help with my accord - clutch or trans?

[big44hank]

I hope someone can help me. Collectively, you guys know just about everything. Last night my wife was driving her '01 Honda Accord coupe, manual transmission, 71K miles. She was beginning to accelerate from the light, put it in first to get up a hill and at the top of the hill the car stopped moving forward and started to roll back as if out of gear. The median helped stop the car from rolling down and she called me. Once I got there I noticed an acrid smell from the rear part of the car. More noticeable when you stick your nose near the rear wheel well. I tried to put the car in first, second and third gears hoping I could move forward, no luck. I stepped on the clutch, it felt fine with the correct amount of resistance, if I left the car in gear and and stepped off of the clutch, the car continued to run, rather than die as would be the case if the clutch was truly working. But the smell has me believing it is the transmission. But, correct me if I am wrong, wouldn't I still be able to find a least one working forward gear if it was the transmission? I never tried reverse...
Hopefully someone can give me some information so I don't get ripped off just because I don't know my way around the garage. We purcahsed an extended warranty but I don't recall if it is 70K or 75K, checking on that right now. Thanks.
And wouldn't you know it, we made the last payment on the 15th.

[MikeDeuce]

Really sounds like the clutch to me. Have you ever ridden the clutch on a car? Smells terrible!

There's a good chance she may have burned the clutch, considering she was going uphill. And if this is a regular route (and she has a tendency to ride the clutch going from a stop up hill) it could account for faster clutch wear.

[GETSOMZ28]

70K is pretty decent mileage for a clutch to go out. Not sure why the smell would be out the rear, since the tranny is up front in the engine bay so the smell would have been strongest near the front drivers side. Sounds like the clutch to me. If if is, it probably wont be covered under the warranty since it is a wearable item.

[big44hank]

thanks Mike,
Yeah, I am really starting to think it's the clutch. Getting her to give me all the information is like pulling teeth. She doesn't recall a high rev during shifts previous to the failure, which means it was probably a sudden loss and not slipping gradually and the pedal feels "right". Does a overheated clutch fail and then return to normal? This happened late last night I had it towed home and went to bed, running late for work this morning I haven't investigated it any further.

h

[big44hank]

thanks Z
Yeah, I was afraid of that. What does clutch work entail? And run?
Also could an overheated clutch be all that it was? And is that a "better" problem than a failed clutch?

[Nuckle]

I think it is the clutch. You may also want to ask about front seal repalcements and an timming belt / chain. The front seals are only needed on certain years and I am not sure of whcich ones. They had a tecndancy to blow on the front crank seal and there is a kit that will prevent this. The timming belt is just a maintenance item that would be smart while they are in there. We just sold my wifes 96 and had to do these things.


Nuck

[keiffers]

I had the clutch on my 86 sentra in the middle of traffic....got to the light and wouldn't move an inch. Luckily I was right near the mechanic I used and got it as far as there (thank goodness for inclines on the road at the time).

Sounds to me like the clutch finally went on your Accord as 71k is about the right time for it to happen....wanna say mine went about 75-80k. Ended up having to replace everything related to the clutch.

[WazzuCoug]

Assuming it is your clutch, my 89 civic clutch and starter ran around $700. I would guess you are in the neighborhood of $500 for the clutch work if it isnt covered by your warranty. However that is really just a guess since I dont have the same honda. Good luck!