so my car started actting up a few weeks ago, wouldnt go into gear with the engine running and clutch in, shut it off and it would start in gear to allow me to take off and get it home but i had to shift without using the clutch. so after playing with the pedal pumping it and poping it she worked again for the longest time. but the other day it happened again, wont go into gear and when u hold it to go in gear with the clutch pedal held down she will move ahead or back but wont completly go into gear. there is fluid in the resevoir(dosent seem to be loosing any) and the pedal does return to the normal postion so im wondering does any one know if its the clutch master cylinder bad or the slave cylinder in the trans bad. from past experiences when a slave cylinder has died on me it leaked.but ive never had an issue with a cavalier clutch.

The master or slave has an internal leak past the seals.

To find out which one it is, disconnect the fitting that goes into the bellhousing. You push down on it and pull out at the same time, it is a bit tricky but you will get it. There is a little valve in there (like a schader valve on a tire) that will not let fluid out when you disconnect it. After you have disconnected it, get back in your vehicle and push the clutch down. Don't force it, otherwise you can break stuff. If it goes down fairly easily it is your master. If it doesn't move at all (again, don't push it too hard), your slave's internal seals are shot.

And that is it. Pray it's not your slave.

I think it would be the clutch master cylinder mine did the same thing it would jump forward when you went to to start it and the clutch would not disengage


Erik Packard