By Cathy Reichow
Q. I have a 1994 Honda Accord with a manual transmission. The clutch is starting to slip, especially after driving for a while. Does this mean I need a new clutch?
A. Your vehicle is equipped with a hydraulic clutch system, which means that there is no way to adjust the clutch linkage. On a manual transmission system, clutch disc wear reduces the thickness of the disc material. This reduces the amount of force that the pressure plate can apply to push the disc against the flywheel. If your vehicle has over 65,000 miles, chances are, it’s just worn out. When you have it replaced, the technician should carefully check to make sure the disc has not been damaged by the abuse (in which case, the disc would smell burnt) or by oil contamination. If your engine has a leak in that area, it could prematurely damage your clutch. You will also want to make sure that, when your technician replaces your clutch components (typically clutch disc, pressure plate and throw-out bearing), the flywheel is machined. This helps ensure a long lifetime for your new parts.
Q. I have a 1990 Chevy Conversion Van and, last week, the transmission would not shift out of second gear. I checked the fluid level and it was full. A friend told me it might be my computer?
A. You did not say if your van had overdrive or not. I will assume that it is an overdrive (4 speed) transmission. The first thing that I would look at, after confirming the transmission fluid level and condition (is the color pink or brownish), is the detent cable. This cable runs from the throttle body to the transmission. It tells the transmission how far you are pushing the throttle. If this cable is broken or disconnected, it will affect the upshifts on the particular transmission. A computer does not cause this problem. On this model, the only thing the computer controls is the torque converter lock up.
Q. I have a 1997 GMC C1500 Truck, when I pull my camper in hot weather, transmission fluid comes out of the vent hole. What can I do to solve this problem?
A. The reason the fluid is overflowing is that your transmission is getting hot. The fluid expands and has nowhere else to go. This may cause problems down the road creating seal and gasket leaks. You need to have an auxiliary cooler installed to help keep the fluid at a more acceptable temperature. This will also help preserve the life of your transmission. Most repair facilities, or perhaps a camper dealer, should be able to outfit your truck with the proper size auxiliary cooler.
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i have a 97 prelude 2.4 v-tech five speed double overhead cams programmable fuel injectors and cold air intake it has 118,000 miles on it and supposedly has a "new" stage 2 clutch in it. i have had the car for two days it drove perfect all day yesterday morning then about six or seven hours after i picked the car up the gear began acting up. it doesnt want to catch in first third and fifth(top gears) but goes perfectly into second fourth and reverse. when i try to put the car in the top gears it feels like it grinds in as if something were loose to keep those gears from catching also when slowing down in gear it sounds like pennies in a glass bottle like teeth trying to grab the gear but isnt quite able to what could cause this