MSP Clutch/Tranny issue.

t3ase

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Contributor
Okay, I wasn't going to post this due to the possibility of flaming but I need some ideas.

History on the car: at 12k miles, original clutch was replaced after quite a fight with the dealership under warranty when it burned up prematurely. Burning smell was apparent and even stayed there overnight, so it was bad. At the time, the car did take some abuse as I was learning stick and had the "new car" showing offness thing going on.

Fast forward to 31k miles.

Last thursday, I was coming home from some job interviews and while cutting through a parking lot, I felt and heard some slipping. There has been not been nearly as much "abuse" on the car since the first clutch was replaced since I've been afraid of this happening. Anyway, it had just started raining and I figured it was the tires slipping. I stopped at a red light while exiting the parking lot, turned right and trying to go. The car just redlined and didn't go anywhere at all. I managed to pull of on a side street but that's as far as I could go. No smell was apparent so I didn't think it was the clutch being burnt up or else there would be some kind of smell.

I had Mazda pick it up thinking they would look at it but they told me that they won't open it up to even diagnose it unless I understoood there's a chance that it may not be covered under warranty and if not, I'd have to give them ~$800 labor for tearing it all apart. Seeing as how I've put on 18k since the last time, I decided Mazda more than likely wouldn't cover it and it wasn't worth the risk. The car was brought home today.

I went outside to at least move the car to a better spot and while doing so, tried to play with it. The car went in to all gears fine. However, it also goes in to all gears without the clutch being engaged (edit: while the car is on). If I put the car in gear and let off both the clutch and accelerator so that no pedals are pressed, the car just idles and does not stall. So I finally put it in first and tried to at least get some movement out of the car. It redlined and moved slightly however it made an extremely weird whining noise and after I had let off, it smelled as though something was burning. However, it wasn't the burnt clutch smell.

Is this just a clutch issue or am I looking in to something a bit deeper, possibly a transmission issue?

I'm seeking real mechnical advice, not BS so if you don't have anything constructive to add, please stay out.
 
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great job Clay.



<------ Runs to avoid whiney MSP owners headed this way.


Good Luck BTW. Let me know if you need any help. :D
 
No matter what it is,it should be covered under warranty.I have never heard of a clutch going out in an instant as you describe but i am sure it is possibble.
I have driven cars with 10K miles and with 110K miles and have yet to have a clutch go bad on me.This includes all of my 5.0's.I did blow one tranny in the 5.0 but never burnt up a clutch.
The MSP clutch is the biggest POS pussy clutch I have ever seen put into a car like this.It definately needs scrapped and something better put in.I noticed my clutch slips a little and it started at around 4K miles.I am sure the anti-reversion slow down valving of the Clutch master cylinder does not help the issue any.
I wish some one would take one apart and see how to eliminate this prob.
Matt
 
Update: went out today, the car will no longer go in gear without the clutch pedal depressed. Thank GOD.
 
A dealership here tried that BS about me "understanding that I could have to pay for the tranny work" It was a 3rd gear synchro problem and I even handed them the TSB regarding it but they tried to feed me with "thats a normal characteristic of the car" BS... I went to another dealership and explained how I am a college student paying for my car and I cant afford to fix it if they arent going to cover it under warranty and they fixed it under warranty. I was back twice more for the same problem and others that they had caused but at least I didnt have to pay for the work, and it eventually got fixed along with some redline tranny fluid.

Either go to another dealership or tell them your not going to pay for this regardless of whos fault it is. I think its something they didnt do right when installing the new clutch, and theres no reason they should have to charge you $800 for looking at the clutch. That sounds like they are charging you to rebuild the whole transmission...
 
ELEmental59437 said:
A dealership here tried that BS about me "understanding that I could have to pay for the tranny work" It was a 3rd gear synchro problem and I even handed them the TSB regarding it but they tried to feed me with "thats a normal characteristic of the car" BS... I went to another dealership and explained how I am a college student paying for my car and I cant afford to fix it if they arent going to cover it under warranty and they fixed it under warranty. I was back twice more for the same problem and others that they had caused but at least I didnt have to pay for the work, and it eventually got fixed along with some redline tranny fluid.

Either go to another dealership or tell them your not going to pay for this regardless of whos fault it is. I think its something they didnt do right when installing the new clutch, and theres no reason they should have to charge you $800 for looking at the clutch. That sounds like they are charging you to rebuild the whole transmission...
That worked the first time but after quite a fight with the dealership. This time the only thing is the milage. It's not within the 12k clutch warranty.
 
try shooting over the roger beasly mazda south. perhaps they wont give you as much crap as youre going through.
 
South is actually the first dealership I went to when the clutch went out the first time. They're the ones that gave me a hard time initally and I haven't been back since due to that.
 
you can try dennis eakin up here in killeen, but i think they are dicks too. have you tried any other dealerships around the central texas area?
 
dude seriously... don't even bother with the dealership. It's your clutch. It's bad. Just go buy a nice aftermarket unit...I reccommend Centerforce. Have a transmission shop do it NOT MAZDA. Before I worked on cars I had two clutches installed by transmission shops and the most expensive one was $500 labor....I paid for the clutch myself.

Besides you dont want to support a dealership or company that doesn't want to support you. Hit em where it counts...in the wallet
 
I know,....I was so busy thinking about my scrotum getting sucked that I misstyped....now I'm too lazy to go back into my profile and change it...everyone bitched so long for me to change my sig I waited until I found something better.....p.s. now that mine is changed there's only like 300 other people with the warranty disclaimer.....changing mine really made all the difference!!
 
t3ase said:
guys, could this be an axle issue?

Not likely, but if you look under the car and your axles are in pieces, then maybe, but you would need more power than what you've got to snap them in the rain with stock tires.

Best of luck figuring out the problem and fixing it. . .it sucks. Sorry.
 

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