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Clutch hydraulics...HELP

frost

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2002
Messages
45
Location
Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Corvette
1988 black/red Z51
Hi,

I am having a problem with my clutch hydraulics. Last year I replaced the slave on my clutch because it looked like it was losing fluid. Shortly after that my clutch went. I had the clutch replaced. Shortly after I was hearing screeching noises from the clutch and it was hard to shift. If I pumped the clutch pedal it would work ok for a while. The clutch fluid was also going down. I assumed that I had not bled the system correctly and or maybe there was a leak. I left the car in for the winter. A couple of weeks ago I tried to bleed out the system, but the pedal would not return. I replaced the master with a none GM part. The safety switch was also bad so I temporally bypassed it. I bled the system out. Now I cannot shift at all.
I noticed that the pedal is only a couple of inches from the floor. It is much closer then the brake pedal. It may have been this way before and I may not have noticed. There is some ware in the carpet showing that it has made contact for a while. It this normal? Is it also possible that the master does not have capacity to move the slave piston far enough? The rod from the slave to the clutch is in the proper place, but there is some free play. This is driving me crazy. It is such a simple system but it is not working.

I would appreciate any help. As the weather gets wormier I get more desperate.


Thanks.
 
If you don't see any obvious signs of leakage, I would suggest continued bleeding efforts. It only takes one little bubble of air to cause your problems.

It took me about an hour in a half to fully bleed the last hydraulic system I put together. Even though they are simple, they can still trap some air.

How are you bleeding it?

I would suggest first pumping the heck out of the pedal for about 5 minutes. You may have to do this by hand as it does not want to return.

Then, get somebody to hold it down. Go out to the firewall and loosen the main line a tad until it squirts. Close the line, then let up on the pedal, and refil as needed. Do a deep hard bleed on the master cylinder about three times. Now, start all over, and pump it up hard and bleed the slave. Do this at least three times after a brisk amount of hard pumping. Keep checking the resevior so that you don't suck more air into the system.

You will get it.

Let us know.
 
Thanks 69MyWay,

I never thought about opening up the line at the top. After replacing the master I just bled the system the regular way. I was under the car and someone was pressing the pedal. It looked like the fluid was ok. Since I replaced the master the pedal does return. I have a vacuum bleeder; maybe I will use that instead of using someone.
On your 90 how far is the clutch pedal from the floor?
 
It is okay/normal for the clutch pedal to go all the way to the floor. The 90 has the six speed, and it has been recommended by six speed experts to actually bounce the pedal off the floor when spirited driving.

Is that what you are asking, or where does it release? It releases a couple of inches off the floor. Don't know the exact distance.

It is far different from a brake pedal that you don't ever want to go all the way to the floor.
 
I think that answers the question. In other cars that I have driven with manuals, the brake and clutch peals are about the same distance from the floor when not in use. Mine is much closer to the floor then the brake pedal when not pressed. I just don’t remember if this is normal with my car. I never paid attention to the distance.
 
Oh, now I see what you are asking. The pedals should be pretty close when not in use. The clutch will go to the floor when pushed, and the brake pedal will stop short of the floor when pushed.
 
Mine are not even close. I checked the support bracket and looked to see if anything was adjustable. There is nothing adjustable and the support bracket is fine. If you detach the master from the pedal you might get an extra half-inch closer to the brake pedal.
 
Remember the following

When bleeding the slave you must remove it from the tranny. When installed, the bleed valve is not the highest part of the cylinder so you must tilt it so the bleeder is higher then the front of the slave.

Try that for a change.. I'll bet your pedal is back to new in 5 pumps.

Oh and don't worry about bleeding with the linkage rod out.

Mike
 
Thanks Mike,

Yes I did bleed it with the bleeder valve up. After that I would push the piston back in and remount the slave. Of course the fluid would come out of the reservoir.
 
Hay Mike,

How are the pedals on your 88? Is there a difference in distance between the brake pedal and clutch pedal?
 
Hey Frost

I cannot comment on that...MY c-4 is an auto.... but I have helped a few on there sticks...I cannot remember with any certianty what the deal is....I would assume that the clutch is a bit foward ( higher) than the brake. Have you replaced the master?

Mike
 
Yes I have replaced the master. The length of the rod and the body are the same as the old unit. That’s why I am wondering if the fluid capacity is the same. I know I am reaching.
 

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