Toyota 4Runner clutch engages way too late

On 14 Jun 2006 09:48:06 -0700, Comboverfish wrote:
> I would think that a shop that charges ~$100/hour would put you in the
> $800 - $1000 range on this job, depending on many factors that are too
> variable to guestimate.

Well, to give you boys an update, I finally had the clutch done on my
Toyota 4Runner. I picked a mechanic in the AAA list who charged $1300 for
the whole job. It took him less than a day as I dropped it off at 10am and
he had it back for me by 5pm.

He replaced the flywheel (I asked to see it but he said it was "cored").
He replaced the clutch plate which he showed me as I asked for all parts.

That brownish clutch plate was "shot" he said. I could see on one side the
rivet holes were worn to the rivets and had scratched the metal plate on
the heavy metal cover with "prongs" circling a hole in the center. The
other side of that clutch plate was worn but not to the rivets. Soot was
all over the thing, like a dirty fireplace but it wasn't burned nor did it
smell bad.

It seemed to be in OK shape on that other side so only one side was worn
down such that the metal was slightly grooved (you could see it and just
about feel it with your fingernail) on the metal disk inside the heavy
cover with the pronged hole in the center.

He said he replaced the clutch oil with something he called "GL5" which he
said was better than Toyota required. I never heard of GL5 fluid before but
I believed him.

The one problem is that it is VERY HARD to shift now. It's almost
impossible to downshift into 1st unless I'm at a stop. The first three
gears are really really hard to get now. The last two aren't too bad. But,
it's MUCH HARDER to get into gear than it ever was. Is this normal? Will
this go away? I'm afraid to ask the mechanic because he said there were no
adjustments.

Also, when I press on the clutch pedal, it's uneven the pressure. I never
noticed that before. When I press on the pedal, it seems to have three
forces. First it's a bit easy, then a bit hard, then a bit easy again. I
don't remember these three stages before.

Is all of this normal?

Please let me know before I talk to the mechanic so I am armed with the
truth. It's not that I don't trust him ... it's just that the results
weren't exactly what I expected but I don't really know what to expect!





> maryanne kehoe wrote:
>> On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:38:57 +1200, Euan wrote:
>>> $120 an hour sounds extortionate. Here in NZ, the average is about
>>> $NZ50-60 an hour. Perhaps the most useful advice I can give you is to
>>> ask other 4Runner /Hilux (Tacoma?) users in your neighbourhood
>>
>> I called the California AAA who provided five mechanics in the local area.
>> One didn't answer his phone, and of the other four, two were at 100 per
>> hour and one was 95 per hour. The last didn't have a shop rate. He said he
>> charges by the job. I asked how much it would cost and he said $1200 but
>> that he'd have to look at the Toyota 4Runner to make sure.
>>
>> This clutch problem sure will be expensive, even by California standards.
>>
>> maryanne
>
>>From experience I would guess that your flywheel is fine and will not
> require resurfacing, just deglazing.
>
> I would think that a shop that charges ~$100/hour would put you in the
> $800 - $1000 range on this job, depending on many factors that are too
> variable to guestimate.
>
> Toyota MDT in MO