Continuing with IV's topic, I have more truck talk for the board..

[VinnieVOL]

Funny you should say.  I've got an old '96 S-10 with 195k (first vehicle I ever bought actually, back in 1998).  I've got an '06 Nissan Frontier too, but I kept the old truck as a "trash truck".  Lol, it's falling a part but I won't let it go despite my wife's urging.  I'll drive it once or twice a week to work just to run it.

Anyway, today as I left work I felt there was a problem.  For awhile now, there's been something funky with the clutch in that over time it will lose it's tension and eventually get the the point that it's so loose I can't get into any gear.  A buddy lifted the hood and showed me a valve that one could pour fluid into and he told me just to pour brake fluid into that when it feels a little loose and it would serve the purpose a trash truck would.  I've probably been doing that for over a year now.  Anyway, it's been getting progressively worse here lately with me having to put fluid into it more often.  As I pulled out today I had almost no tension in the clutch.  I thought, "I just topped off that fluid this morning!".  Luckily I was able to get it into gear long enough to get into a gas station.  This time, no matter how much fluid I put in the clutch is on the floor.  While I'm waiting for my wife to come get me, I've been googling.  Could be master/slave cylinder, or some seal somewhere that's leaking?  Idk, I'm about as far from being auto mechanic savvy as one can be.  I'm fortunate I was somewhere safe when it happened though, blessed indeed.

With it being a secondary truck and high mileage, I do not want to sink a lot of money into it for repairs.  Plus, I gotta get a new PS3 too.   

[Stogie Vol]

The most valuable thing on that truck is the Ramones sticker.

[VinnieVOL]

The most valuable thing on that truck is the Ramones sticker.

LOL, this is true.

[73Volgrad]

Vinnie, I had a 96 S-10 that had +96,000 miles when I gave it to my brother in 2004 because he needed a vehicle to drive to work after his Taurus SHO refused to run. It has over 150,000 miles on it now and the only work other than normal maintenance has been a clutch (2 years ago), an AC compressor in 2002 (he said that compressor stopped working this fall), and the blinker relay failed last month.  That has been all.  It still does not use oil and has lost little power (it is an old truck). I would have liked to have kept it, but my brother needed it more than I did and I could afford to buy another one later.

[FLVOL]

Could be master/slave cylinder, or some seal somewhere that's leaking? 

If there is no obvious leakage you can see, then I would put money on the slave cyl. Most of the one I've seen are inside the bell housing, so when they leak it coats the flywheel and clutch disk.  A slow leak could be well hidden because the heat would/could burn off the fluid before it had a chance to leak from the bell housing. There should be an inspection port on the bell housing. If there is, unbolt it and take a look. With that said, Im not a chevy kinda guy, so I don't know their design, so this advice might not be applicable for you.

If you have a leak, it's not too hard to change the slave cyl. In fact, it's not really that hard to change the clutch yourself. I did my first one when I was 17. I didnt have the money to do it myself, so I had to do it myself. I did it in 6 hours or so, but I did have a shop to work in. I say give it a shot

[VinnieVOL]

Vinnie, I had a 96 S-10 that had +96,000 miles when I gave it to my brother in 2004 because he needed a vehicle to drive to work after his Taurus SHO refused to run. It has over 150,000 miles on it now and the only work other than normal maintenance has been a clutch (2 years ago), an AC compressor in 2002 (he said that compressor stopped working this fall), and the blinker relay failed last month.  That has been all.  It still does not use oil and has lost little power (it is an old truck). I would have liked to have kept it, but my brother needed it more than I did and I could afford to buy another one later.

Cosmetically, it's falling apart.  One of the side mirrors broke off as I was driving down a bumpy road last year.  The only thing holding it on was plastic so I suppose it had dry rotted and just became weak.  No AC, radio doesn't work.  But the engine runs great, and as far as shifting gears goes it is really smooth still.  Like I said, I just use it as a trash truck and I drive it to work once or twice a week just to run the engine.  It's been a great truck, and I'm not ready to give up on it.  From the sounds of it, if it is a slave cylinder or something like that I'm willing to spend the money to fix something like that... but anything in the thousands and it would be more than the truck itself is worth.

I'd love to keep it for another year or two, pay off my Frontier, get the wife an SUV, then use her Altima as a commute vehicle.  Then I think I would finally be able to let it go.   

[VinnieVOL]

If there is no obvious leakage you can see, then I would put money on the slave cyl. Most of the one I've seen are inside the bell housing, so when they leak it coats the flywheel and clutch disk.  A slow leak could be well hidden because the heat would/could burn off the fluid before it had a chance to leak from the bell housing. There should be an inspection port on the bell housing. If there is, unbolt it and take a look. With that said, Im not a chevy kinda guy, so I don't know their design, so this advice might not be applicable for you.

If you have a leak, it's not too hard to change the slave cyl. In fact, it's not really that hard to change the clutch yourself. I did my first one when I was 17. I didnt have the money to do it myself, so I had to do it myself. I did it in 6 hours or so, but I did have a shop to work in. I say give it a shot

Thanks.  To be honest I'm not even comfortable enough to try the steps you described.. but it does comfort me because it sounds like it's not something that will be so expensive that I won't be willing to spend the money to get it fixed.  I appreciate it your reply.

[VinnieVOL]

If there is no obvious leakage you can see, then I would put money on the slave cyl. Most of the one I've seen are inside the bell housing, so when they leak it coats the flywheel and clutch disk.  A slow leak could be well hidden because the heat would/could burn off the fluid before it had a chance to leak from the bell housing. There should be an inspection port on the bell housing. If there is, unbolt it and take a look. With that said, Im not a chevy kinda guy, so I don't know their design, so this advice might not be applicable for you.

If you have a leak, it's not too hard to change the slave cyl. In fact, it's not really that hard to change the clutch yourself. I did my first one when I was 17. I didnt have the money to do it myself, so I had to do it myself. I did it in 6 hours or so, but I did have a shop to work in. I say give it a shot

You were right, it's the slave cylinder.  To replace that, the clutch, and the pressure plate will run me $565.  Still debating on if it's worth it to fix or not.  I'm leaning towards going ahead with the repair because otherwise I think the truck is in good running order.  $195k miles and I've never replaced the clutch.  Other than regular oil changes I never have to add oil.

[GreggO]

Well, can you buy another truck that will fill your needs for $600? If you can, will you know how trustworthy that truck will be as well as you know your truck?

I'd say follow your gut on this. I believe it will lead you to your comfort zone.

Happy trucking.   


G

[VinnieVOL]

Well, can you buy another truck that will fill your needs for $600? If you can, will you know how trustworthy that truck will be as well as you know your truck?

A coworker of mine said the same thing.   

[Inspector Vol]

That is exactly how you have to look at it. $600 is not a lot to pay if everything else indicates you will get 2 or 3 more years of service. Heck if you only get 1 more year of service it will be money well spent and it sounds like you may get more than 2 or 3 years. Sounds like a no brainer to me. Of course I am notoriously cheap according to my kids though.

[PirateVOL]

. Of course I am notoriously cheap according to my kids though.

Yep, they were noting that at the tailgate this year ...

[VinnieVOL]

Of course I am notoriously cheap according to my kids though.

Then that's something else we have in common. 

[Inspector Vol]

Yep, they were noting that at the tailgate this year ...

Yea, they don't miss many chances to gig me about that.