Aaaaarghhh!!!! Fiasco!!!!!

[hawksoob]

SO, I take my car in to Pep Bastards today to replace my clutch. As referenced in another thread, I was getting weird crunchy crunchy noises when the pedal was depressed (throwout bearing, I am told) and last night it had some periods of not shifting, though this morning it was doing fine. Anyhoo, when I get back to pick up my car, I of course asked if they test drove it and everything. They said they did (actually, the guy who worked on it was driving as I was paying).I looked at their checklist of all the stuff they checked ... tires, good; brakes, good; coolant level, good, etc.... Cool.

 

I get in the car and notice two things. One: the brake pedal was very stiff, a LOT more so that usual, until I started the car - like no freeplay at all. Two: The clutch pedal freeplay was waaaay freeplayin' .... Well, I started her up and drove around the parking lot. Seemed nice and clutchy, despite the fact of a much lower catch point than I'm used to , or like. When I got on the road, within a block I noticed I just couldn't go any faster than about 25. Shift to 2nd ... no more speed. Shift to third ... no more speed ... Stall... Turn around and ake it back to PB and the car dies and there's smoke coming out of the wheel area.

 

I go in, tell them what's up, and the guy who did the work, takes the keys and tears off in the car to see what's up. A few minutes later, he comes running back down the street to the shop saying that the brakes locked up and the car wouldn't budge an inch.

 

After a tow truck finally comes and brings the car back to the shop, he tells me that "that's why your clutch fried. The brakes were locking up." Well ... the brakes weren't locking up before the clutch was acting up. I had no problems with the brakes other than a shimmy when braking at high speeds, but in 99% of my driving, the brakes were just dandy. Plus, the pedal was NEVER so difficult to push before starting as it was tonight after picking up the car.

 

So, the question is, what, if anything, could have happened with my braking system that could have been a result of a clutch job? Someting in the power braking assist mechanism? ABS? Or, could it actually be true that, despite the fact that there was never any lockage of the brakes prior to them working on my car, that somehow, mysteriously, they lock up the first time it's driven after they work on it?

 

Oh ... I may have a Seinfeldian issue, too, with B.O. funk throughout my car.

 

Thanks

[mwatt]

SO, I take my car in to Pep Bastards today to replace my clutch. As referenced in another thread, I was getting weird crunchy crunchy noises when the pedal was depressed (throwout bearing, I am told) and last night it had some periods of not shifting, though this morning it was doing fine. Anyhoo, when I get back to pick up my car, I of course asked if they test drove it and everything. They said they did (actually, the guy who worked on it was driving as I was paying).I looked at their checklist of all the stuff they checked ... tires, good; brakes, good; coolant level, good, etc.... Cool.

 

I get in the car and notice two things. One: the brake pedal was very stiff, a LOT more so that usual, until I started the car - like no freeplay at all. Two: The clutch pedal freeplay was waaaay freeplayin' .... Well, I started her up and drove around the parking lot. Seemed nice and clutchy, despite the fact of a much lower catch point than I'm used to , or like. When I got on the road, within a block I noticed I just couldn't go any faster than about 25. Shift to 2nd ... no more speed. Shift to third ... no more speed ... Stall... Turn around and ake it back to PB and the car dies and there's smoke coming out of the wheel area.

 

I go in, tell them what's up, and the guy who did the work, "Dred" - as in the locks on his head, takes the keys and tears off in the car to see what's up. A few minutes later, he comes running back down the street to the shop saying that the brakes locked up and the car wouldn't budge an inch, mon.

 

After a tow truck finally comes and brings the car back to the shop, Rasta-mon tells me that "that's why your clutch fried. The brakes were locking up." Well ... the brakes weren't locking up before the clutch was acting up. I had no problems with the brakes other than a shimmy when braking at high speeds, but in 99% of my driving, the brakes were just dandy. Plus, the pedal was NEVER so difficult to push before starting as it was tonight after picking up the car.

 

So, the question is, what, if anything, could have happened with my braking system that could have been a result of a clutch job? Someting in the power braking assist mechanism? ABS? Or, could it actually be true that, despite the fact that there was never any lockage of the brakes prior to them working on my car, that somehow, mysteriously, they lock up the first time it's driven after they work on it?

 

Oh ... I may have a Seinfeldian issue, too, with B.O. / Rasta-mon funk throughout my car.

 

Thanks

 

Our 2 Subarus are automatics but my first inclination would be to look at the adjustment and operation of the "Hill-Holder" mechanism (does Subaru refer to it as the "Positive Hold Valve??) at the firewall. That's the mechanism that prevents the car from rolling back on a hill until you begin to engage the clutch---and it does that by holding brake pressure until you start letting up on the clutch pedal. Matter of fact, I think the owner's manual describes a method of disabling it should it malfunction.

And the odor? (I love that Seinfeld episode). Go to Wal-Mart and pick up a can of Ozium aerosol spray in the "new car smell" scent. Typically found in their automotive section where those silly-rump roast Christmas tree fresheners are located. Spray seats and carpet, close windows, allow car to sit overnight.

[mtsmiths]

... and staythehell outta fast wrench joints! What WERE you thinking?

[RallyKeith]

Yep, there are two cabels on the clutch fork. One goes to the clutch pedal and one goes to the hill holder. Sounds like they f'ed up the hill holder cable adjustment while doing your clutch. In fact, I'll bet that the idiot who did the clutch couldn't get your pedal to adjust right even though he was adjusting the cable, and in fact was adjusting the hill-holder cable and thus totally screwing up the car. DEMAND that they get the head shop mechanic to work on your car, explain that there is thing called a hill-holder that works off the clutch and holds brake pressue in the lines when the clutch is depressed, and demand that they inspect and replace your brakes where needed.

 

Keith

[mattocs]

Stuff like this makes me never want to let ANYONE touch my car.

 

Good luck. Make sure they fix everything they broke. Raise some hell.

[mtsmiths]

Make 'em send the car to a detailer to have it fumigated, too!

[hawksoob]

First thing this morning, my brain gave myself a dope slap upon remembering the fact that I have a hill holder! (How could I forget? It's one of my favorite features on this car.) I called them immediately and told them to check that out. The guy didn't know what I was talking about. I told him to call a f-ing Suby dealer and find the F out. A couple of hours later they called back and said they had their master tech working on it. I picked it up after work and everything is working great. Hill holder even works! They weren't all too vociferous about the fact that they were making up for their screw up, but they definitely made up for it and made things right. They also did a very thorough test/check of the entire braking system. I have nearly worn rotors, but I knew that beforehand.

 

As per why I went there in the first place? It is very close and I didn't want to risk going 25 miles to my dealer because the clutch was starting to act very scary.

 

Anyhoo, I suppose it could have been a lot worse than it was.

 

Thanks for the input, guys.

 

By the way, they left the windows open all nightt, so it's pretty much funk-free.