Clutch not fully disengaging, bad slave cylinder???????

Verticaljump1 · Apr 9, 2005

Just did a clutch/turbo swap, slapped in a 50 trim and I couldn't wait to feel it. I start up the car, push the clutch in, and try to get the car into reverse, and the damn thing wouldn't move. With the clutch pushed in, I tried putting the car into every gear and none of them would go in. I can tell that the clutch isn't fully disengaging because whenever I try to force the shifter into gear the RPM's drop as if I'm slipping the clutch. My first guess was a bad slave cylinder, so I bled it (loosened the nipple, put a clear tube over the nipple, have a buddy pump the clutch and stop as soon as I see no air bubbles coming through the clutch fluid, once no more bubbles are seen I had him hold the pedal to the floor, as I tighted up the nipple and put the cap on the resevior (sp?). After bleeding it yielded no results, I bought a used one from a guy in town, slapped that on, bled it (using the same method above) and the thing still didn't work. The clutch fluid I'm using is regular ole' DOT 3 brake fluid. Flywheel is resurfaced to .610, and the clutch is an ACT 2600. Yes the T/O bearing was replaced, yes the T/O bearing retaining clip is in place correctly,yes the shifter cables/bushings are fine. Another characteristic of this incident was that the pedal felt very weak, especially since the clutch is an ACT 2600, and at times the pedal would stay stuck to the floor (even after we bled it). Maybe I should try an extended slave cylinder rod, but I don't know why the stock slave cylinder rod length would at least give me a little bit of room to work with, I drove the car with the ACT 2600 just fine before, so what's causing me problems now? There is a plug on the transmission, if you are looking towards the front of it, it is in the bottom left corner, that plug is left without connection, although I doubt that would have anything to do with it. Also, I might've put the disc on backwards (flywheel side facing the bellhousing?), but I highly doubt I would make that mistake. Anger aside, I want my baby to move, can you guys help me out? Thanks a lot guys~Brandon.

Gigaah · Apr 9, 2005

That connector could be the reverse light switch?

Have you checked the master cylinder for leakage and adjusted the linkage there?

If you don't know its under your dash by the gas petal..you nearly have to push the gas petal in with your head to see the adjustment nuts and adjust the master cylinder rod nut. VFAQ.COM has the procedure for this.

If your petal pressure is light and it occasionally sticks to the floor there has to be a leak somewhere OR make sure the slave rod is being returned by the clutch. Likly suspect is the master cylinder, leak elsewhere, or something is up with the clutch. The clutch should feel like your pushing through a brick wall...anything less is uncivilized.

skinnyt · Apr 9, 2005

ahh... act 2600 i heard of lots of peps in hear having probs with those...well since you changed the slave cylinder .the rod under the dash connected to your pedal goin to the master cylinder adjust it, i heard it solves the prob some times.

Verticaljump1 · Apr 9, 2005

It's got to be something to do with the lines, because I know I installed the clutch right. Maybe the used slave cylinder that I picked up was for a FWD, because in a thread I searched up I noticed the fwd slave cylinder was black and the awd slave cylinder was silver, I have no idea why it wouldn't work though. I'll go over everything and give more detalis around 9:30P.M mtn time tonight and hopefully I can get this thing figured out. I didn't notice any leaks in the system, so maybe both slaves' I tried were trash???? This is pissing me off LOL

thanks for your help guys.

tsi4ya · Apr 9, 2005

DUDE!!! the samething is happening to me!!! only i didnt install it. OK I used a 2100 ACT and everything u said that was happening to u was happening to me I had the flywheel resurfaced and BOTH the master and the slave replaced! I took it out of the shop and gun it then rpm drop to 200 at the light? so i took it back and i havent heard from the shop since. . . . .what could it be because i paid 1000 bucks already!!!! wish u luck and finding out what went wrong. please keep us posted on your problem. thanks

tsi4ya · Apr 10, 2005

Okay, on my probelm, it was hydrolic pressure (sorry if i spelled anything wrong) it wasnt building up so, sometimes it would release because the pressure would build up then it would scoff up again and that was leads to the problem that we are having. replace the lines or aleast look at them. I believe thats my problem should have it fixed by tuesday and Ill post again that day. Well good luck.

Verticaljump1 · Apr 10, 2005

I think I'm just going to replace the master and slave cylinder and hope that that fixes the problem. The slave cylinder pushes forward doesn't retract, which is why the pedal is staying to the floor. I can't even get the car into gear though, I could see if it just grinded but it won't let me put the car in gear at all when it's on so something has got to be wrong. Any tips would help guys, thanks~Brandon.

tsi4ya · Apr 10, 2005

I did that (replaced the master and the slave) and I am having the same probelm you are discribing. Am telling you check your lines, but then again thats just what might be it in my case.

Verticaljump1 · Apr 10, 2005

I don't think that the lines themself are leaking, and I know that there aren't any crimps or anything in the line, so I'm guessing it's got to be a bad slave and/or master cylinder. The slave cylinder still pushes so maybe it's in decent condition and my master needs adjusted or replaced, I'll try adjusting it later and see what the problem is. The pedal feels weak as hell though, so would adjustment cure a weak pedal or no? I'm almost certain it's the master cylinder.

tsi4ya · Apr 12, 2005

IF u say its not your lines (like it is in my case)then its more then likely what u think it is. Let me know later please what was the case. :thumb:

good luck

slvrstingray · Apr 12, 2005

Check a few different things.. On your used slave cylinder, make sure that the piston inside is the same color as your stock one. If i recall correctly, the red piston slave is for a NT and the green ones are for turbo cars. It might be vice versa, i don't quite remember. The piston diameter on the turbo slave cylinder is smaller in diameter, therefore it has a longer throw than the NT slave. Next, check to see if your master is leaking, and try to adjust the slack out of it. It requires a 12 mm box end wrench. Break that loose then push down on the clutch pedal to releive some of the spring pressure, then you can use your fingers to extend the rod out. Get it out as far as you can, your end result will be a higher clutch pedal. Don't forget to lock it back down! Then only thing i can think of, is that you may have a bent clutch fork, or you might have air in the lines. BTW did you change the pressure plate also, or did you just change the disk? If you changed your pressureplate, I've had problems with them before, where you'll get one that is faulty from the start. The only other advice i can give you is, if you do end up removing your transmission again, a good thing to do is to take a cylinder head washer or washer of that thickness, and put it underneath the pivot ball of the clutch fork to move the pivot point closer to the cluch. That has solved my problems before. I've tried running a longer slave push rod, and that really doesn't help because it's a hydraulic system. Good luck...

90blacktsiawd · Apr 13, 2005

Damn guys my car just started doin this to me 2 days ago too. I thought it was the master cylinder because i knew it was leaking. Well changed that and bleed the system and no difference. If i come up to a stop sign i cant get the car in first to go. I have to turn the car off put it in gear then turn the car on and hit the gas fast enough to keep it from stalling since the clutch isnt disengaging. Some one mentioned checking the hydrolic lines. How do i do that?

camsmurdered2g · Mar 13, 2012

I am having this same problem. The PO said he replaced the master, which looks new, and I just replaced the slave and it is doing the same thing. Went through almost a whole bottle of DOT 3. Seems like there is always air in the line. I believe my pedal is adjusted all the way out.

I am taking it to a shop tomorrow, I will see what they say and post it if they can narrow it down.

audiomaster1990 · Mar 13, 2012

camsmurdered2g said:
I am having this same problem. The PO said he replaced the master, which looks new, and I just replaced the slave and it is doing the same thing. Went through almost a whole bottle of DOT 3. Seems like there is always air in the line. I believe my pedal is adjusted all the way out.

I am taking it to a shop tomorrow, I will see what they say and post it if they can narrow it down.

i had this exact problem in my 1.8l 1g. I dont know how its possible, but turned out the tranny was low on gear oil. Evidently when i changed the clutch i didn't tighten the drain plug 100% :ohdamn:

and nearly jacked the tranny. But after i filled it it worked perfect. if you have a slight leak at the seals it might cause this. I replaced EVERYTHING and adjusted the clutch before i finally found the problem.

But this was when i was 17 and didn't know jack about cars, just saying.

pats16valve · Mar 13, 2012

Have you checked the pedal assembly for excess play? Push the pedal to the floor, then grab the pedal to see how far it comes up. If its more than 1/2"-3/4" (IIRC) its worn and needs replaced/rebuilt.

fonzi90Tsi · Mar 13, 2012

I am having a similar problem :-(

dsmGSTtuner · Mar 13, 2012

haha i am in the process of fixing the same problem! except my clutch is a XTD stage 3. so far i found out that the bolt that hold the line to the transmission was leaking. im goin to put more fluid in it tonight and test it out. i did have a friend who's master cylinder was leaking fluid under his dash as well. clutch problems are a pain!!

kchaazz · Mar 13, 2012

This subject has been beaten to death. For those of you with a clutch pedal that is sticking to the floor, youve got air in the system. Do not pump the clutch pedal when bleeding. EVER. Also, 1G guys, your pedal assembly is 99% of the time worn out and in need of a rebuild- check this by pushing the clutch pedal to the floor. Let the clutch pedal return to the top on its own. Now, grab the pedal and pull up- if you can move it up at all, the assembly needs to be removed and rebuilt for your clutch to work right and you can stop here before doing anything else because you will never get the clutch to work properly with a worn pedal assembly and will only kill your trans, flywheel, clutch by driving the car this way. 2G cars do not have this issuse as the pedal assembly is of a completely different design. Also, for those of you in need of replacement master/slave cylinders(assuming your pedal assembly is good), use OEM replacements only, as the parts store specials are garbage.
Proper clutch adjustment:
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How to bleed your clutch:
http://teamrip.com/how_to_properly_bleed_a_hydraulic_clutch_info.html

camsmurdered2g · Mar 13, 2012

EDIT ------ Changed the gear oil with ATF 4 and it worked like a charm. Odd but worked!

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Clutch not fully disengaging, bad slave cylinder???????

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