YACT: Manual vehicle issues

[Chaotic42]

My clutch pedal has been sticking lately. By this I mean that when I push it down to the floor, it doesn't always return to its normal position. Sometimes it stays down.

So I took it in to the Naval Exchange Auto Repair Facility Thing (NEARFT) and told them about it. I also got a little miscellaneous work done like tire rotation and transaxle fluid flush. They called me up and told me that my brake fluid was TU (Which could explain my crazy cruise control issues if anyone remembers that thread), so I told them to change it.

I go to pick the car up and my bill is $270. I look down and they used "Synthetic Transmission Oil" for a delicious $55/qt.

Question 1: Is there any way that Synthetic Transmission Oil is worth $55/qt?

They also said that my clutch pedal spring was messed up and that my clutch was fine. They were unable to fix the clutch pedal though.

Question 2: How difficult is it to replace the clutch pedal spring?

Edit: Sorry it's a 1995 I4 Mazda 626.
Edit2: Here is a picture of my bill. I also checked my Haynes Repair Manual and it doesn't seem to mention the clutch pedal spring. It says how to adjust the pedal, but nothing about replacing parts. I guess I'll have the shop do it.

 

[Colt45]

I like how you mention what the vehicle is.

 

[dannybek]

What compound is that Colt45? C2H6O

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: dannybek
What compound is that Colt45? C2H6O

Ethanol

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: dannybek
What compound is that Colt45? C2H6O

Ethanol

The solution, and cause of all of life's problems.

 

[Minjin]

You got hosed.

What kind of car?

 

[MeddyDuo]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
They called me up and told me that my brake fluid was TU

What does TU mean?

 

[Nutdotnet]

Wait...wait...

You say your brake fluid is shot but then you say they charged you $55 for Synthetic Transmission oil? Did they flush your brake system AND your transmission system?

$50 ($60 max) for a brake flush. Swapping out your tranny fluid shouldn't be anymore than $50 as well...all it takes is removing two plugs filling it up with gear oil, like Syncromesh, and being done with it.

No way is a quart of Synthetic oil $55.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: dannybek
What compound is that Colt45? C2H6O

Ethanol

The solution, and cause of all of life's problems.

Isn't that used in the blinker fluid mixture?

 

[Minjin]

Originally posted by: MeddyDuo

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
They called me up and told me that my brake fluid was TU

What does TU mean?

Tits Up.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Wait...wait...

You say your brake fluid is shot but then you say they charged you $55 for Synthetic Transmission oil? Did they flush your brake system AND your transmission system?

$50 ($60 max) for a brake flush. Swapping out your tranny fluid shouldn't be anymore than $50 as well...all it takes is removing two plugs filling it up with gear oil, like Syncromesh, and being done with it.

No way is a quart of Synthetic oil $55.

Yeah, sorry, it's been a long... month. I got the brake fluid changed as well, but its price didn't concern me. It was something on the order of $40.

 

[Minjin]

I'm still not sure if you understand and aren't communicating properly or you don't understand...

Your clutch system should be hydraulic. That means it uses hydraulic fluid (DOT3 or DOT4...i.e. brake fluid) to actuate the clutch. The thing that returns your clutch pedal to the top of its travel is the clutch cover plate that you are compressing when you push your foot down. You compress this "spring", then when you lift your foot, it releases and pushes the pedal up. Although many pedals have a clutch spring, its just to pull the pedal up and above the pressure point. Are you pressing your foot down and the pedal is staying down? Or is it just not coming up the last inch or so that it should? If the former, you probably have a hydraulic problem. If the later, you probably have a clutch pedal (spring) issue.

Your transmission fluid has nothing to do with it. Your clutch never sees fluid of any sort unless you have a leak. And no Mazda special fluid costs 55 dollars a quart. If this was a BMW or some such that uses a special fluid, then yes I could understand.

Lets go from there. I'm guessing you're just not explaining it correctly.

 

[thomsbrain]

we need a more articulate description of what is happening with your clutch.

if it goes to the floor and stays there, you may have a bad clutch master cylinder.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Minjin
I'm still not sure if you understand and aren't communicating properly or you don't understand...

Your clutch system should be hydraulic. That means it uses hydraulic fluid (DOT3 or DOT4...i.e. brake fluid) to actuate the clutch. The thing that returns your clutch pedal to the top of its travel is the clutch cover plate that you are compressing when you push your foot down. You compress this "spring", then when you lift your foot, it releases and pushes the pedal up. Although many pedals have a clutch spring, its just to pull the pedal up and above the pressure point. Are you pressing your foot down and the pedal is staying down? Or is it just not coming up the last inch or so that it should? If the former, you probably have a hydraulic problem. If the later, you probably have a clutch pedal (spring) issue.

Your transmission fluid has nothing to do with it. Your clutch never sees fluid of any sort unless you have a leak. And no Mazda special fluid costs 55 dollars a quart. If this was a BMW or some such that uses a special fluid, then yes I could understand.

Lets go from there. I'm guessing you're just not explaining it correctly.

The transmission fluid is unrelated to the clutch problem. I was just asking if the price was at all normal. The mechanics said exactly what you did about the DOT3 actuating the clutch. They said that I had a clutch pedal spring problem and that all was well with the clutch itself. The issue is completely related to the failure of the spring.

My clutch pedal doesn't activate until it is literally a half-inch from the floor, so when I took it in to them I thought that it may be a clutch issue, but it's not. The supervior at the shop said that I needed a new clutch pedal spring.

Sorry if my post is confusing. I know slightly less about cars than the Amish know about the internal mechanics of an Opteron.

 

[Minjin]

Alright.

I still say that the fluid was way too expensive. There better have a good justification for it. It could be that they just had to make money somewhere so thats where they stuck it. Sometimes mechanics have difficulty working on your car for whatever reason. Could be you plugs were very rusty and they had to dig out a torch to get them out. They should have upped the labor charge, but the extra amount just got thrown in somewhere. Just speculation. You have to look at the bill as a whole.

As for the clutch issue, that does not sound like a spring issue. I still say its hydraulic or clutch itself. However, if we assume that your mechanic has a clue, he could mean the clutch pedal is broken. I encountered that in an Audi that used an aluminum clutch pedal. Apparently it was a common issue. Tell you what, without the special factory tool to remove the coiled spring, it was one of the hardest tasks I have ever done. Could be your pedal or pedal assembly is shot. The return spring wouldn't cause your issue but a problem with the pedal itself could.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Minjin
Alright.

I still say that the fluid was way too expensive. There better have a good justification for it. It could be that they just had to make money somewhere so thats where they stuck it. Sometimes mechanics have difficulty working on your car for whatever reason. Could be you plugs were very rusty and they had to dig out a torch to get them out. They should have upped the labor charge, but the extra amount just got thrown in somewhere. Just speculation. You have to look at the bill as a whole.

As for the clutch issue, that does not sound like a spring issue. I still say its hydraulic or clutch itself. However, if we assume that your mechanic has a clue, he could mean the clutch pedal is broken. I encountered that in an Audi that used an aluminum clutch pedal. Apparently it was a common issue. Tell you what, without the special factory tool to remove the coiled spring, it was one of the hardest tasks I have ever done. Could be your pedal or pedal assembly is shot. The return spring wouldn't cause your issue but a problem with the pedal itself could.

If you're interested and you don't mind taking a look, I'll post a pic of the bill tomorrow. I'll also go get my Haynes manual and see if I can't make some sense out of the pedal mechanism.

As it is, I have to wedge my foot up under the pedal to pop it back up to its normal position.

 

[Chaotic42]

Bump for update

 

[Gunslinger08]

Assuming they mean gear oil, you got ripped. It's around $8 a quart at any auto supplier for 75W90.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Assuming they mean gear oil, you got ripped. It's around $8 a quart at any auto supplier for 75W90.

D'oh!

I guess they've got to pay for those new gas pumps somehow. Oh, well. I'll chalk it up to the stupid tax.

 

[skyking]

Mazda used a cable in that car, I believe. first thing to do is make sure it is adjusted correctly. Next, look for a return spring on the pedal arm itself and see if it is indeed broken or otherwise mucked up. If broken, get one at a wrecking yard or plan on waiting for the dealer to order it in.
Last thing to do if it is all there and appears normal is to lube the pivot for the clucth arm.

 

[SuperSix]

You got screwed.

And the cost for the brake fluid is out of this world too.

Take it to a QUALIFIED mechanic.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Assuming they mean gear oil, you got ripped. It's around $8 a quart at any auto supplier for 75W90.

Mazda used a ATF type of low viscosity fluid in the manual trannies.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: skyking

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Assuming they mean gear oil, you got ripped. It's around $8 a quart at any auto supplier for 75W90.

Mazda used a ATF type of low viscosity fluid in the manual trannies.

ATF is even cheaper than gear oil.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: SuperSix
You got screwed.

And the cost for the brake fluid is out of this world too.

Take it to a QUALIFIED mechanic.

Yikes. What worries me is that I work on a NASA/Navy installation. This is a government repair shop. Well, time to spread the good word at work.

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: SuperSix
You got screwed.

And the cost for the brake fluid is out of this world too.

Take it to a QUALIFIED mechanic.

Yikes. What worries me is that I work on a NASA/Navy installation. This is a government repair shop. Well, time to spread the good word at work.

Government shop - that would explain the exorbitant prices.