CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

I think I've read a similar thread here before, but for all the aggravation I went through today, I think I deserve my own...

So, in the morning I drive to work, everything is great. Car feels in top notch shape, cruising at 6am down the turnpike, no one there, doin like 100. Also went out to get stuff at CVS around lunch... No issues either...

Now the commute home is where the fun begins. Drive the 5 minutes to the turnpike just fine. As I am leaving the toll booth... *whirr* goes the engine, as the car barely speeds up. "Oh ****", I think... "Slipping clutch?? WHy?" I ease off the accelerator, the clutch "catches" again, I speed up, try to shift to 2nd. "Oh, lookie, I press the clutch pedal to the floor, but the clutch is still engaged" Damn... I proceed to pull over on the side of the onramp, to evaluate my options.

20 miles away from home, and from the nearest Mazda dealer I know of. So I figure, if I can get the car moving, I can at shift by rev matching, and get it closer to home at least. Somehow, I manage to start her up, then get her up to 4th... I love 4th gear.. goes easily down to 40ish, so onramps aren't a problem, and goes up to 60ish without revving up to high (remember, I have no idea how much longer my clutch will last at this point), to cruise along.

And then there's this slight hill, and the clutch actually starts slipping!! At this point im like WTF, make up your mind! Either youre locked or slipping, _not_ both... I slow to about 35 getting up the hill while keeping the gas just below the point where the clutch breaks loose...

So anyway, long story shorter, I get to this service area, at which point I think "Oh, this would be a good safe place to stop and call Mazda roadside, and wait for the tow truck".

Well guess what? Mazda roadside won't pay for you getting towed off the NJ turnpike! So the lady was like "have the turnpike kids tow you to the nearest exit, and we'll take it from there". Yeah, great. The car is stopped now, and the clutch is basically useless. I remember a guy on here suggesting using the starter to get the car moving from 1st gear. I try that, but with a slipping clutch the starter generates too much torque to get me going... So I do the old "hope to god the synchros dont die on me" trick, and get the car into first and moving... Then 2nd, 3rd... Manage to get off the turnpike, get a little closer to the dealer, time a couple lights so I dont have to stop..

At this point, I hit a red light where my choices were : stop in the roadway, potentially not being able to start again, or pull off to the side and get Mazda to tow me. I opted for the safer and less destructive option. Called Mazda roadside, they called AAA, who then called a tow truck. It took an hour for the truck to get there. When the guy got there he said he had been called 10 minutes ago. Pah!

Oh, and the other thing he said: Mazda roadside called for a wheel tow, not a flatbed. Luckily, he was driving a flatbed. He was really cool about it and put it up on the bed anyway even though they were only getting paid for a wheel lift. Thanks goes out to Saddle towing in Little Ferry NJ :-D

Anyway, I finally get it to the dealer, and of course by this time their service department is closed (I left work at 3pm, got there at 6:30, when my commute usually takes 20 minutes).

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So, after some consideration, I figure that it's either the clutch fork (not completely snapped, maybe bent out a little?), or throwout bearing <- more likely... Should be covered under warranty no problem (btw, I have 49500 miles on this car ... whatever, got hte extended warranty for just this reason)

Condoleances / whatever are welcome. I am actually feeling good about this since I get a new clutch out of the deal. Yay! The previous owner wasn't kind to her, though... I bought her with bald tires and (apparently) a pre-fried clutch.

Oh, and I had to take the train home.. Which took another hour and a half

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

if you're going to open it up you might as well throw a new one in while you're there, otherwise you'll be paying for all the labor to do so down the road

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

I have 30k more miles of warranty on it if I have the dealer put in a stock one. Plus it is free _now_... If I need to put a new one in down the road, I would rather learn to do it myself anyway

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I'd wait and see how much life is left in the present one before making that prediction, especially after it's been slipped so much

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

I guess it depends on what they say when they pull it apart.

conedodger

Are U sure a "wear item", the clutch, will be covered under the warranty? I certainly hope so or U are looking at a high buck fix. U may want to re-read your paperwork in case the dearler balks. Good luck.

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

Well, I am hoping that the clutch itself is fine, and that it's the clutch fork / throwout bearing that are shot. If they say the clutch is worn, I may consider having them put in an aftermarket one... Time to research...