Varying Clutch Engagement [Merged 1-9] bleeding air floor stuck grinding

[BoostInsideTSi]

Okay, folks, for some unknown reason, we're now getting three threads a week started about clutch malfunctions.
The usual cause is that the system hasn't been properly bled.

Have at it.

I put in a used, but in good condition master cylinder, to replace the one I had before with a broken rubber seal. I did not bleed any components, I simply took out the old one, and bolted the new one up. Then I proceeded to fill the reservoir with dot 3 brake fluid. Bubbles rose to the top of the reservoir, then I topped it off after the fluid ran down into the system. I looked at the clutch pedal and noticed it was still sitting on the floor. I tried pulling it up off the floor, but it only went up a few inches. Probably some adjusting that needs to be done with the rod is causing that. Anyway when I pull it up there is quite a bit of resistance, where when I let go the pedal just pulls right back to the floor. I've heard there is a vacuum going on, where with air in the system, it is just pulling that sucker right back. I tried pumping the crap out of the pedal with a friend opening the bleeder valve and I just shoot clutch fluid everywhere.. I Stop after about 50 pumps and put more fluid and keep going, but notice no improvement. Does anyone know what I need to do? Can anyone verify it is the air in the system causing my problem? Thank you,
Mike

 

[viperlp01]

Well i notice a little change in oil pressure when it is cold outside but i think it might be your master cylinder leaking. Also if you adjust it to far out you can go past the point of the little release valve that is in the master cylinder which causes an inconsistent pedals. TRE recommends 3-4 inches of the floor board.

 

[talon187]

I would agree its crank walk. My buddys car did the same thing. The reason is because as your pressing in the clutch the pressure/movment of the clutch is pulling the crank out with it. its only going to get worse. I would check the crank asap

 

[evileclipse909]

also keep in mind that the stupid little clutch fluid accumulator on the front of the tranny will cause an inconsistancy as well.

 

[DeNoZZo]

I said the oil pressure USED to change when I stepped on the clutch. Now after I re-adjusted my clutch, it no longer does it. The four months that it did bounce when I stepped on the pedal, the car had no problems whatsoever that related to crankwalk.

 

[evileclipse909]

its possible that your motor might slightly be cwalking just not enough to cause any major harm. And some tuners have told me that in their opinoins cwalk can be caused by a poorly adjusted clutch. mabe this is why the problem has stoped since you re-adjusted your clutch.

 

[90TalonDDH]

Alright guys seems after countless hours of stomping my feet and whining i found the problem it was..... are you ready? TADA The Master Cylinder! Seems as tho the master cylinder had a bad seal but was not leaking anywhere but back into the cylinder itself so no visible leak but still no way to build pressure. So thank you again everyone for your feedback and it if you have any questions for me just PM me.

 

[hbk6869]

I have just replaced my clutch in my 98 TSI. I am not sure if i am bleeding the clutch line correctly though. I have gotton it to have pressure and then while driving it about a mile the pressure is not as much. I have to pull the pedal back to me to get it to engage. Can anyone give me a hand. I really need it.

 

[JustinBondar]

I swapped my slave rod to the factory one and now my car shifts fine. I guess the person who had the car before me must have shimmed the pivot ball or something. The only issue I am having now is when it is in gear with the clutch all the way down the clutch is still engaged, well the tires move so I am assuming it is still in gear.

 

[tenn-gsx]

Just to be sure. You DID put oil back in the tranny correct? It will not want to shift into or out of any gear or neutral without oil in it.

 

[DeNoZZo]

Do you think that would have hurt it at all? Or does it have some tolerance for horizontal play?

 

[caged]

how are you bleeding? sounds like you still have air in the system.

 

[Dsmx17]

you still have air in the line. First, make sure you top of the master cylinder, pump the clutch a few times and hold it to the floor, crack the bleeder (make sure you have a bottle partially full of fluid with the hose off the bleeder submerged in it) have a friend pump the pedal like 6 times, check and refill the master, have him pump 5-6 more times then hold the pedal on the floor while you close the bleeder (it helps if you use your hand and push the slave in a little further while you close the bleeder to get all the air out. GL.

 

[killerclown1984]

I would suggest buying a vacuum bleeder ther real cheap at autozone.

 

[Butterfinger]

Watch this short video ... it helped me and my clutch has never worked better:

www.dsmtuners.com/forums/drivetrain-tech/303599-clutch-dragging-hi-rev-2.html -

 

[Defiant]

Please read any of the clutch bleeding threads. No, you don't pump a clutch to bleed it.

 

[JustinBondar]

yes I put 3 qts of synchromesh in it

 

[90turbotsi]

So last night i was driving home in my 2g gsx 6 blot swap, and when i clutched in my clutch pedal made a loud popping sound then fell to the floor. I pulled it back off the floor with my foot and it like half pumped back up. The car still will go into gear and shifts without grinding, but the clutch no longer engages about half wayfrom the top its more like 2 inches from the floor. I have an act 2600lbs, and act lightened flywheel, ss clutch line, new slave cylinder with reservoir cylinder thing removed, also new master cylinder abut 6000 miles ago i have looked over everything and there are no leaks i am completely confused. Please Help!

 

[1stGenTSi]

I'd say try to bleed it real well and see if that fixes it. Make sure and pull back the boot on the slave and see if its leaking past the piston. Also check the firewall under the master.

 

[GsXdSmKingGsX]

+1 on bleeding the lines. You have no idea how many times thats solved problems for me.

 

[360glitch]

As some of you guys (and girls) already know, Brian (Tunernewb) and I are having major clutch problems. Last night we got our engine in and everything hooked up to only be stopped by incorrect brake pads. We bought some temp pads so we could get the show on the road this morning and the car cranked up but it would not go into gear.

We have bled the clutch and adjusted the clutch pedal with no success. With the engine off we can shift the car into any of the gears no problem, but when we crank the engine and attempt to take it out of neutral we cannot get it to go anywhere. Lots of grinding. The rod in the slave cylinder seems to be moving as far as it should be and the clutch seems abnormally hard to push in. I have to admit that this is my first high performance clutch setup but if a 2600 does this I cannot imagine what the 2900 does.

We installed a new Fidanza lightweight flywheel along with a new ACT 2600 pressure plate and a 6 puck sprung disc. We did not measure the step on the flywheel before installing it.

At this point the next thing we can think to do is to drop the transmission. This is obviously something we really would not like to do but if it is a must we'll bite the bullet and get it taken care of. Is there anything else worth trying before we pull it all apart again?

 

[90turbotsi]

turns out i broke one of the arms on the fork off.. .. half way done now pulled the tranny just to put it back in, gotta go it though

 

[90TalonDDH]

I have the ultimate clutch problem. Let me begin by telling you what i have done to try and solve this problem. eh hem, I have replaced the slave cylinder with a new one not rebuilt works fine also replaced the master cylinder new not rebuilt works fine have bled the clutch with a bottle on and a bottle off the slave neither has worked. I have also adjusted the pedal underneath the dash and the actual pedal rod the goes to the master cylinder rod. Now i am still not getting enough pressure in the system to engage the clutch no visble leaks along the clutch lines and the soft line does not seem to be swelling enough to cause a pressure loss.I do not see any possible reason why else the clutch should fail.

 

[govproperty]

Did you check to see if your clutch fork is broke? Is the master cylinder leaking inside the car? New parts can fail too. What kind of master cylinder did you get? I have read that non-oem ones have a shorter rod. I will try and find post. Did you just replace the clutch or did the hydraulics just fail on you? Check you clutch pedal for play. It may have worn out. If that's not it all I can think of is to keep bleeding it.

 

[90TalonDDH]

The clutch fork is good actually i shimmed the fork because it was a little worn and to help remove the slop the hydraulics are just not building enough pressure to allow me to shift into gear. I installed a new clutch kit (Fidanza 4.3) and also a Fidanza lightweight flywheel all bolted up just fine but now i cannot get the darn thing to work. Master cylinder is good no leaks anywhere also slave is good no leaks. All the hydraulics parts are OEM.

 

[tenn-gsx]

Keep bleeding it. Mine took 2 bottles of fluid to get all the air bubbles out. Ofcourse I still had the buffer cyl in there on my 2g.