Wife's RAV4, burnt clutch, DIY

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Hi,

I maybe underestimated a disaster that was waiting to happen.

When we bought the used car, I noticed the clutch was slipping sometimes, but mainly after engaging each gear.

Later I figured out that hydraulics were the problem, and cleaning slave cylinder (all greasy inside) and flushing fluid solved 80% of clutch behaving issues.

But on occasions, like giving full throttle at sub-midrange RPMs, it slipped anyway until catching up at a higher speed. I then figured that even if clutch pack was replaced somewhere long before the purchase, that hydraulics was likely the root problem and that it continued to wear the actual clutch pack

Fast forward today, it slips at every hill, and I think it won't last more than a work day. I will check hydraulics in a minute to insure it's not sticking.

Any clue of special things when replacing a clutch pack and dual mass flywheel on this MY2001 TOYOTA 1AZ-FE RAV4 ?
 
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I can't tell you any specific things you will need. But I can say that when I was 20 I replaced a clutch into a FWD toyota with a friend of mine who just like myself, had no clue what he was doing. We got it done and it worked.
 
Youre going to need alot alot alot of time and even more patience. Book time is 18.9 hours for 4wd!!!! This could be a killer for the car depending on how much you want to sink into the car, but we could be in the 3000 range at a shop. Insane!
 
18 hours for a shop means more than that for someone working on jack stands. Yikes.

Cars are such a pain sometimes. As an older guy, I simply don't have the time or energy to be dealing with transmission removals in my driveway. I truly feel for you.

I'd rather be out on my KTM, misbehaving.......
 
On vehicles with transverse engines, you have to do a significant amount of extra work.

Front suspension has to come apart to be able to get the axle shafts out. Linkages have to be disconnected (and they are never in good locations). If you're lucky, the transmission can come out the top - otherwise you're dropping a subframe/kmenber/engine cradle/whatever-it-is to get the transmission out. Intake tubes, battery box ... all sorts of junk in the way with transverse engines.
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
On vehicles with transverse engines, you have to do a significant amount of extra work.

Front suspension has to come apart to be able to get the axle shafts out. Linkages have to be disconnected (and they are never in good locations). If you're lucky, the transmission can come out the top - otherwise you're dropping a subframe/kmenber/engine cradle/whatever-it-is to get the transmission out. Intake tubes, battery box ... all sorts of junk in the way with transverse engines.


I'll document it so we can see what we have to see
smile.gif
it's gonna be interesting
 
Being AWD I could see it being a long job.

IIRC it was about an hour to drop the trans in my Jetta. But my mechanic had done it a bunch of times, knew what he was doing. But no extra driveshaft etc in the way.

Cars suck. Sometimes I think about buying new and flipping every 150-200k (6-10 years, give or take). Not the cheapest solution but perhaps least work involved.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Being AWD I could see it being a long job.

IIRC it was about an hour to drop the trans in my Jetta. But my mechanic had done it a bunch of times, knew what he was doing. But no extra driveshaft etc in the way.

Cars suck. Sometimes I think about buying new and flipping every 150-200k (6-10 years, give or take). Not the cheapest solution but perhaps least work involved.



I said I was done with new or even newer vehicles. I figured with a small fleet of older vehicles, I could make it work.

Until all three broke at once
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
On vehicles with transverse engines, you have to do a significant amount of extra work.

Front suspension has to come apart to be able to get the axle shafts out. Linkages have to be disconnected (and they are never in good locations). If you're lucky, the transmission can come out the top - otherwise you're dropping a subframe/kmenber/engine cradle/whatever-it-is to get the transmission out. Intake tubes, battery box ... all sorts of junk in the way with transverse engines.


Yes they are a royal PITA.

If the trans comes out the bottom, they will probably need an engine support bar.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-engine-support-bar-96524.html
 
Originally Posted by Superflan
Hi,

I maybe underestimated a disaster that was waiting to happen.


We've probably all done that with used cars with varying degrees of work and expense involved to correct the oversight. In another thread someone mentioned a free car that he had $2300 in and wasn't done yet. Ouch.

Grateful I don't have to deal with vehicles in their end of life miles. Hope it all doesn't have to come out the bottom. Good luck.
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
Originally Posted by supton
Being AWD I could see it being a long job.

IIRC it was about an hour to drop the trans in my Jetta. But my mechanic had done it a bunch of times, knew what he was doing. But no extra driveshaft etc in the way.

Cars suck. Sometimes I think about buying new and flipping every 150-200k (6-10 years, give or take). Not the cheapest solution but perhaps least work involved.



I said I was done with new or even newer vehicles. I figured with a small fleet of older vehicles, I could make it work.

Until all three broke at once

lol.gif
Sorry, I can see that happening. MTBF all deciding to hit at once.
 
That clutch is toast. A slipping clutch is almost never the fault of hydraulics, unless there is a leak on the clutch, as they are used to disengage the clutch, then the clutch springs engage it and ensure it stays engaged.

I would look for a single mass flywheel conversion kit. It will be less expensive than a dual mass flywheel and should last for the life of this vehicle no problems.
 
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Originally Posted by KrisZ
That clutch is toast. A slipping clutch is almost never the fault of hydraulics, unless there is a leak on the clutch, as they are used to disengage the clutch, then the clutch springs engage it and ensure it stays engaged.

I would look for a single mass flywheel conversion kit. It will be less expensive than a dual mass flywheel and should last for the life of this vehicle no problems.


I have receipt of clutch repair at 80000km or so, it's 144000km and toast. 60000km is rather short for a set. The hydraulics were sticking when pressed, I opened and cleaned 2 times because OEM 17 years DOT3 fill was forming gunk in master and slave cylinder. I guess this wore out the clutch prematurely. I could see the fork still moving when pressing pedal and going out of car before cleaning inside

Seems I'm wrong and it's not a DMF (I'll see it live tomorrow)

Originally Posted by Audios
2WD drops it down to 6.7 hours, so heres hoping that its only a front wheel drive?


It's a 4WD
 
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Originally Posted by Miller88
Originally Posted by supton
Being AWD I could see it being a long job.

IIRC it was about an hour to drop the trans in my Jetta. But my mechanic had done it a bunch of times, knew what he was doing. But no extra driveshaft etc in the way.

Cars suck. Sometimes I think about buying new and flipping every 150-200k (6-10 years, give or take). Not the cheapest solution but perhaps least work involved.



I said I was done with new or even newer vehicles. I figured with a small fleet of older vehicles, I could make it work.

Until all three broke at once
That was recently my situation-GMC developed a pretty big fuel leak (hose under the intake, of course), and the xB's exhaust decided to fall off. Good thing it was 65F & mostly sunny last Saturday! Had to get them fixed before the XJ or F-450 got any ideas...
 
Originally Posted by Superflan
Originally Posted by KrisZ
That clutch is toast. A slipping clutch is almost never the fault of hydraulics, unless there is a leak on the clutch, as they are used to disengage the clutch, then the clutch springs engage it and ensure it stays engaged.

I would look for a single mass flywheel conversion kit. It will be less expensive than a dual mass flywheel and should last for the life of this vehicle no problems.


I have receipt of clutch repair at 80000km or so, it's 144000km and toast. 60000km is rather short for a set. The hydraulics were sticking when pressed, I opened and cleaned 2 times because OEM 17 years DOT3 fill was forming gunk in master and slave cylinder. I guess this wore out the clutch prematurely. I could see the fork still moving when pressing pedal and going out of car before cleaning inside

Seems I'm wrong and it's not a DMF (I'll see it live tomorrow)


Wow! You learn something new everyday. I never encountered or heard of something like this before. The fluid must've been really gunky to hold off the clutch plate pressure.
Thanks for sharing this.ðŸ‘
 
Sounds like contaminated fluid, in that case the only cure is to replace both cylinders and flush the line well.
 
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