Hello everyone this is my first time posting on this forum and unfortunately it isn't under very good circumstances. This forum has been an extremely helpful resource for me for the past 2 years and I couldn't have kept my car on the road without it. The problem I have is no clutch disengagement. It all started when I was about to drive home from camp and as I was leaving the parking lot I pressed the clutch in and BAM! No more clutch. I got out and noticed the master cylinder seemed to be leaking out of the reservoir and the fluid was black (it wasn't a week earlier). So I thought that must be the problem and I replaced it with Rodney's master cylinder. I have had his slave on it too for about a year.

So I bled the system (ohmygoodnessittook3dayswhatapaininthebackside) and I have full travel on the slave. Just over an inch. And it still doesn't work. When I press on the clutch, which feels perfectly stiff, if the engine is running I can feel a slight vibration through the pedal. I also hear what sounds like gravel in a blender but it is very, very quiet. It didn't even notice it for a while I'm thinking its just bearing noise. I also noticed occasionally when I pressed the clutch fully very rarely it would disengage but it was completely random and pumping the clutch has no impact on it.

A buddy also noticed I have a nasty crack in the slave bracket allowing the slave cylinder to flex a teeny tiny itty bitty little bit but I don't know if that would make a big enough difference to keep the clutch from disengaging. I've also already ordered Rodney's replacement bracket. I really need help this car is my daily driver.

Its a 1986 GT with the muncie 4 speed.

Had the same issue before and turned out to be TO bearing. Replaced it, bled clutch and was good to go.

Whats a TO bearing?

Throwout bearing


I think you have air in the system... your one word was funny. Lol

I would change the bracket too. It's all about pressure against something. I've been having problems with my clutch too but I think it's air...

[This message has been edited by unboundmo (edited 03-03-2013).]

I've heard that bad throwout bearing make loud grinding and whirring noises this is just an extremely quiet almost rattle like noise. I also forgot to mention the noise and vibration are only there if the pedal is partially depressed. If its not being pushed or if I push it to the floor the noise and vibration go away.

bleed the air out of the system first.

Changing the TO is about as much work as fixing the clutch.

It can also be a clutch fork failure.

If you have the right travel, then you have to pull the transaxle and check it out.

You can do it with the cradle in the car, but I'd suggest dropping it. It will be less time in the long run. I have it down to about 2.5 hours, but figure on a full day if you haven't done it before (Without a lift...backyard job).

Chay

So in a garage with about half a foot on every side of the car and a driveway that is so sloped it is useless I figure about 15 days haha

That cracked bracket matters! You need every millimeter of travel for correct clutch action. Repair or replace that first. Then check the lever that goes from the slave cylinder to the actuating shaft running through the bellhousing. Older units had a stamped sheet metal lever, clamped over a serrated shaft. These are prone to suddenly stripping out, with exactly the symptom you describe. New levers are forged & have mugh greater contact area in the serrations.
In fact, if anyone has one of the stamped levers & it hasn't yet failed, I would recommend tack welding it to the shaft so it doesn't strip. There's no loss, as both parts must be replaced if the lever strips anyway.

So I changed the bracket and it worked! Sort of... The clutch would occasionally grab when it was rolling backwards so I bled it again and it seemed to be okay. So I started it up and it was cranking really really slow but finally started. Then all of a sudden I heard this clunking behind my head and then lost my clutch completely. As in I could put it in gear without using the pedal while the engine was running. So what I'm wondering is what exactly happened?? Did my clutch blow up? I'm going to have to take it to a shop because I have literally no space to do this. How much will this cost? Is there anything I should have them replace while its out of the car? What shops would be willing to work on a fiero? Is there anyone who lives in the greater Seattle area who could do this?

After hearing this, it looks like you're going to have to open the bellhousing. I suspect a return spring or clutch plate failure...likely a broken leaf or friction segment. This is more likely if you've had slipping problems recently, as an overheated clutch can destroy a return spring quickly by drawing the temper from the return spring leaves, & a fried clutch plate can disintegrate.
If the lever I mentioned had been the problem, you wouldn't have been able to disengage the clutch. The same with the throwout bearing.
Not being able to engage it means a total overhaul, unfortunately, as all the parts that can cause that problem are inside the bellhousing.