More clutch problems.

[DiamondStarAwd]

So awhile back I had a problem with the car, it was really crappy shifting and would not go into reverse without grinding. The transmission is a shep and theres a act 2600 in the car.

Well it engaged right off the floor, leading me to believe it was not fully dis-engaging, so I went to adjust the pedal. I got under the dash and turned the rod counter clockwise to bring it off the floor, nothing happened. The engagement point never moved. Then one day, wam it decided to work. While driving the car the engagement point went from the floor to at the very top. I searched for this problem and found the 2g " pedal pump up " from rre I believe. Well it has been raining/snowy here for the past week and I have not yet been able to get to the car.

Last night I was driving the car and had it in 3rd at about 2k, I gave it some gas to get going and my clutch slips . So my reaction is now because I havent been able to get to the car, well it was decent out yesterday so I went to adjust the clutch again. This time I turned the rod clockwise to bring it down. There is no medium with the pedal, its either on the floor all the way, or up high. Well it is engaging right off the floor now and its annoying, doesnt go into reverse smoothly. But does not slip anymore, I've tried to get it to slip.

The pedal pressure was also spongy feeling last night and was all day today. I launched the car and suddenly I have pedal pressure and it engages more towards the middle.

Could the clutch have been installed wrong? bad tob, clutch fork?

 

[dwdsm]

I'd put the car on 4 floor jacks and see if the wheels spin with the clutch in. they shouldn't move much at all.

 

[freshlane]

Did you install the clutch yourself?

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

No, I bought the car with all the mods it has except dsmlink, 550's, and boost gauge.

 

[dsm-onster]

The inconsistancy smacks of air in the lines or a clutch cylinder about to go or the master cylinder needs a good cleaning or rebuilt...

• Bleed the system down, like you bleed the brakes:
  
  
  1. Open the slave cylinder petcock.
  2. Slip on a tight fitting vacuum hose.
  3. Place other end into a coke bottle full of clutch (dot3 break) fluid.
  4. Have a friend push the clutch pedal and pull it back up as you look into the bottle. If you see no more bubbles then your clutch likes are clear of air pockets.
  5. Keep an eye on the master cylinder. Make sure it stays relatively full or you may ahve to do all this over again.
  6. Once no bubles are seen, make sure your frien has the clutch pedal up and tighten the petcock.​

• Also check to see if your slave cylinder has leaks... Go under the dash and check to see if your master is leaking as well.

• If your master has grey brown or black "goo" in it, pull it apart and clean it. If this doesn't help it will, at least prevent further complications.
  
  
  1. Use brake cleaner.
  2. Let it fully dry.
  3. Lub seal and valve and cylindar wall w/ dot3 brake fluid.
  4. Reassemble.​

If nothing else works, start replacing cylinders . or look elsewere

Hope this helps,

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

Master looks brand new, no leaks and no goo anywhere. I will bleed it tonight.

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

This morning the car pedal felt spongy and the pedal stiffnes changed while driving. You would think something is leaking, but I have looked up and down and nothing is leaking to my knowledge, I must have a hole in my line somewhere. But I'm going to bleed the clutch in about 10 minutes.

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

Ok bleeding the clutch. It won't gain any pressure back on the clutch pedal, it did for a little while, it spit out bubbles and fluid, now its steady fluid and getting no pedal pressure.

push the pedal in 5 times, hold it, turn the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder, tighten down, release pedal and repeat.

Also the slave cylinder rod does not move when pushing the clutch in but fluid still comes out. failed slave?

 

[dsm-onster]

Also the slave cylinder rod does not move when pushing the clutch in but fluid still comes out. failed slave?

Chill You are discribing what SHOULD happen.

. . .and getting no pedal pressure.

My pedal goes to zero when the slave petcock is open too. See, theres no pressure in the system when you push the pedal w/ the petcock open.

push the pedal in 5 times, hold it, turn the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder, tighten down, release pedal and repeat.

I'm not sure i'm following your procedure.

Open the petcock first. Pump the pedal (you'll have to pull the pedal up when you push it down). Pump until you see no bubbles. Keep pedal raised. Tighten the petcock.

Ok bleeding the clutch. It won't gain any pressure back on the clutch pedal, it did for a little while, it spit out bubbles and fluid

It spit out bubbles. You probably have air in your lines... Follow my above procedure until you see no bubbles for a few pumps .

now its steady fluid . . .

You may have already solved your problem. Have driven it yet?

It sure seams likely you have air in your lines:

This morning the car pedal felt spongy and the pedal stiffnes changed while driving. You would think something is leaking, but I have looked up and down and nothing is leaking to my knowledge, I must have a hole in my line somewhere. But I'm going to bleed the clutch in about 10 minutes.

 

[kidrabbit84]

My 2 cents...
It sounds like your master cylinder is going out. The reason for your clutch slipping after adjusting the linkage is it was adjusted too far. Master cylinders need to come back all the way in order to self adjust. With the adjustment rod turned out excessively the master cylinder could not snap back fully to reset itself. As you pumped the petal the master cylinder kept pushing the slave cylinder in thus releasing the clutch, thus causing your slip.

I had similar problems with my 97 GSX. Additionally I would drive the car along distance (60+ miles on the highway – not shifting out of 5th) and then the petal would go straight to the floor and would not disengage the clutch. After a few pumps it would work again.

I monkeyed around with the adjusting link and did not get good results. I finally got ticked and replaced the master and slave cylinder with remanufactured units...problem gone. For giggles I took the cylinder apart and noted some grey gunk...most likely the seals deteriorated and started plugging up orifices.

I would set the adjusting link per the factory spec. If that does not cure it, and you did what dsm-onster posted, I would replace the master and slave cylinder. For about 120 bucks you can have a new master, slave, and fresh fluid. It looks like an intimidating job, but it is easy. It will probably take you 2-6 hrs depending on skill and tools. The master cylinder looks buried, but it is not. I recall I had to undo some brackets for some goodies in the way, but could gently push them aside and get good access to the nut holding the master cylinder on the engine side of the fire wall. The slave is very easy once the car is in the air. The only pain can be disconnecting the lines with out rounding the nuts off (line wrench are best for this if they look rusty).

If you don't have the factory adjusting spec, I can post them for ya. I am at work right now and don't have my manuals with me, but I can post it in the morning.

Adam

 

[dsm-onster]

Adam is right. There can't be but so many variables. I'm trying to save you 80+ bones. But for sure, if nothing is working, like he and I said, you're due for a new master and/or slave.

 

[kidrabbit84]

The bleeding procedure that dsm-onster is a little different then the way I do it...but give mine a try. You may be introducing air back into the system if you don't have a "tight vacuum hose" or the hose fully submered in the fuild, as dsm-onster is describing. My method is a bit messy but you can lay down some cardboard to catch any fluid, and you should wear some safety glasses.

I would:
1. Get a buddy
2. Pump the clutch petal 5 times. You may have to pick the petal back off from the floor.
3. Have your buddy hold the clutch petal all the way to the floor.
4. Open the petcock with your buddy STILL standing on the petal. Open it slowly, and just enough to get a stream of fluid flowing. Don't unscrew the petcock all the way out.
5. As the fluid comes out, look for air and discolored fluid. The air coming out will sound like a juicy fart.
6. Close petcock.
7. Your buddy can now relase their foot/hand, and pull up on the petal. Re-pump 5 times. Repeat steps 3-6 untill the fluid coming out no longer farts and is clean.
If you get in an endless cycle where air keeps coming out you may have a leak in the lines between the master and slave, but most likely the master cylinder is shot.
Adam

 

[kidrabbit84]

I am not picking on you dsm-onster...I will give your method a shot next time I do this. Seems less messy than mine

Adam

 

[dsm-onster]

No probs man. That's why there's a DSM forum. Different opinions. I'm still rolling from your "juicy fart" comment !

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

The bleeding procedure that dsm-onster is a little different then the way I do it…but give mine a try. You may be introducing air back into the system if you don’t have a “tight vacuum hose” or the hose fully submered in the fuild, as dsm-onster is describing. My method is a bit messy but you can lay down some cardboard to catch any fluid, and you should wear some safety glasses.

I would:
1. Get a buddy
2. Pump the clutch petal 5 times. You may have to pick the petal back off from the floor.
3. Have your buddy hold the clutch petal all the way to the floor.
4. Open the petcock with your buddy STILL standing on the petal. Open it slowly, and just enough to get a stream of fluid flowing. Don’t unscrew the petcock all the way out.
5. As the fluid comes out, look for air and discolored fluid. The air coming out will sound like a juicy fart.
6. Close petcock.
7. Your buddy can now relase their foot/hand, and pull up on the petal. Re-pump 5 times. Repeat steps 3-6 untill the fluid coming out no longer farts and is clean.
If you get in an endless cycle where air keeps coming out you may have a leak in the lines between the master and slave, but most likely the master cylinder is shot.
Adam

I did it this way. 20 times. atleast. I flushed the entire system. I HAD Pressure but when I opened the petcock and went to push the clutch back in after closing it, I could not regain pedal pressure.


I know the slave wont move after I open the petcock and fluid flys out. I then closed it and then I cant regain pressure.

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

Fixed.

The stock clutch line had a crack in it and was leaking, it must have burst when I drained it, the master and slave are new, they both have 5k miles on them, I just contacted the owner, they both look new as well so I didn't want it to be either one.

Well the crack must have burst open cause the stock line busted right after it comes off the firewall and I didn't see it.

I had a ss line sitting around and threw that in real quick and bleed the system. The first 4-5 times it spit out air and fluid, then this milky mix, now its straight fluid.

The intial adjustment of the clutch was ok, it engaged off the floor again. I moved it out to far to where it wouldn't engage. I put it back in about half way and it seems it wants to engage right where I want it, half way. The act 2600 stiffness is there now. Its harder than it ever was.

 

[dsm-onster]

that explains the bubbles in the fluid that you first noted. Congrats! on fixing your clutch issue .

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

ahah Well I spoke to soon.

Well the car felt amazing today. Then I let the car sit. Now it engages right off the floor and has no pressure.

I'm monitoring the clutch fluid level, it appears to be staying the same.

 

[dsm-onster]

You seam to be keep opening up your clutch engagement system to the atmospere. Keep bleeding them down after every time "open". You may have more than one problem. A common DSM function ! You may still hav lots o' air in your lines.. and/or a master/slave cylinder problem...

Have you readjusted the master cylinder rod?

Maybe you need to reassign the fulcrum point (pivot ball height) of the clutch fork. I had to do this w/ all my performance presure plate replacements...