- My model of MX-5 is: __NC 3.5
- I’m based near: __ Sheffield
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __
I had the misfortune to encounter stop start traffic into Sheffield city centre this afternoon in 29°C ambient air temperature and while the clutch felt ok to operate, it was increasingly difficult to select any gear. I was picking the missus up so didn’t turn the engine off (she was unusually on time) and the gear selection beacme so bad that if I dropped into neutral at the lights, I had to ram the selector to find any gear that might work. In the end I left it in second and used that for pulling away and heading out of the city.
When this became untenable, I found a place to pull over switched off the ignition anf lifted the bonnet for things to cool off for 15 minutes. While the engine was off, the gear selectors worked fine and after 15 minutes, I started the engine and tried all the gears and everything was fine.
The car is dealer serviced from new (last serviced 2 weeks ago), covered 45k miles and I had the gearbox and diff oils changed when I bought the car 3years ago (Rodders checked the diff oil for me when I called in shortly after that). The clutch is usually fine apart from the customary cold stiffness from 1 to 2, doesn’t slip and in fact pulling from standstill in 2nd wasn’t that easy. I’m not clutch heavy and don’t do racing starts so it generally has an easy life.
To me, it’s clearly temperature related but do you guys have any ideas what may be up please ?
Hmm, sounds like the clutch fluid needs changing (the heat), AND the clutch bite point adjusting (no margin left).
Brake and clutch fluid share the same reservoir, but often the clutch part is not bled when the brakes are. When I bought mine with only 17K on the clock at 6 years old it was meant to have brand new brake fluid, but when I got it home what came out the clutch slave was inky black.
It should be changed every two years.
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Damn, I never even thought about hydraulic clutch fluid, although the brake fluid was done last year at the main dealer, so I would hope they did the clutch bleed at the same time. I don’t have any problems with the biting point normally - in fact I didn’t after a gave it a 15 minute rest.
Brakes, yes. But clutch?
Mine had fluid changes on the Mazda history, and done by the independent dealer I bought it from, three in all, but I’m prepared to bet the clutch slave had never been touched.
Is this something I can do myself ? Are you able to let me know how please ?
The clutch slave cylinder is roughly about next to where the passenger’s right foot might be. It is above a plastic cover sheet, near a convenient access port for the oil filter and a suspension adjustment.
However, getting a spanner to bear while lying on your back under a jacked up car is interesting if you also want to keep the bleed hose in place from the nipple you are loosening to the catch jar without it all dropping into your face. As I found out.
I was lucky the metalwork was all pristine clean and still covered in black paint, no clag anywhere, and it undid easily. My glamorous assistant operated left foot as requested until clear fluid appeared while I operated spanner to prevent air being drawn back when she lifted left foot. I had wriggle out a couple of times to top up because quite a lot of fluid was drained before it ran clear.
Still messy though, and I pressure washed the clutch slave area outside afterwards to remove any spillage.
There are better ways to do this now, eg vacuum sucker on the bleed nipple, but the pedal still needs to move to shift the sludge.
I had a similar issue in extreme heat and it turned out the reservoir had been overfilled and this was the cause, sucked a bit out down to max level and all was well. just thought I would mention
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Useful information from both of you. Many thanks. As we’re both in our sixties and SWMBO has forgotten left from right, I may have to entrust it to someone reliable.
I can probably manage until the next service when the fluid is due to be changes again anyway but I will check to see if it’s overfilled and maybe see if I can pipe a bit out.