# 99 Honda Prelude Clutch



## Que-Lude (Dec 26, 2007)

Im having second guesses as to what my problem is.

It all started a couple months back. The first symptoms I started getting was a chatter in my wheels when taking off from a stop. It started out real bad, but in time has gone away exept for once in a great while it will do it very mildly. Now I dont know if it has anything to do with my current symptoms, but im just letting you know how it all started out.

My second symptom is my current symptom but it too only happens periodically. It started happening right around the time i had the chatter to my wheels. It started out when coming to a stop with the clutch pushed in, it still wanted to make the car progress mildly in a forward motion. Not much but you can feel the car jerking forward as if the clutch wasnt disengaging all the way. It would happen quite often at first then it seemed to go away after a couple weeks. Then one time i was at a gas station and i was getting in my car to leave and I started the car and it would not go into gear at all. The car was started,clutch puched in and it was trying to grind hard into gear. It would not go into any gear with out grinding as if the clutch was not pushed in at all. So i turned off the car, pushed in the clutch and put it into first gear, then started in up with it in gear. It nudged the car forward a little when it started, then everything was ok and ran fine and i drove away with no problems. whatever it was having problems fixed itself forcefully. A couple more weeks go by and I think everything is doing ok, then other day I started my car to leave, let it warm up then when i tried to drive away it wouldnt go into gear again. So i tried to fix it the same way i fixed it at the gas station and it still wasnt working. I put it into gear with the clutch pushed in and the car running and it was trying to slowly drive the car. If the car was in gear while running, it wouldnt let me take it out and if the car was out of gear while running it wouldnt let me put it in.

Now ive heard of 2 possible issues that may be causing this.

A: My master cylinder to my clutch is going out.
B: My pilot barring to my clutch is going out.

Any additional ideas and opinions are extremely appreciated and helpful.


Thanks again! ray:


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## Que-Lude (Dec 26, 2007)

I forgot to add, today the car is driving fine, but i just know i havent seen the last of it.


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## qldit (Mar 26, 2007)

Good Afternoon Que-Lude, your symptom is typical of a clutch which is not completely disengaging.

This could be caused by a couple of things.

1. The clutch hydraulic system is low on fluid or has air in the slave cylinder.
Generally this problem is addressed by adding fluid and bleeding the slave cylinder.

2. The rod from the slave cylinder needs adjusting. This usually simply lengthens the actuating rod from the slave cylinder to the clutch operating arm.
(General adjustment would be for a one sixteenth inch of free travel)

Obviously your clutch is operating OK.

The chattering with you front wheels may be associated with this problem.

Others will have different ideas.

Cheers, qldit.


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## Scorpex (Mar 15, 2005)

My son had a very similar issue with his Integra GSR. It was fine one day and then a few days later he’d call me and say I cant get my car in gear (or sometimes out of gear). 

Trying to save some money I started with the basics and worked my way up.
 Checked the fluid level and bled the system (Didn’t help - problem returned)
 Replaced the clutch slave cylinder (Didn’t help - problem returned) 
 Replaced the clutch Master Cylinder (Didn’t help - problem returned)

That’s when I decided to bite the bullet and check out the clutch disc (Note: In the middle of winter - in my driveway no less). 

The surface of the clutch looked fine – by that I mean the surface that makes contact with the flywheel and pressure plate was not worn out. Wasn’t the problem. 

But looking at it closely I could see there was a small piece of metal that broke off near the springs that are on the clutch. 
Basically, depending on where that piece of metal ended up determined whether or not the car would run fine, or refuse to go in or out of gear.

Anyhow, bought a clutch kit online which included the pressure plate, clutch disc, throw out bearing (also changed the flywheel because my son insisted on a light weight flywheel – original flywheel was fine) His dime – My labor.

Since then the car has been running fine 

Just thought I’d share my experience


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## Jader (Dec 3, 2007)

Confirming what Scorpex says

metal piece/pieces broken off from pressure plate or disc and floating around and intermittently catching and jamming the clutch disc.


But check for hydraulic leaks first anyway, not very likely but possible


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