What's Left? LOW Clutch Disengagement.

[TalonJohn94]

Extremely LOW clutch engagement.

1994 AWD

1990 ShepRacing Full Race Transmission
1990 Shift Cables
1990 Shifter Assembly
New OEM Clutch Fork
New (Shimmed) Pivot Ball
ACT 2600
X-ACT Lightweight Flywheel (.610)
NEW OEM Clutch Pedal Assembly Hardware
Welded Clutch Pedal Assembly
Adjusted Almost All the Way "OUT"
NEW OEM Master Cylinder
SS Clutch Tube
Working (Not New) Slave Cylinder
Crankshaft .010 End-Play
Cracked/Broken Right Motor Mount

Basic questions:

Do slave cylinders either work or not - or can they be weak or diminished throw?

What are some other possibilities?
__________________

 

[andymoraitis]

I would bleed it again and then try a re-adjustment. Just for kicks, it wouldn't be a bad idea to check for leaks, especially around the slave by the clutch pedal. If there's a potential leak, a 2600 will certainly find it.

Let us know what you find,

Andy

 

[TalonJohn94]

I would bleed it again and then try a re-adjustment. Just for kicks, it wouldn't be a bad idea to check for leaks, especially around the slave by the clutch pedal. If there's a potential leak, a 2600 will certainly find it.

Let us know what you find,

Andy

You mean the master cylinder, right?

Its a new master cylinder, but I will check that if its light out when I get home.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

While you're under there looking for leaks, make sure you've adjusted your master to engage the clutch higher...stupid I know but just wanna cover everything.

And yes a failing slave can give diminished throw etc. Check the boot on it and look for fluid.

 

[TalonJohn94]

While you're under there looking for leaks, make sure you've adjusted your master to engage the clutch higher...stupid I know but just wanna cover everything.

And yes a failing slave can give diminished throw etc. Check the boot on it and look for fluid.

OK, I'll look at it a little more tomorrow. We'll see.

 

[tstkl]

every dsm I've driven just engages really, really low, thought it was design...

 

[TalonJohn94]

yeah maybe, but not so low that my Shepracing Transmission can barely shift!

 

[daren_p]

every dsm I've driven just engages really, really low, thought it was design...

Probably didn't have the master cylinder rod adjusted correctly. I can vary the engagement on mine from right off the floor to all the way out with just a couple turns of the rod.

Make sure the clutch is bleeded properly, check the master & slave for leaks. Sounds like you know how to adjust it properly, the flywheel is stepped correctly & your pedal assembly is functioning correctly, so I'm not sure what else it would be.

 

[TalonJohn94]

Someone told me that it could have been an error to replace the master cylinder and not the slave cylinder at the same time. Do you take any stock in that idea?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

I would say its possible that was not a great move.

If you take old leaky master out and replace it with a new one, it's putting more stress (since its not leaky) on the old slave.

It's possible the new master could overwork the old slave.
I replaced mine at the same time to avoid this kind of problem.

 

[TalonJohn94]

So have I ruined the NEW Master Cylinder, or should I try to replace the Slave Cylinder by itself now??

Also, if I get someone to push the clutch in, I can watch the slave cylinder move. This is why I asked if the slave cylinder can "partially" function.

 

[TalonJohn94]

.... so does anyone know if a slave cylinder can "partially" extend?

Also, my mechanic friend said that after all the things that I have done to try and alleviate the problem - the only thing he can think of is that the pressure plate is faulty, incorrect, or out of spec. Anyone hear of this component of ACT 2600's being bad from the factory?

 

[TalonJohn94]

No answers?

 

[PieEyedPiper]

i'd be impressed if you damaged your new master cylinder. so no, it should be fine.
Replace or rebuild your slave.

 

[Attack Eagle]

Different car... sorto f, but the same problem.
act 2600 fidanza street disc. Had a new slave in it but it was still low, master was definately on the way out... eventually put a new one in bled the system, was fine but low. Adjusted it. Fine, then low again... rebled the system by gravity. repeat ad nauseum.

It would be ok for the first little bit then drop lower and lower until you couldn't engage it at all.

turns out i had two problems... 1: the reservoir to master line was pinched because of the tight turn... the master wasn't getting fluid from the reservoir. Second problem was that the hardline apparently failed right where the line goes into the banjo bolt (fatigue I am guessing), and it was seeping fluid and air there under pressure but only when it was hot, when it was cold it didn't leak.

Luckily I had an RRE ss line sitting around, since then no more problems... but just oddball things you don't look for normally with this issue.

 

[Street Surgeon]

When you weld your clutch pedal assy, did you just weld up the "square" peg part? You also need to add bushings all around, bronze or otherwise.

 

[TalonJohn94]

When you weld your clutch pedal assy, did you just weld up the "square" peg part? You also need to add bushings all around, bronze or otherwise.

Yes, the square peg part. And I got the OEM pedal assembly kit from DSMparts.com - complete with OEM nylon bushings. I just added a little grease and reassembled everything. Later I pulled it all back out to weld it. (welded in the "UP" position) .. and the pedal assembly FEELS great, with just a little free play and stiff resistance.

 

[TalonJohn94]

Someone recently told me that they had to "bench" bleed the system. Why would this work better than traditional bleeding?

 

[Attack Eagle]

Bench bleeding refers to putting the master in a vice and filling the reservoir and manually cycling the piston to pump fluid thru it and get rid of air bubbles... Commonly done on brake masters that have an integral reservoir and a side outlet.

AS much angling as I had to do to get it in the car, it wouldn't have done me any good. I just hook the reservoir up once it is in the car, and let fluid run into and out of the master, then put the hardline on.

 

[TalonJohn94]

AS much angling as I had to do to get it in the car, it wouldn't have done me any good.

What do you mean by this?
When is it beneficial to bench bleed then?

 

[8uwth4]

always bench bleed when you can, but he is saying it would have spilled making it pointless. I just use plugs until I get it all bolted up and ready to install lines.

 

[8uwth4]

What is the broken mount? is it from tranny to engine lower corner by slave kinda? also try turning adj rod all the way in on clutch pedal, bleed slave cyl with pressure, and then adj pedal all the way out.

 

[TalonJohn94]

OK, I used a solution I had heard about but I thought sounded temporary at best. I welded a bold on the c-clip (where the pedal assembly meets the master cylinder) to create more adjustability. It worked!

I have to actually adjusted it "in" now because it engages more than half way up!

I am still going to probably bleed the system again eventually - but it seems like this is going to work. I hope it stays this way. One last question: How many people have had to do this, especially after they did everything else?