Vehicles helps a lot in everyone’s daily routine. However, there is need to make sure that it is running smoothly and everything is on point. Since there are many moving parts, it is obvious that some of these parts will wear out with time. And with that in mind, you need to make sure and prepare to make replacements and repairs as required. Among the parts that we will be going through today is the clutch system. We will be going through the process of repairing and diagnosing a faulty clutch.
But before we go to the diagnosis part, let us first learn how a clutch system works in a vehicle.
What Is a Clutch?
A clutch is a mechanical device and part of a manual transmission vehicle. Its main purpose is to engage and disengage the power transmission from the shaft. This process allows gears to be changed from one to the other when a vehicle driver needs to alter the torque. A clutch is used in a manual vehicle, of which many Japanese mini trucks are. An automatic vehicle has its clutch functionality automated. It uses a hydraulic system to engage and disengage gears. That way. there is no need of a clutch.
A clutch works when the driver presses a pedal down. This is usually the pedal at the left of the three foot pedals in a vehicle. The clutch pedal is however missing in an automatic vehicle, and this explains why it has only two pedals.
How does a Clutch Work?
A vehicle moves forward or backwards depending on the gear that is selected. There are usually four or more gears in a vehicle with one usually dedicated to reverse. These gears have teeth and vary in diameter. This means that they can revolve giving different RPMs. Going by the laws of physics different RPMs will squeeze out varying torque and hence the speed of the vehicle will vary. But why must one change the gears on a vehicle? It is because there is always the chance of moving through different terrains which means that there is a gear suited for any terrain. For instance, if you are moving forward on a flat surface and come across a hilly surface, different amount of power would be required to scale it. Torque also seems to change with other different factors.
As aforementioned, a clutch works to disengage the power transmission from the shaft propelling the vehicle in a forward motion. So, when a driver wants to change a gear from either a lower to higher or vice versa, they press on the pedal on their left. Through the connection that the pedal has, it i able to disengage the engine power from the driving shaft. Then the gear is changed by the drier. Next, after releasing the clutch, the inserted gear is engaged. Every time there is need to change the gear, this is the process of doing t.
How to Diagnose a Faulty Clutch of a Daihatsu Hijet
There are a number of clutch problems that could go wrong in a Daihatsu Hijet or any other manual vehicle out there.
Gears grinding issue
Perhaps one of the main problems that many people have had when they are entering gears, is the grinding noise. But what is it usually with this noise? Is it a problem with the clutch or is it to do with gears or the shaft? If you have always thought of it as a clutch problem, then your guess is right. It is brought about by the fact that clutch isn’t fully disengaging the shaft from the power transmission. And this usually gets bad as time goes if it is not fixed. This could even cause the teeth of the gears to wear out faster. The solution to this is to tighten the clutch and make the necessary adjustments. If you have some experience with it, then it shouldn’t be a big problem adjusting the clutch. For the Daihatsu Hijet, you can do this from under the vehicle.
Leaking Master Slave Cylinder
Another issue that could go wrong with your Daihatsu Hijet is the master slave starting to leak. The usual problem here is a bad quality seal or forcing one that does not fit well. The best way to diagnose this is by removing the fluid cap cover and replacing the cap with a good one. You can use a cling film or a plastic bag to prevent the fluids from coming out.
Worn out Clutch Disc
When a clutch disc wears out then there is the problem of slipping. This is because the disc is usually engaged int he main work which involves a lot of friction when it grips to the flywheel of the vehicle. When slipping occurs, it becomes hard for the engine to transmit the power as needed. There is only one solution to this, and it is the need for replacement.
Warped Flywheel
Yet another common faulty clutch problem you could experience with your Daihatsu Hijet is on the flywheel. A warped flywheel can cause a huge disaster. Usually, one starts to realize some grinding noises. This usually occurs on the pressure plate, but this can quickly move to other parts within the clutch assembly. Overheating will then come up which can become worse to the point of causing cracks.
You need to do regular servicing to ensure such issues are quickly addressed. The pressure plate should also be checked more regularly.
Final Word
Daihatsu Hijet, like other Japanese mini trucks have stood the test of time. They will deliver great service and unmatched performance. However, some parts wear out with time. Shared above are some of the problems that a mini truck faulty clutch problems likely.
Otherwise, Daihatsu Hijets stand out and are among the best kei trucks one can get in the market. Check out some that we are selling in our vehicle listing page.