Land Cruiser Sahara 60 series (clutch)

Submitted: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 17:07

ThreadID: 23066 Views:10225 Replies:7 FollowUps:1

This Thread has been Archived

Doug34

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone out there can help me......My cruiser is a turbo diesel, 5 speed manual that I have owned for 9 months. Not long after I had purchased it we were in Mildura and the clutch started slipping (badly), made a few phone calls to local mechanics and found there was little or no adjustment in the 60 series clutch??, so we had the clutch replaced.

The replacement clutch was a PBR clutch from Repco and cost about $900 to fit. Drove back to Melbourne and everything was fine. About 7 or 8 weeks later (mid december) driving home from work the clutch started slipping again. Drove to work the next morning and the clutch was fine. Over the next few weeks I noticed a pattern were the clutch would slip when the ambient temperature outside was hot and then it seemed to fix itself when it was cooler.

One day the weather had reached 35 degrees and the clutch was slipping worse than ever. I limped it to my mechanic, he jumped in and with one foot on the brake pedal he pushed the clutch in and put it into 1st gear and slowly released the pedal until his foot was off, he then reeved the car whilst it was still in gear and we stayed still, he said "your clutch is gone".....I left the car there and returned about 5hrs later when the temperature had dropped to about 20 degrees and drove the car home like brand new, the clutch didn't even look like it could slip no matter what I did.....the mechanic could not believe it, said he had never seen that before and would make some calls to other mechanics.

In the end no one could help me, I took it to a brake and clutch specialist and they did not no what it was, so whilst I still had a 12 month warranty on the clutch I took it to my local Repco dealer and told him the problem. He bled the clutch fluid saying it may be an air bubble causing the problem (it wasn't), he then adjusted the clutch pedal height thinking that may be the problem (it wasn't), he then rang PBR and told them the problem, they said it was not a faulty clutch because it would not only slip it warm weather it would be slipping all the time....sounds right??.

Last week I took it to my local Toyota dealer, my cruiser is fitted with a vaccum/air assist type set up for the clutch which makes using the clutch beautiful and light but I wondered if that could be a part of the problem as all the other mechanics had no idea how it actually worked but said that would not be causing the problem...probably right but as it is a factory fitted item I thought I may as well take it to the dealer and have it checked.

Toyota checked the clutch system all over and adjusted the pedal again and said everything seemed o.k, next day driving home from work it started slipping again.

The problem I face is, in August I've planned a trip to Broome and I'll be towing a camper trailer, as it is right now I think I'll travel at night!!

If anyone has had or knows someone who has had a similar problem any help or advice would be greatly appeciated.

Thanks

Doug

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 17:55

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 17:55

I'm no mechanic but I take it that the clutch fluid etc has been replaced ? I wonder if its a seal of some kind in the slave or master cylinder that heats up and stuffs up ? Does the pedal seem lighter when its slipping ? Good luck, let us know what it was when its sorted out.

AnswerID: 111660

Reply By: Brew69(SA) - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 18:02

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 18:02

Hi maybe i am missing something here. You say the clutch is still under warranty? Surely its as simple as taking them for a drive whilst it is slipping to show them the problem. i would be telling PBR to fix it or a call to consumer affairs would be made.

AnswerID: 111665

Reply By: Barnray - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:00

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:00

I would ask your mechanic to crack the hydraulic line or bleeder when the clutch is slipping to see if there is a line pressure build up in the system. If there is a fair amount of pressurised oil from the line and the clutch stops slipping even momentary after,have the master cylinder and vacuum assist overhauled.Most clutch and disc brake systems have next to no line pressure at rest Barnray

Member
My Profile Send Message

AnswerID: 111671

Reply By: Toy_Hilux - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:11

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:11

Hi Doug,

Had the same problem with an 80ser LC with a brand new clutch. Couldn't work out what the problem was to start with. Eventually tracked the prob down to either the master cylinder or the slave cylinder playing up. So instead of working out which one, we just replaced both and no more troubles since.

AnswerID: 111673

Reply By: locallaw - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:28

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 19:28

Gidday,When the clutch slips is the clutch pedal very firm if so you have a pressure buildup in the hydraulic line.To me it sounds that the piston in the m/cyl is not returning so that the fluid return hole is not being uncovered so the fluid can return to the cyl container.O/haul m/cyl and I think all your probs will be fixed.
Seeya Locallaw

AnswerID: 111677

Follow Up By: Member- Rox (WA) - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 21:28

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 21:28

Yea this sounds similar to what Iam thinking, try looking at the clutch dampener , see if the rubber is all chewed up.

FollowupID: 368054

Reply By: Tim HJ61 (WA) - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 22:38

Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 22:38

Doug,

I've just replaced the clutch in my HJ61 - or someone did it for me to be more truthful.

Prior to that, I had to replace the clutch master cylinder because fluid was weeping out the back in between the servo unit and the master cylinder.

In the Gregorys repair manual, and this should be known by any decent mechanic with any experience on these - there is an adjustment on the rod between the servo and the master cylinder. It is important this is adjusted correctly to ensure the clutch is releasing properly.

Is there a tiny bit of movement between the rod coming out of the slave cylinder and the throw out arm on the clutch? If there is no movement at all and it feels tight, then there is an adjustment problem that can be fixed by this rod in the servo, or maybe by pedal adjustments.

I am suprised however that the mechanics that have adjusted pedal height etc., didn't get their adjustments right to also ensure the clutch was fully engaging and not being held part depressed by an adjustment problem. On the other hand, the difference between correct and incorrect adjustment is quite small and MAY be the problem if things are expanding a fraction when they get hot, thereby increasing the rod length inside the servo and party depressing the clutch, leading to the slippage you describe.

I would NOT go anywhere serious with clutch isses like yours. I would agree with previous posts that you have a 12 month warranty that needs to be honoured. I would not let them just adjust it and send you on your way. Having the clutch slip for so long MUST have done some damage to the flywheel and worn the plates. Surely correct adjustment is part of a full clutch installation and should be covered by the warranty. IMHO if this is the problem, you're claiming against the quality of their installation, not necessarily the quality of their clutch.

After I replaced my master cylinder, I did not reinstal the gasket between the master cylinder and the servo. It wasn't in the replacement unit and I just didn't notice it. Anyway, I took the car for a run through the Pinjar Pines near Perth and noticed clutch slippage. I adjusted the pedal a little and thought I had fixed the problem. Then I got into deeper sand, and couldn't get past one dune due to serious slippage. I turned around to retrace my tracks and then couldn't get out that way either due to clutch slippage. There I was stuck in a gully, not being able to get out. A sickening feeling indeed.

I unwound the nuts on the clutch master cylinder enough to make it loose, thereby ensuring the clutch could release all the way, and bingo, even with a very smelly clutch, I was able to drive out under my own power.

Sitting in the sand contemplating ones navel with a very sick clutch was nervewracking enough 20km from Perth GPO with mobile phone signal - it was a very good place to be reminded that a clutch is a "very important" component!! Now it's replaced I can head off in 6 weeks not being concerned about that letting me down.

Regards
Tim

AnswerID: 111718