98 runner clutch not disingaging

[4RunnerRuck]

Hi Guys and Gals. I have a 98 4 Runner Sr5 5 speed. Today while going to work I went to push the clutch pedal down and it stuck down and the clutch did not disingage. I had to pry the clutch pedal up with my feet and restart it. It did it to me about 6 times. It seems to do it more when running and in gear then not running. Anyone have any ideas what could be the problem? Or if anyone else has had the problem? Thanks Guys. Look forward to what ya all have to say. Peter

[HATEnFATE]

Could be a number of things.

Bad pressure plate.("groves in the fingers")
Bad Throwout bearing
Sticking Master cylinder
Sticking Slave cylinder
Air in the Clutch lines.

How many miles are on this clutch?

[jetwhine]

4RunnerRuck,

Did you check for worn parts at the clutch pedal itself? Maybe a bad bushing or broken pedal arm?

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

hard to tell without further inspection, but I would start by eliminating the obvious, as one member said, the blue bushings on the pedal, check and see if you're leaking brake fluid inside the cab by the pedal, then check the master to see if it has fluid in it and work your way down.

An all of a sudden situation prompts me to think Master or Slave cylinder, but again, hard to tell without inspecting it.

[chuckoff]

Clutch pedal mechanics, clutch master cylinder, or clutch slave cylinder all can fail.
Is the clutch master cylinder full?

[jetwhine]

4RunnerRuck,

Also check for a cracked clutch/brake pedal bracket.