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

 

[1SickAuto]

slave cylinder. i bet thats it. if its the master look for leak in the car or engine bay near it. you could also be low on fluid

 

[ilco187]

did you bleed the clutch with a hose attached to the bleeder valve and submerge it in the fluid bottle and pump it, that will clear the line of air since air will not be present if submerged.

 

[aspekt9]

Okay so here's the deal. I got a brand new clutch master cylinder, bled the line, then adjusted the clutch pedal height and the clutch disengages perfectly and engages about 2" or so off the ground. That's the good news. The bad news is, I just took it for a 40 mile drive back to college and here's what I noticed: Idling I feel more vibration then I did before, is this due to the new ACT 2600/Flywheel? In any gear, at any RPM, if I'm holding the gas pedal about 1.5inches down or less, I get the same vibrations felt at idle. If I push the gas pedal down more than 1.5 inches, even WOT, everything feels perfectly normal like it was before. What could be causing this vibrations? Last but not least, 5th gear grinds a bit going in and once in if I try to go WOT when I'm going faster than 65, I get this noise and feeling that can best be described as a knocking sound / quiet grind sound. Any ideas what this is all about? It's only in 5th because I can hit 90+ in 4th and not have any of those issues. So what do you guys think?

 

[97 gst turbooo]

its been a ongoing project. But finally found out it had a bad pp from the factory. reinstalled everything and it seems to operate perfect.only thing the clutch enganges about a 1/2 off the floor. it has a act 2600 kit with act flywheel and a complete sbr ss clutch line master to slave. new master/slave/fork/pivot ball. is it supposed to be that grabby due the the ss line with the accumlator removed? i could seem to find any topics on it.

 

[DeNoZZo]

Maybe try using adjusting the clutch rod under the dash. I had the same problem and after I adjusted it, it was much better.
Look here (all the way down)

And heres a vid
YouTube - Proper Clutch Adjustment

 

[97 gst turbooo]

i followed that video before, no luck. the master rod is fully extended and the bolt is all the way up for furthest pedal travel. And i can still push the fork back into the slave and it comes back out. i dont know why it catches 1/2'' off the floor. its wicked hard to drive on the street.

 

[vr4_3000]

get a longer rod. you can get them at a marina hardware store. there is where i got mine at.

 

[97 gst turbooo]

Thats a somewhat fix to the problem but not a solver.

 

[aspekt9]

How many miles do you have on the master cylinder? I found that when I swapped to an ACT 2600 from my stock N/T clutch, my master cylinder just couldn't handle the added pressure from the 2600 and even with the rod all the way out, I couldn't get the clutch to disengage properly. That's with the master cylinder only having 72,000 miles on it too.

 

[97 gst turbooo]

everything in the entire hydralic system is brand new except pedal assembly. New OEM
master/slave/ss sbr clutch line master to slave,pivot ball,fulcrum fork,shims under ball,tob,act 2600kit,act flywheel.

 

[dustint265]

so just replaced slave cylinder, then clutch started slipping pretty good, changed clutch to f1 racing stage 2 clutch and fadanza flywheel. well after all that about 100 miles the clutch would just fall to the floor. took back to the shop they supposedly changed the master cylinder but looked and it wasn't changed BUT the clutch felt ok grabbed hard. well after i drove it back to my house, maybe 15 min drive the clutch would start slipping, it eventually got so bad i literally couldn't drive it without the rpms just getting thrown. Well i let it sit for about 2 hours started it up and drove it a little bit, clutch grabbed amazing for about 10 mins then started slipping again....... so when it gets hot the clutch will start to slip then the pedal changes pressure. It went from being good pressure begin able to push it to the floor to having about 3 inchs of pressure and cant push the clutch all the way down. confused, very, help me, PLEASE. about to get a brand new master cylinder and put it in, hard to do?

 

[jrohner]

Your clutch is adjusted wrong, making it pump up. Go watch the proper clutch adjustment video on jackstransmissions.com before you burn up your clutch.

 

[eclips3_xs]

Yeh its one of the damm Act clutches. I have this problem for a while. My clutch keeps engaging like .25 of the ground w/e as long as it drive right. Now after a while of driving it gets loose and the gears wont go in. So i decided to change the master cylinder and slave. I changed them both now i got a problem the clutch wont bleed its like my master wont pressure the fluid i dost have pressure to push the fluid to the slave. what can be my prob. ok thanks for your help.

 

[99GST83]

I has the exact same problem. Check your clutch pedal adjustment. When you re-attached your pedal, did you spin the adjustment all the way up? I did that, and I had to back mine off about an inch. Then i re-bled my system, and works great. The pic on the next post is what i am talking about. The circled part. Try backing that off a little bit.

After every 2 or 3 bleeds, refill your reservoir or you will be sucking air back into the line...

 

[99GST83]

Look at this and back off what is circled.... dont know the technical term for it besides the "adjuster"

 

[wwarlock]

I am not sure how to explain it but I had to replace my clutch master cylinder about a year ago and I had to leave the bleed screw open and pump it several times to get it re-feed the master cylinder. I am guessing, because I was also having the same problem. What I did fixed the problem. But I am not sure if it was just dumb luck.

 

[DSM1G90]

There's a bleeder valve on that rod in the master cylinder, and if the clutch isn't adjusted correctly the bleeder valve will not allow fluid to run back from the slave to the master to keep the system balanced being Mitz clutch assemblies are the 'auto adjust' type.

 

[ilco187]

did you try and bleed it with the cap off the M/C and submerge the S/C bleeder with a hose in a fluid filled bottle it will keep air out and be easier.

 

[eclips3_xs]

yEH THANKS GUYS SEEMS THAT MIGHT BE MY PROBLEM. IM GOING TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING. IM PROBABLY GOING TO GET IT DONE HEHEE. DON'T WANT SPENT MY FREE TIME GETTING DIRTY.

 

[MrCotinTail]

You should always bench bleed all master cyl. of any kind first. be sure to have all the air out then you wont be figthing it in the end. Just clamp it in a vise and set up you resavor and push the pump with a screw driver or somthing.

 

[dustint265]

soooo i adjusted the clutch and everythings all good now cept wont start..

 

[Trav83]

first off I apologize if this has been covered before but I couldn't find the same specific problem I was having through 'search'.

I had a couple of friends I know install my SS clutch line today, it worked great all day but then on my way home tonight I was having to mash the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor just to be able to shift gears, and it also has a spongy feeling to it, any ideas guys?

 

[myturbo]

it sounds like you have a leek .letting air in the line.

try tighting all the lines up and bleeding it

 

[mattdev]

Try bleeding again. And if you did a FULL slave to master kit you will have to adjust the master cylinder. If it was the full line, it deletes that restrictor for lack of a better word... (mainly bc I can't remember what it's called, near the fuse box)

Edit: Accumilator! (thx)

 

[bagged420a]

+1, sounds like you/they did not bleed it well(if at all) when you/they put the new lines on