible to miss and it would be impossible to
shift into gear. If the shifter broke, the feel of the shift lever would
change and become balky, and in a 3 year old car, I don't think a shifter
would break so easily.

Given the description of the symptoms in a sporty car, the most likely cause
is a burnt clutch.

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
>
>
>
>
> "cricket610" wrote in message
>
>> When I put the car in gear and release the clutch. It does not move
>>
>
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message

>
> "Jeff Strickland" wrote in message
>
>> Does it not move in any gear, or just not 1st?
>>
>> Me thinks you really have a transmission problem ...
>>
>
> If the clutch were not disengaging, the OP would have a difficult time
> shifting into gear and he/she probably would have mentioned a grinding
> noise.
>
> The only transmission problem that would cause the symptoms described by
> the OP is an input shaft that is not transmitting power to the rest of the
> transmission or a broken shifter. If the input shaft broke, it would have
> made a huge bang that is impossible to miss and it would be impossible to
> shift into gear. If the shifter broke, the feel of the shift lever would
> change and become balky, and in a 3 year old car, I don't think a shifter
> would break so easily.
>
> Given the description of the symptoms in a sporty car, the most likely
> cause is a burnt clutch.
>


Even a worn clutch would still make the car move in 1st gear, UNLESS the
clutch was severely worn and had been slipping long before it quit
altogether. My company once had a couple of Chevy LUV trucks, and one of
them was completely un-driveable in 3rd and 4th gears, but would go "okay"
in 1st and R. Somebody else was assigned this tgruck, but they sent me on an
errand one day in it. I couldn't get the truck to go down the street, and
had to return to the shop. The guy that drove it as his regular vehicle said
that he noticed something was amiss, but after the truck got up to speed it
was okay. He must have come close to redline before he selected the next
gear.

I'm sticking with a transmission problem for this poster ...
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"Jeff Strickland" wrote in message

>
> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
>
>>
>> "Jeff Strickland" wrote in message
>>
>>> Does it not move in any gear, or just not 1st?
>>>
>>> Me thinks you really have a transmission problem ...
>>>
>>
>> If the clutch were not disengaging, the OP would have a difficult time
>> shifting into gear and he/she probably would have mentioned a grinding
>> noise.
>>
>> The only transmission problem that would cause the symptoms described by
>> the OP is an input shaft that is not transmitting power to the rest of
>> the transmission or a broken shifter. If the input shaft broke, it would
>> have made a huge bang that is impossible to miss and it would be
>> impossible to shift into gear. If the shifter broke, the feel of the
>> shift lever would change and become balky, and in a 3 year old car, I
>> don't think a shifter would break so easily.
>>
>> Given the description of the symptoms in a sporty car, the most likely
>> cause is a burnt clutch.
>>
>
>
> Even a worn clutch would still make the car move in 1st gear, UNLESS the
> clutch was severely worn and had been slipping long before it quit
> altogether. My company once had a couple of Chevy LUV trucks, and one of
> them was completely un-driveable in 3rd and 4th gears, but would go "okay"
> in 1st and R. Somebody else was assigned this tgruck, but they sent me on
> an errand one day in it. I couldn't get the truck to go down the street,
> and had to return to the shop. The guy that drove it as his regular
> vehicle said that he noticed something was amiss, but after the truck got
> up to speed it was okay. He must have come close to redline before he
> selected the next gear.
>
> I'm sticking with a transmission problem for this poster ...
>

I've seen more people who trash their clutch while learning how to drive a
manual transmission, and have not heard of any problems with Celica manual
transmissions other than difficult shifting. I'm sticking with a clutch
problem. Hopefully, the OP will report back on his or her problem and learn
what the actual cause is.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

I may have told this story already, but it seems appropriate again. Around
04 or 05 a young girl (16, 17) brought her new Celica in complaining that
the engine revs really high and doesn't move forward like it did when it
was new. Now the car only had about 12k miles, so I was suspicious of just
a strictly worn clutch. The service advisor called me into the service lane
to speak with her, and as I was asking her questions about the problem, I
thought it odd that she kept saying "power pedal" instead of "clutch
pedal".
The service advisor and I exchanged a glance, and I asked her to take
me for a ride around the block to show me exactly what was happening.
Well, the clutch sure was slipping, and not 10 seconds out of the parking
lot she started pressing the clutch pedal in just enough to slip it,
lurching the car forward just a bit as she released it. I was a little
confused, and after more interrogation I figured out that in her mind, the
pedal all the way on the left provided "extra power" when you stepped on it
just a few inches while driving! Apparently she had been doing this
throughout her tenure as owner and operator, slipping the clutch
constantly and effectively roasting the clutch in 12k miles!
I did my best to explain to her that this was not a warrantable repair
and certainly not the proper way to use a clutch pedal, and she said that
we should talk to her dad. Well, the service advisor got on the phone with
him, explained what the situation was and what the cost would be, and
apparently he was furious that the dealer would not warrant a new clutch.
The writer made a comment about how someone should take time to teach
their daughter to properly use a manual transmission, and that was about
the end of it. Off she went.
Power Pedal.
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

Ray O wrote:
<...>

I can't help but think that it is something in the linkage or maybe a
bad master cylinder.

I agree that there would be more symptoms than just things not working.

I also wonder if it could be something on the output side of the
transmission.

Jeff
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"Jeff" wrote in message

> Ray O wrote:
> <...>
>
> I can't help but think that it is something in the linkage or maybe a bad
> master cylinder.
>
If someting is wrong with the linkage, the shifter will feel very
different - there will be no resistance when selecting a gear, or the shift
lever will not move, or the lever will pop out of gear.

If the clutch master cylinder is bad, you will not be able to shift into
gear at idle or you will get grinding when shifting into gear.

> I agree that there would be more symptoms than just things not working.

Then why are you so sure that something other than a worn clutch is the
cause? If all of the symptoms point to a worn clutch, then a worn clutch is
the likely cause.

>
> I also wonder if it could be something on the output side of the
> transmission.
>

On the output side of the transmission, there is the output shaft,
differential, CV joints, axles, bearings, wheels, and tires. A strong metal
component would have to break clean through or disintegrate to prevent the
vehicle from moving without making a horrendous noise when the clutch is
engaged, and even then, the component would have made a noise that sounds
like an explosion when it happened.

> Jeff

qslim's post about the "power pedal" brings to mind several similar
customers I've had to deal with. When I lived in the San Francisco Bay
area, I used to see lots of people hold the car on hills by slipping the
clutch. I see and hear people rev the engine and just feather the clutch to
creep in stop and go traffic, you can tell by listening to the engine that
people even slip the clutch even when upshifting, or downshift when coming
to a light instead of applying the brakes. Nobody like to be told that they
are not as skilled with a clutch as Mario Andretti, and unfortunately,
installing a low backflow muffler, big wheels and tires, and a K&N air
filter doesn't make a clutch immune from improper clutch use.

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message

>
> "Jeff" wrote in message
>
>> Ray O wrote:
>> <...>
>>
>> I can't help but think that it is something in the linkage or maybe a bad
>> master cylinder.
>>
> If someting is wrong with the linkage, the shifter will feel very
> different - there will be no resistance when selecting a gear, or the
> shift lever will not move, or the lever will pop out of gear.
>
> If the clutch master cylinder is bad, you will not be able to shift into
> gear at idle or you will get grinding when shifting into gear.
>
>> I agree that there would be more symptoms than just things not working.
>
> Then why are you so sure that something other than a worn clutch is the
> cause? If all of the symptoms point to a worn clutch, then a worn clutch
> is the likely cause.
>
>>
>> I also wonder if it could be something on the output side of the
>> transmission.
>>
>
> On the output side of the transmission, there is the output shaft,
> differential, CV joints, axles, bearings, wheels, and tires. A strong
> metal component would have to break clean through or disintegrate to
> prevent the vehicle from moving without making a horrendous noise when the
> clutch is engaged, and even then, the component would have made a noise
> that sounds like an explosion when it happened.
>
>> Jeff
>
> qslim's post about the "power pedal" brings to mind several similar
> customers I've had to deal with. When I lived in the San Francisco Bay
> area, I used to see lots of people hold the car on hills by slipping the
> clutch. I see and hear people rev the engine and just feather the clutch
> to creep in stop and go traffic, you can tell by listening to the engine
> that people even slip the clutch even when upshifting, or downshift when
> coming to a light instead of applying the brakes. Nobody like to be told
> that they are not as skilled with a clutch as Mario Andretti, and
> unfortunately, installing a low backflow muffler, big wheels and tires,
> and a K&N air filter doesn't make a clutch immune from improper clutch
> use.
>
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)

The reason I postulated a broken linkage to the clutch pedal is that
according to the poster, this problem came up with no previous indication of
a slipping clutch....one would think this would the the bitter end of a
slipping clutch problem that had gone on for some time.
Incidentally, didja know that in the dim distant past in California,
drivers' licenses specified whether a driver was permitted to drive a
gearshift auto? The license read "automatic transmission only". Now,
you almost have to go to Europe to find everyday cars with sticks.(and an
auto trans. rental car will cost you about double what a stick shift rental
costs.) There's nothing so much fun for a driver as shifting with your
left hand from the right seat!
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

"mack" wrote in message

>
> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
>
>>
>> "Jeff" wrote in message
>>
>>> Ray O wrote:
>>> <...>
>>>
>>> I can't help but think that it is something in the linkage or maybe a
>>> bad master cylinder.
>>>
>> If someting is wrong with the linkage, the shifter will feel very
>> different - there will be no resistance when selecting a gear, or the
>> shift lever will not move, or the lever will pop out of gear.
>>
>> If the clutch master cylinder is bad, you will not be able to shift into
>> gear at idle or you will get grinding when shifting into gear.
>>
>>> I agree that there would be more symptoms than just things not working.
>>
>> Then why are you so sure that something other than a worn clutch is the
>> cause? If all of the symptoms point to a worn clutch, then a worn clutch
>> is the likely cause.
>>
>>>
>>> I also wonder if it could be something on the output side of the
>>> transmission.
>>>
>>
>> On the output side of the transmission, there is the output shaft,
>> differential, CV joints, axles, bearings, wheels, and tires. A strong
>> metal component would have to break clean through or disintegrate to
>> prevent the vehicle from moving without making a horrendous noise when
>> the clutch is engaged, and even then, the component would have made a
>> noise that sounds like an explosion when it happened.
>>
>>> Jeff
>>
>> qslim's post about the "power pedal" brings to mind several similar
>> customers I've had to deal with. When I lived in the San Francisco Bay
>> area, I used to see lots of people hold the car on hills by slipping the
>> clutch. I see and hear people rev the engine and just feather the clutch
>> to creep in stop and go traffic, you can tell by listening to the engine
>> that people even slip the clutch even when upshifting, or downshift when
>> coming to a light instead of applying the brakes. Nobody like to be told
>> that they are not as skilled with a clutch as Mario Andretti, and
>> unfortunately, installing a low backflow muffler, big wheels and tires,
>> and a K&N air filter doesn't make a clutch immune from improper clutch
>> use.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>
> The reason I postulated a broken linkage to the clutch pedal is that
> according to the poster, this problem came up with no previous indication
> of a slipping clutch....one would think this would the the bitter end of a
> slipping clutch problem that had gone on for some time.
> Incidentally, didja know that in the dim distant past in California,
> drivers' licenses specified whether a driver was permitted to drive a
> gearshift auto? The license read "automatic transmission only". Now,
> you almost have to go to Europe to find everyday cars with sticks.(and an
> auto trans. rental car will cost you about double what a stick shift
> rental costs.) There's nothing so much fun for a driver as shifting
> with your left hand from the right seat!
>
If the linkage to the clutch pedal broke, the effect would be the same as
trying to shift into gear without disengaging the clutch - you would hear a
grinding noise and feel the grinding in the shifter lever, which the OP did
not mention.

When you listen to people describe symptoms with their vehicle day in and
day out and check out their vehicle, you learn which symptoms are relevant
and which ones are not, and which ones people notice and which ones they
miss. People rarely miss a loud grinding noise, ear-splitting bang, or
extreme difficulty in shifting a manual transmission but they often miss
constant noises and gradual declines in performance.

If the springs on the clutch pressure plate are weak, it is possible that it
will allow the clutch to slip, but I have never seen this on a factory
clutch so it is very low on my list of suspects.

In every case I've personally dealt with where the symptoms are the same as
the OP's, the result has been a worn clutch, so that is why I think that the
problem is due to a worn clutch.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems 

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 08:32:49 -0400, qslim wrote:

> Well, the clutch sure was slipping, and not 10 seconds out of the parking
> lot she started pressing the clutch pedal in just enough to slip it,
> lurching the car forward just a bit as she released it. I was a little
> confused, and after more interrogation I figured out that in her mind, the
> pedal all the way on the left provided "extra power" when you stepped on
> it just a few inches while driving! Apparently she had been doing this
> throughout her tenure as owner and operator, slipping the clutch
> constantly and effectively roasting the clutch in 12k miles!


BWAHAHAHAHA! I like that...Power Pedal...I'll have to remember that one!

I have taught both my wives AND my daughter...get your foot OFF the clutch
AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!!! And, that it's NOT a foot rest.

Another reason I have such high-mileage clutches...
 >> Stay informed about: 2004 Celica having clutch problems