1904 Honda Accord 5-speed. 175,00 miles. Original clutch.
Sitting at light, in neutral, light turns, I push clutch pedal down to floor and it goes-CLANK and makes metallic sound and feels weird. I push it in again and try to engage 1st, then second, then third, then fourth. Won’t go into any gear. With force, got it into second and limped home(only 1/2 mile). That was the good part.
I have plans to see my mechanic first thing in the morning. Any guesses? I know that’s not much to go on. I never had a clutch go on me.
I think you did great getting 114 years out of a clutch. You’re due probably. Although use varies depending on traffic, 175,000 miles is good. Surprised you got it into any gear with the engine running. Usual emergency procedure is stop engine, get it in 1st or 2nd, try to start engine and nurse it home. Problems could be related to clutch slave cylinder (hydraulic booster) leaking out, broken pressure plate fingers, trashed throwout bearing, clutch plate shedding friction pads. I believe at least one half-shaft will be removed for the clutch replacement, check them both for wear. Replace in pairs, use rebuilt rather than new ones at your mileage. While it’s in the air, might as well check brakes and suspension. Bill for all could be about the worth of the car.
Holy schlamoly, the car’s 112 years old, the poor thing!
The doo-hickey holding the clutch cable to the pedal has slipped (can probably be tightened). I’ve had a clutch go up on me and you could smell it two blocks away.
IANAMech.
ETA: everything smithsb said is much more coherent than what I said; listen to him/her. Except the math.
I’m voting for slave cylinder. A roast clutch has a distinctive smell, all right. They do go out slowly, sans smell, but if you lost a spring on one of the plates suddenly, you’d probably smell roast clutch.
Look in your master cylinder, and see if it has fluid.
I didn’t know they made Accords in 1904. Or 5-speeds, either.
If you mean 1994, I have a 94 Acura Integra with the same engine, and my clutch did the same thing. It was the slave cylinder. The first one they put in was bad, and before they realized it was just a bad new part, they replaced the master cylinder, then replaced the slave cylinder again. Finally fixed it.
I was going to say, “I bet it just snapped the cable, which is usually less expensive” but you guys win. You have much better and much more detailed answers.
Math is hard:smack: In my defense, I was laughing - thought it was the SDMB oldest zombie thread.
2004 and symptoms means it’s probably the the clutch master or slave cylinder failing/leaking. Parts for both together should be $100 or less. Some fluid and labor and good for another ten years.
Shhhh! Never vocalize your satisfaction with a repair, the Garage Demons are everywhere and will immediately futz-up some other part of your vehicle. Just for fun!
How much did a master and slave cylinder cost if I may ask?
When my clutch died on my 1978 MGB, I was going up a mountain and suddenly it was like I was in neutral. Engine would rev, I could shift, but car didn’t go. IIRC in the weeks before when I was giving the car a good amount of gas the RPMs would shoot up briefly and the car would jerk, that was probably the clutch slipping.
More than what I expected. $350. My mechanic doesn’t use the cheapest parts, but I approve of what he does. Labor was more than I had hoped but the slave cylinder actually broke bolts. Mechanic said he never saw that in 40 years and that is what the metal “clank” was I heard/felt.
When you cylinders go, you cant shift. That’s one of the tip offs.
