My Sidekick (Tracker) manual clutch is acting strange or is making noise.   
1.6L and 1.8L < see the Sport now.
Sloppy shifter?   < first things first !
Can't even shift with keys in your pocket?
Can't hit all gears.  (feel it?)  Shifter is floppy, like a dogs tail?
If you can't actually shift the  gears , first and foremost. replace the 2 plastic SUZUKI parts shown in this PARTS PHOTO  Part ID 19 and 27 (click)
No aftermarket maker ,makes these plastic shifter parts.
The  aftermarket makers, do not make 5 speed parts.  (only clutches, cables, bearings , and sychro rings,  no pedals are made, no gears, no cases
THE CABLE DON'T LAST FOREVER:  ( all ugly photo's are from OWNER abuse, cracked firewall, and broken clutch pedal or it's shaft ) Slide show here?
Always, replace the clutch cable first, for $23 before ever condemning expensive parts and huge 4 to 8 hour labor charge on 4wd .
The cable goes bad INSIDE (channel groving it and jamming it) where YOU CAN NOT SEE IT.  Get it out of there, now and save a bundle.
Or learn old school Harely cable lubing ways.....

See Diagnosis here,     See how to drive with a bad clutch here.  See causes of Noise here.

All my comments are 100 % USA/ and Canada. 
Other countries use different parts or at different years,. and different non OEM parts, sold in your country.!  
My page has secrets, not disclosed in any book, FSM or Suzuki shop manual.
Never skip checking the quality of GL4 Gear lube in the tranny or the proper level? (not looking like tar sands? in Canada?)
Hints:
The reverse gear is the "Canary bird" (coal miners rule)  that grinds at the slightest amount of clutch drag. (REV gear, is a non synchromeshed gear )
The synchro's job is only to overcome the inertia of the disengaged free running, input shaft pinion.
The synchro can not hide a bad dragging clutch disc, not at all. (or a  seizing fly pilot bearing)
There is 80-95HP there,  fighting the poor little brass synchro ring. "yes, it will torture it to death too" if you ignore it.

Clutches, can drag or slip, or chatter, and even make noises.
Set the free play first, then make sure Reverse don't grind. ( a bad clutch cable, can cause, gear grinding as you shift)
The 1.8L J18 Sport has an autoadjusting slave cylinder. (hydraulic) as does all our 1999 + Vitara's
ACTUAL CLUTCH FAILURE Section:
The  Clutch:  1.6L  (8v shown, but 16v looks same)  This is a new Exidy clutch. A good brand, as is LUK.  Do not buy a fleabay $50 clutch kit. (China C4)
Click to zoom         INSIDE pressure plate at left, you see?
The SQUAWKS :  (problems, issues, complaints, or symptoms)  
The cable is NEW and adjusted before below:. The below, are all bad clutches, except the last 2
  • Grinding in all 6 gears.  (this is a dragging disc or bad flywheel pilot bearing.)? Reverse is a gear and must not grind, shifted not moving.
  • Clutch slippage under loads, the more, load the more slip.?  {disc worn to rivets, oil soaked, or media missing chunks}
  • Selecting any gear, is near impossible. called BALKING, , and if I brute forced, it into gear (don't) it grinds.? Is clutch Drag.
  • The disc Drags for ANY REASON?  Car jerks as you release the clutch.? (or chatters just before)
  • Car likes to  move  in 1st/Rev gear, with clutch pedal, to floor.? parked?  (aka. dragging clutch)
  • Clutch chatters, on release/or engagements.  (a bad disc or warped/cracked pressure plate, oil soaked)? or damaged flywheel face.
  • Makes noise.   (if you only get noise with tiny pressure on the clutch pedal, that is a bad throw out bearing)?
  • Smokes? (it's slipping and smoking or oil soaked ( 2 seals to check !)
  • Grinding in one gear (1st to 2nd or 3rd to 2nd can be a bad synchro ring. 2nd is high wear synchronizer. (a town car, this wears first)
  • The front box pilots shaft spline can be galled or abraided so bad, the disc internal spline, sticks.  Replace the shaft (sold at Suzuki only).
  • Bad Transmission input bearing causing clutch failure or the seal on same leaking GL4 (gear lube) on to DISC.
A synchronizer or synchro for short. Is a transmission device the matches gear speeds, just before the gears ENGAGE.
The transmission is a "constant gear mesh box" but the dogs do the lockup, the dogs are synchro dogs (top center in view). 
It's purpose, is to allow shifting when the tranny input shaft is at a lower RPM. ( in a race car we delete this part, and double clutch.)
A bad clutch, is any part failing in side the BELL HOUSING. Clutch action related.

NOISE:  (causes)
A clutch can in fact  fail in one or more ways and make noise (neglect or abuse, are a top causes)
Here is one example of a bad clutch:
Bad throwout bearing, and the DISC has lost a segment of media between rivets and the pressure plate is cracked and to top that off,
the one torque reaction spring  in the center of the disc is broken and lastly ,one pressure plate pivot (hinge) is broken off.
This clutch slips and rattles and knocks and bangs, and makes every sound you can imagine and is out of balance.
Seen it!  (in fact, caused it racing cars)
The Tranny input shaft has 4 major failures , in its own right, galled spline, front pilot bearing mount wrecked, rear bearing fail or seal.
If the tranny has 20 year old GL4 lube , still in the box and looks like TAR,  why are you looking here?
Checks:  G16 based cars.
The prerequisite for the below, is to set the clutch free play at the pedal to about 1/2" inch.  12mm 
This step is a 15,000 miles FSM and glove box listed  Service point.  That nobody does, it seems.
Normal clutch wear , decreases this free play calibration ,see video for animation of this clutch (nice). 

Allowing zero play to happen, burns up the bearing #6 fast, and  eventuully the clutch slips on hills, and then that burns up, a good clutch disc  or PP.  

PAGE 1 , ITEM ONE , NO LESS !  oops , you forgot now clutch is burned up.  Sorry!

Cross section view diagram of a clutch, shows how it moves, as does the  video above.





LOGIC (new) Cable clutch only.
  1. Inspect the mechanical  linkage end to end , this is 1st, never last !  Do not skip any portion of the linkage , end to end !
  2. Look for a broken pedal  welds (every millimeter  of pedal and pivot)
  3. Look for a  stripped spline or spline shaft welds broken  See slide show for  Lever splines all other failed parts
  4. Replace the damaged cable,  if it looks bad. (or if 100k miles old)  This is a service point.  (most cable fails are hidden deep inside)
  5. Do my secret one inch rule test, below, at the clutch bell housing lever END.  (bottom end must move 1 inch with full  pedal travel )
  6. If  #1  to 5 fails , stop and correct this serious problem first.  (first things first? huh?)  
  7. Keep in mind the PO, (prev. owner) might have been on drugs and set  it up all wrong. 
  8. If all the above passes muster, then the clutch is bad, it dont matter why! , it is bad, and which of the 5 parts bad is a moot point, because all  will be changed with the kit.
  9. The below shows tests and reasons for failure.   ( the 5th test  is only an EYEballs test, which either  passes or fails 
Secret number 2:  both splined levers at both ends of the cable , have SPLINE END INDEX MARK's, do not fail to align levers proper to the MARKS.

The many  parts that fail.
Clutch disc  (worn to the media rivets, and/ or cracked or warped)
Clutch pressure plate  ( cracked or warped same with springs inside and spring tip damage)
Clutch throw out bearing ( aka, release bearing, or T/O bearing, or just T/O)  is burned up, bad, noisy/seized , or mangled to the extreme.
Clutch flywheel Pilot bearing.  (if seized car will move in 1st gear , with clutch disengaged.
The main tranny input shaft spine and end part, can fail too. ( galled, or damaged causing disc to stick)
The tip of the input shaft can be gone, worn down, such that, it dont ride in the bearing any more,  this can make clutch chatter. (new shaft or weld and machine are 2 fixes)
The front 2 bearings on the tranny can fail, this is not clutch failure, but is some thing to check , with open BELL.  does Pilot shaft wiggle side to side ?  yes =bad.
The T/O bearing has an Engagement cross shaft  lever and bushings, all can fail,  check closely for damage.

The Bell is the Bell housing....
Comments:


This is my 1.6L 8valve  kick engine and new stock clutch.    FAST CABLE FINDER:

Below , is the schematic of the whole mechanical clutch system. (pilot bearing and tranny input shaft not shown) [non SPORT 1.8L]
This goes without saying but we keep having to repeat this on the forum over and over......
Before replacing any difficult clutch part , always inspect the system that is exposed (in plain view with EYEBALLS).
Top side, bottom side and end to end.
This applies to all machines, car, boat ,plane,whatever.
Look for damage. including road hazard damage. stuff happens. Things rust , break, or get ignored.
This applies to the 1.8L hydraulic. clutch linkage too.


Before condemning any clutch, examine the cable #15 for damage of any kind,  the sheath and the actual internal cable at both ends.
Old 150k mile cables do 2 thing , they fray inside where you can't SEE, and worse the wear and inside sheath groove(hidden) that cause the cable to jam ,jerk and snatch.
The cable is cheap and 1 hour labor  why do folks assume its good, when in fact it can not be inspected?  Replace it FIRST.
No fraying or damage can be allowed . The sheath must not be worn through at any point, of its length.
The cable lasts about 100k miles in the city . and goes bad where no man can see , inside. (internal hidden damage is 90% of the cable fails)
See bottom of this page  links for actual adjustments of the clutch.  Full procedures.
Set the free pedal Height first then the clutch pedal free play.

The two dimensions below 11-1/8 and 8-1/2 are off my 8v  car, and are shown, because I have learned that many people get sold the wrong cable or some piece of Garbage  from China.  ( there are 3 stock cables sold depending on body type , see last paragraph for Suzuki PN)

Next see my Part 18/19  moves 1.0 inch rule.
 ( the 1.8L hydraulic. stroke rule is rumored to be 3/4" 0.75" stroke at slave rod)
Mech. Clutch 100%:
Rule ONE, if reverse grinds (it's not a synchro) then its not the tranny bad !!!  <  FACT !
 The acid test. ( no where is this secret told, but here)
1: Free play in cable is set to 1/4-1/2 inch ,  at clutch pedal. using the nut 19,. (CW from end removes play)
2: Gently move lever 11 (shown upside down below ,sorry, see real here and index mark)  until you feel the yoke 5 arms hit the throwout bearing #4.
3: Now have a helper depress the clutch pedal to the floor boards.
4: Did the end of the cable at 18/19 juncture lever 11 tip , move at LEAST 1 inch?  if not , then remove all play in step one and repeat step 4.
Yes 1? INCH, and the clutch fails?, then the clutch is bad.  Reverse grinding is NEVER A BAD TRANSMISSION. It's NON-Synchro (the canary in the mine)
No ?1 INCH then the cable is bad or the pedal assembly is broken or the cable mounts at 21 or 16 points are cracked , or badly damaged.  USE 2 persons to test the clutch.
Bad splines , split shank on part 11 bellow or Drawing B part 21 spline split or pedal cracked.
Keep in mind that at no time, can the outer sheath of the cable, must never actually move, (twitch a tad is ok). Takes 2 persons to do that !!
If the 1 inch rule passes, the clutch is no good. (if you cant shift with zero pedal play, or the clutch slips like crazy , or the tranny grinds ,then the clutch is bad)
If tranny stops grinding in  Reverse and now shifts perfectly?,  try getting the free play at #1 set correct. ON cable systems, it's hard to feel this play.

Drawing A:
 Early car with threaded mount at 21,   Nut 19 adjusts free play , never then nuts on bracket 21,  21 is just a MOUNT.
Later cars have a rubber fast mount at 21. (do not mix cables , get the correct cable)
ID. #11 looks upside down, and is a little lie, of the draftman to make drawing compact for parts sales. (only)
Part #18 fits into the bottom of #11 (top here)  in the round hole of #11
 The 1" inch rule  is with 11 slack gone and 11 moves 1" inch for full pedel travel. (my rule)
 20mm is about 3/4" free play. Very hard to feel with a bad cable, sure.
External to clutch damage, is big time common.
Drawing B: below: Click image below to see key partnumbers.
Lever 25 below attaches (hooks ) to end of cable shackle at 15/16 bolt above.  See slide show?
Typical damage from using a bad cable are:
  • Part 25 wrecked. (bent to hell)
  • Spline 21 stripped at above or at spline or both.
  • Fire wall cracked cable mount.
  • Pedal broken. at base of spine shaft 21.

 
Any weld shop ,worth salt, can fix this damage, why wait for Suzuki's long delays getting this part. 14 days?  (from purgatory warehouse)
Welding the pedal break left, @21 is childs play, (to any welder) the spline strip, you could remove part 35 from fire wall, insert the 21 in to  35, and weld on, part 25 using the index punch marks, at at  25 and end of spline!
click to see P/N

 See the Suzuki official partnumbers for  16 to 31 here.



Noise and other fails.:
If you gently press your clutch pedal and you hear noise, then the throwout bearing is bad. or worse ( I am not disengaging the clutch here, just taking up slack and 1/8 inch more)
If the transmission whines in neutral with clutch out (not depressed). the tranny bearings are bad. ( if you press the clutch and the whining stops , tranny is bad)
The flywheel pilot bearing does NOT spin with clutch pedal UP (released), so , it can make noise that way.
If the light foot test passes (no noise ) and you then get noise with clutch depressed, then the disk or any part in the clutch can be bad. ( or just the flywheel pilot bearing (not shown) can be bad)
Most noise in this area must be diagnosed , tranny out of car. (or with any #5 stethoscope on trans case ,idling in neutral, (many bearings will scream , just in neutral, for sure trans front pilot bearing, or cluster and are bad)
if all tests pass above  and car crawls , the Pressure plate or disc are bad or ....  (warped parts, or the cable is not moving 1 inch!)
if car crawls , in gear with the clutch pressed to floor and you know  that the  clutch is disengaging, then the flywheel pilot bearing is seized.  (acts like a dragging disc)
This last comment, is a moot point, the clutch is bad, it dont matter what part is bad, it will be obvious when tranny pulled. !

SEE MY SLIDE SHOW OF ALL PARTS in the Acutator System  1.6L

Including the 4 page FSM adjustment setps (pedal height is first at 1/4" and the free play at about 1/2 inch.
This slide show , shows , broken pedel weld , cracked fire wall mount, stripped spins and both index marks for both LEVERS.
See the parts ID drawing in the slide show , frame 1. or in DRAWING B above.

The Cable cable lasts about 100,000 miles. , and is very low cost and very easy to exhange.  $25 and 1 hour work.
Once you let it JAM?
It then jams in side the cable housing (for either jacket wear {you cant see inside} or for frayed cable {again you cant see inside} and then the driver uses extra force (6:1 ratio it has ) and the driver creates 600 pounds of force cause real expensive damage.
Replacing the clutch cable solves all the grief,  if the clutch don't feel like butter, the cable is HISTORY.

Never do's:
Never remove the levers, losing the index marks. at either end of  actuator system, unless you find the factory index mark or make you own marks. See the slide show above link, for details on this fact.
Never condem any clutch or replace it until you replace the cable.  Please do not.



PARTS:   The number one , all time cause of clutch slipping or failure. The CABLE !
The inside of cable frays (hidden) and wears a grove slot inside (hidden) the cable that causes, jams, lockups,  and dangerous random sudden releases, please don't let this happen to you.!
 Cable CITY:
Using both the Suzuki and GM/GEO parts lists, yes, I do have the GEO micro Fiche (films).
The cables sometimes changed, mid production year, in both plants,  Japan and CAMI, and the parts lists do show ,VIN serial starting points, by serial.
 

1989 to 1998:  All Suzuki PN 's! N.American SideKicks and Trackers.
Suzuki Sports 1.8L have a hydraulic clutch, so the  below cable data,  is not applicable.
All are Canada CAMI p/n , except Japan suffixed; which are Japan Suzuki made.

The Rubber end mount (arrow in photo) was introduced in 1996.  ( 1994 at GM) 

Hint  1,  Always look at the end of the cable to see if it has a rubber end. If yes, make sure part you get, has the same rubber end.  ( is yours DOUBLE Nuts or is it RUBBER?)
Hint  2: The suppliers use sheath (aka:housing) or they use total length.  ( this is very confusing !, theree no standards for length measure method !)
Hint  3: Geo Tracker did  introduce the rubber end cable 2  years sooner than Suzuki ,oddly. (my guess?, is it saved GM 15min labor per car build)

Below is a 1996 Suzuki cable.  see the RUBBER?  lightning fast Installs here. (30 min or less, second time)




These P/N (non OEM)   Part/Numbers , as seen on Rockauto.com and the photos.
 
Warning: Do not buy  dirt cheap  $15 or less cables sold at some auctions and some stores. (got dura zoned? if you get my drift?), I'd not buy that $8 "ATP" brand, cable  
Some, have plastic inside parts, in place of the metal bits seen above. (avoid those like the plegue)
The Suzuki p/n are real below and are still sold at Suzuki parts counters.  Suzuki went chapter 11 here, and Canada, for cars, and there online stores, when GONE, and some keep moving.
Aftermarket:
The Stores and Catalogs of makers of cables fail to define 8v or 16v 1.6L motor clutches, so do to that error , they list all 3 cables.
To buy a cable missing old cable not in hand , in the store , you must , pick RUBBER mount or not., then pick length.
In 1995 The Tracker has 3 cable types.
GM does sell the cables again, (after a lapse)   they have it for $22 3001-8996 (gmpartsonline.com etc)
GM parts now has this cable 9117-3278  for as low as $23 .
I like the BECK cables. 
MFG
 89-95 8V TBI- 1.6L   66" nut/ shaft mount.
 92-95  16v MPI 1.6L   nut/shaft mount
 96-98 16V MPI  1.6L   74" total length
with rubber mount
Suzuki
 23710-60A11
 23710- 57B11 (obsolete at Suz says use B12)
 23710-57BA0[old]   (57B12 new #)
Beck/Arnley
 093-0598 (66" housing it states )  nut mounts
 093-0623 (nut mount) 62"?
 093-0642  (aka:Calif version?)  74" rubber mnt.
Dorman
 16681
 16681 16681 and none for Trackers listed
GM Geo Tracker
9117-3278  (all 8v cars) 89-95
 3001-8996  all 16v 94-98 !
  3001-8996  all 16v 94-98 !
SACHS
SW1079

All GM/GEO numbers above are off the Aug. 1998' released  ufiche. see them here.

THE BECK CATALOG;

  I'd go for the BECK , GM or Suzuki OEM real thing.


My OEM cable  lasted 120,000 miles,  what more do you want?, from any cable.?   I say a great job SUZUKI  !  
If you buy a Harley  motor cycle cable lubing kit, and use that every 25k on that cable,  then the cable will go far past 120k easy.
Some cars we found out the PO (prev. owner) changed the motor, tranny and or linkage , making cable match up is  hard.  So for you guys , take the old one in the store  and match it up.  
There are other good cables... 
  
USA  Catalogs:
I get (FOR THE USA not Canada other countries) do your OWN search from YOUR country and get DIFFERENT results !  please.

http://www.beckcatalog.com/

http://www.exedyusa.com/oe/

My Story of following my own advice.  (A true story 96 Kick)
Squawk: Way too STIFF a CLUTCH  Pedal !
Symptom 2: I can't feel or adjust free play !
Previous Owner replaced #13 and #25 above. and complained of stiff clutch. (and lost the clutch switch too boot, dang!)
I pressed the clutch pedal,  and sure enough, it is not correct (after above) and was really stiff.
I inspected both ends. Shiny clean cable ends !.
I inspected the full cable , perfect in every way.  (outside)
I lubed the center cable,  with my Harley cable lubing system.
No change.  Stiff as heck. (damage found)
I then replaced my cable , with a real 96' Suzuki Cable -57BA0 or 57B12  and now the clutch is like stick in butter, never better on any car.!  50 years !
S.W. Suzuki says the new 96+ PN is suffix 57B12 , today 1-1-2010
I then found out the cable was fraying inside , in  the middle someplace (later failure analysis ). 
So, save your $1000 clutch job and remove 2 screws  and 1 nut and swap a cable in under 20 minutes flat ( easy as eating ,cherry  pie).
History:
The originals owners stripped #13 SPLINE, was not the  problem, it was a symptom.   I  Fixed the problem cable, and  symptoms are now gone.

When you think about this , really, this is the classical,  Irresistible force against an immovable object  (in practice) in physics class. right,  something has to give !
The chain always has a weakest link.
What would you have break. ?
Clutch.
Lever x2
or cable.  <<<  yes,  break the $25 part not the $500 clutch.  YES !
Don't cheap out , get a new cable. 
Be happy the $150 Suzuki 1.8L Sport clutch Hydraulic parts, are not bad.
Tricks:
When replacing the Throw out bearing,  Tranny out or the  engine out of the  way , removed.
The RH side of the bell release lever has a tiny roll pin (part 6 in dwg A, simply pull it out and now the Throw out bearing will not be free. ( or pull the bell housing off tranny, why do that?)
I grease the splines and the Throw.Out boss with brake grease. (Gm /Suz FSM ,says  use wheel bearing grease, not me!) is use brake grease due to its super high melting point..)  (new technology rules)
then :
Put the new throw-out (release) bearing on to shaft boss.
Then press the tiny roll pin in, with a pair of  pliers.
Done.

Diagnosis:
The the clutch does not disengage,  the pedal height is good, cable new, the 1 inch rule is true so the clutch is bad, why takes looking inside the bell housing, (sorry)
The Reverse gear drags and the 1inch rule happens, then the clutch is bad, Reverse will grind at the drop of a hat, even the sightest  , disc drag and bam,  grinds.
If only one gear. (not reverse) grids its a bad tranny synchro ring. especially if slow shifting hids this grind.
The car will not move, any any gear, the clutch is blown to hell, or the cable is jammed, (replace cable first , means this never happens) The cable is a 1hr job.
The disc can warp, crack or be swollen in oil. or totally destroyed.
The Pressure plate or "PP"can fail in many ways, noise, slips, warped, cracked, galled, or the springs were over heated and now are annealed (soft) and are non linear,  causing wild symtoms. Jerky starts, just about any thing you can imagine.
The pilot bearing if siezed , all gears grind.
The Throw out bearing T/O or called release bearing. can fail in many ways, it can cause calibrating the clutch free play to be impossible (T/O collapse) or make a huge noise, or run red hot , wrecking a good PP. (overheats the PP spring tips)

Driving with a bad clutch.
Will no disengage.
Park on a hill, key on engine off, release all  brakes,  rolling fast now, say 10mph ,try to engage 2nd gear if it grinds try 3rd , then 4th, one will engage. (called gravity starts) and then after running, shift by matching speeds of engine and rear drive shaft.
or
Push start the car in 2nd gear . and (2 man job) key on, in 2nd gear now, and it starts and takes off (driver in seat please), and you drive by matching gear speeds. This is very easy with a good clutch but not a bad one. (locked)

I can start car in neutral and can take off in 1st ok, but all other gears grind, so is  shift slower "hand movements", and  later , at each gear change, I match speeds and it will shift far more easy.
Keep in mind each grind is damaging the gear dogs. bit by bit....but getting home can save a life..... YMMV.
Many motorcycle racers never use the clutch at all, they match engine RPM to the next gears demand.  (in fact practicing on a MC, is best to learn this, skill)
I do hope, I do get you home !!!

The 1.8L SPORT Clutch "ONLY":  (hydraulic)  A very rare car and even more rare, FSM, there is no official FSM only a very rare 1/4" thick 1.8L Sport Supplement.
MC = Master Cylinder  #1 below and the Slave cylinder is marked in drawing 2 below.
This system is self adjusting.  During MC #1 install you don't mess with the #3 jam nut, you pull the clevis pin 13 and 18 at MC removal time.
The free space behind part #3 below is  about 1mm minimum. (the clevis #18 rod to MC piston rear side)
The  Slave cylinder #7  bolts on  solid to the bell housing and has no adjustments.
The Esteem 1.8 Uses the same MC but the Esteem Slave is unique.

If the clutch goes dead, inspect the pedals and its linkage for damage cranks and breaks, or bending.
There are 4 tests, on the body side. No leaks?, no play in slave rod test?, 19mm stroke?, no creep fully depressed clutch at pedal.

Look behind the Master Cylinder  #1 at the  cab firewall for leaks.
If it leaks on either side. it's TOAST. If the slave is leaking, well, it too is bad. For Sure, just like brakes,  NO LEAKS allowed.
The top fail for this system ,is internal seal leakage preventing the 3/4" rule  ro 19mm for happening. 
THE POINT OF MEASURING THE STROKE IS TO PROVE THE MC/SLAVE IS BAD AND NOT THE 10hr. labor side  (a bad new clutch)
Make sure the slave rod, has no play between it and the clutch lever. #8 Dwg#2
Use 2 persons to validate that full pedal stroke , causes, a 3/4" Slave stroke, if this test fails ?then do the bleed procedure, below. If the bleed fails? get a new MC/Slave.
Also test 2, while person 1 holds the clutch  pedal to the metal,  person 2 checks that the slave does not creep slowly backwards , that be  a FAIL 2: (internal leakage ,bad piston seals)
The pedal in the above section moves part 18. (pedal drawing far above)  The pedal must  have some play at all time, about 1/2 is perfect.
Reduce excess play with #3 nut. Set this to 1mm play at the rod, at #3 below. no less than 1mm. play here.
If you keep filling the reservoir every week , the slave or MC are bad and leaking.

What happens end to end?
Driver presses the clutch pedal, then piston 2 moves, and then..
The MC #1 then moves the fluid down pipe 8 and moves the piston in the SLAVE rod #7 about 3/4s of an inch.  (if the rod moves 3/4 of an inch, and the clutch still drags ,then the clutch is bad.)
The Bell housing clutch lever (dwg2 id 8) is way shorter on the 1.8L than 1.6L, so the distance to travel is shorter.  (engineering details, for the gear heads)
The 3/4" is rumor , we have 3 people, now, that claim 3/4" stroke is GOOD TO GO.  (thanks posters !) This fact, is not in any books, just here.!
If the pedal linkage is good. and the slave don't move? or is weak or short stroked, or leaks,, replace the whole master and slave cylinders.

The slave is hard to find leaking, because the fluid drops to road  as you drive and any remainder dries quickly.
The slave boot loves to hide leakage too. (look inside? < hint)
Failure to inspect the system is going to be a waste money.  Do the inspection carefully with a powerful  light.
Do not replace the clutch with 10 hard hours of labor (4wd) do the tests above and WIN !
This clutch is not unique, most high quality cars with a clutch work, just like this... is really ubiquitous.
Did you let the MC run dry, yes? well now it full of air.   Bleed it.
 Drawing 1:
 Special thanks to all people on the Suzuki forum for posting great failure photos !
Drawing 2:

Bleeding the system.

The clutch system bleeder valve is located on the slave cylinder.

  1. Fill the clutch  master cylinder reservoir to the MAX line with clean brake fluid and keep it at least half full throughout the bleeding procedure.

  2. From beneath the vehicle, remove the bleeder plug rubber cap, then attach a clear vinyl tube to the slave cylinder bleeder plug. Insert the open end of the hose into a jar, or empty can.

  3. Have an assistant depress the clutch pedal, and while your helper holds the pedal in the depressed position, loosen the bleeder plug one-third to one-half of a turn (or until brake fluid starts to exit the bleeder valve).

  4. When the fluid pressure is almost gone, retighten the bleeder plug, THEN have your assistant release the clutch pedal. It is very important that the pedal stay depressed while the bleeder valve is open, because air will be sucked into the clutch system if the pedal is released while the valve is still open.

  5. If the fluid is level in the master cylinder is low, fill it with clean DOT 3 fluid.

  6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 until all air bubbles are gone from the hydraulic fluid, which is emitted from the bleeder valve.

  7. If equipped, install the bleeder plug cap.

  8. After completing the bleeding procedure, have your assistant apply fluid pressure to the pipe line (by depressing the clutch pedal) while you check for fluid leaks.

  9. Fill the clutch master cylinder fluid reservoir to the specified full level.

  10. Check clutch pedal for a spongy feeling; if any sponginess exists, repeat the entire procedure.



Special thanks to all people on the Suzuki forum for posting great failure photos !

rev  7  >>>>>>  5-26-2011 , added more cable warnings. and catalog links. new photos and p/n  11-8-2014 by demand.