Mysterious Car Problem!

[Martoch]

Hi everybody!


Well tonight a friend of mine and I did a tune-up on my car:
1995 Toyota Corolla DX (1.8L) 5-speed manual

We changed the spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap/rotor, air filter, fuel filter, etc...when all was said and done we sprayed the engine with cleaner and hosed it off (while running)...the car was running great!

We sit an BS for about 1/2 hour, then I realize I need to get going...so I drive off to find that my clutch is slipping something fierce!


By the time I would get to 5th gear, I would be hitting 5000+ RPM and barely pushing 55mph...every time I would shift the engine would rev really high, but the speed would not increase. I was not able to go above 60mph at all, and my speed would actually decrease while the RPM were increasing going up a slight hill. I drove the car for about 15 minutes total. He drove for a short while and confirmed that the clutch was definitely slipping.

So we pull the car over and he's looking everything over...my transmission is smoking (smelling horrible I might add) and he says that's how the clutch smells when it's burning. He's a very experienced "car guy", but he couldn't figure out the relation between a tune-up and the clutch slipping.
He notices that he forgot to reconnect the airflow sensor (little wire connected to the air filter case) and reconnects it. He jokingly says "if your car funs fine now, I'll stop working on engines". We sit for about 10 minutes total...then I go to drive the car to the local shop and it runs fine!? It's been running smooth since then.


So we're lost here...why on earth was the clutch slipping badly, then all of the sudden not at all??? He's thinking that maybe something was wet because that airflow sensor (if that's what it really is) should have absolutely nothing to do with my clutch slipping.

Any thoughts on this? We're still scratching our heads...

Thanks!
Mike

[vass0922]

Maybe he reset your muffler bearings and it fixed it all
(My point being, he may have inadvertantly disconnected a transmission coolant line or something like that, and blamed it on the air sensor .. and yes I know you can't really 'inadvertanly' unplug the transmission coolant line as its screwed in it was just an example that he made a big mistake and blamed it on something else entirely)

[Beemer]

IMO
Seems like the cleaner got into the clutch plates. Until it dried and hardened it slipped. Your 10 minute stop let the extra heat of the slipping clutch plates finish the drying process.

Cheers!

[Martoch]

Here's the sensor that I'm talking about:


Beemer...isn't the transmission "supposed" to be sealed? If the clutch plates did, in fact, get cleaner on them...do you think that I have a problem?

[xenon200]

I feel like such a putz for looking at that photo, because the only thing I am able to identify is the battery..

~x2

[Martoch]

Originally posted by xenon200
I feel like such a putz for looking at that photo, because the only thing I am able to identify is the battery..

~x2

(I know the feeling!)

Well in that case, I'm able to hit the low 9's in the 1/4 mile with this car!

[no1_vern]

Im thinking there is a vacuum valve that attaches to the tranny that helps with the shifting of the tranny.

[Beemer]

Just a guess on my part. I'm not sure if it is sealed or not. The cleaner could have worked it's way through the pendix spring area of the celenoid maybe. I know that clutch dust can jam up a pendix gear and spring on a BMW if driven hard enough.

That sensor looks to be a cold air type of a sensor that connects to the fuel control unit. You could disconnect that sensor after the vehicle is warm and you won't notice a difference in idle. Your O2 sensor should be located after your exhaust manifold on the first pipe.

Cheers!

[Kuasimodem]

Some cars have a sighting hole in the the top of the bell housing (bell shaped housing that encloses the clutch assembly) that is used for timing the engine. More than likely, water and cleaner got into this hole, and mixed with clutch dust to create a muddy substance which caused the slipping. The slipping caused the heat (and smell ) which dried up the mud after sitting there for a while, and all seems well again.

Be prepared to replace the clutch/pressure plate assembly in the near future, and maybe the flywheel too. If you got it hot enough to create smoke and smell, there is most likely heat cracks in the pressure plate and flywheel, along with severe wear in the clutch disk.

[Brainchild]

Sorry to say I have to agree with the cleaner theroy.