2002 Kia Rio - owned new, five speed manual tranny.
I've owned sticks for nearly a couple of decades and favor them, even more
so when getting a subcompact car with small engine. Though most of my
driving is open road, sometimes subject to inner city traffic jams.

Bought a Rio for a long distance commuter car. The last 6 miles of my
commute was stop and go, inch by inch. Previous 70 miles of this trip was
done at expressway speeds about 80++ mph.

Problem crops up - this thing is SLIPPING a little on a hard throttle,
especially in 5th, about 1900 rpms and climbing, driving something like 45
mph trying to increase speed. It's not severe and I'm able to 'step around'
the problem.

Then I get (military active duty) transferred out of town in Mississippi
(from Florida) where due to the nature of the work on this temporary
transfer I depend on the car for a LOT of service. Hey, that thing of
accelerating while at the end of the freeway ramp merge and clutch slipping
is rearing it's ugly head. In fifth and doing 70, say, and wanting to simply
accelerate up to 85? No can do unless you nurse that accelerator to increase
speed, Tonto! Now the car is up to EIGHT THOUSAND MILES. (Previously problem
shows at FIVE THOUSAND).

Pull into New Orleans (eastside) Kia Dealer to see what can be done. "Yep,
it's slipping" and  service intake clerk remarks "Wow, I didn't KNOW they
made them with manual transmissions". Said it was a WEAR ITEM and dissmissed
me and said further that it couldn't be adjusted.

Came home to Florida and now with 19,000 miles. Mechanic goes on test drive
with me, saying I seem to know how to operate the manual transmission
properly and yes, it does slip when you dog the engine. Service manager in
Kia St. Augustine says "The whole clutch must be replaced, there is NO
adjustments".

Uh, I ain't shelling out 500 clams for a clutch that new. I adjust the
linkages and come up with a nice fix. 20,000 miles later the same problem. I
adjust by letting the nut out by the clutch level on the tranny (on the
clutch cable-end). Usually that will do it. Intermittently, the stinking
thing will still slip. Sometimes I can go up a mountain on the freeway and
not have it slip, with proper accerlation technique I learned myself.

Other vehicles I let the tension out of the clutch by a thumbwheel on the
firewall where the clutch cable comes through.

Ideas? Now I'm up to 95,000 miles on the 100k factory warranty.

Incidentially, there is little black thick grease spots in my driveway. One
spot a day or two. This is not coming from motor oil drain plug or engine
pan. Seems to come from between engine and tranny.

Thoughts - suggestions????????

Ron