Hydraulic Clutch Woes...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Murfreesboro TN
Hydraulic Clutch Woes...
Ok, I bought my 1992 last week. I bought it from a dealer but was able to talk to the previous owner afterwards. He said that is the last year or so the car has gone through 6 - 7 each of the master and slave cylinders. He said it had been replaced by GM. He also said that the clutch was replaced too while he had it. I am not for sure of when that was done and whether or not it was done before or during the slave and master cylinder problems.
What it's doing now:
I lost ability to use clutch at all Monday. Drove home with no clutch and put brake fluid into clutch master cylinder. Played with clutch a little and noticed a bunch of bubbles coming out of little drain at the bottom of reservoir. After that cluth worked fine for a day or two. Now the pedal is real loose and I have to pump the clutch to get it to build pressure and have noticed a leak inside driver compartment.
My main question is, why would it go through so many slave and master cylinders? What is happening to it to cause them to go out. What does it mean that it is leaking inside of compartment.
I am pretty new to Corvettes so please help me out.
Thanks,
Josh
What it's doing now:
I lost ability to use clutch at all Monday. Drove home with no clutch and put brake fluid into clutch master cylinder. Played with clutch a little and noticed a bunch of bubbles coming out of little drain at the bottom of reservoir. After that cluth worked fine for a day or two. Now the pedal is real loose and I have to pump the clutch to get it to build pressure and have noticed a leak inside driver compartment.
My main question is, why would it go through so many slave and master cylinders? What is happening to it to cause them to go out. What does it mean that it is leaking inside of compartment.
I am pretty new to Corvettes so please help me out.
Thanks,
Josh
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
While possible, I find it suspicious that 6 master slave pairs have been replaced recently. It sounds like the real problem hasn't been found yet! There is a hydraulic hose between the master and slave and this can have a leak. I personally have returned two rebuilt master brake cylinders due to leakdown and finally fixed it with a new master! If you have to go through another clutch master/slave, buy new ones and also replace the hydraulic hose!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Murfreesboro TN
What is the best brand to go with? Could this have anything to do with the clutch install being done improperly? My buddy said it's possible that it could be the throw out bearing having too much friction and causing the hydraulic parts to be over working. He said he has no idea since he hasn't disected anything of this nature (yet).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 8,683
Likes: 6
From: Phoenix AZ
Give Bill B at www.zfdoc.com a call, he's been working on making the clutch hydolic system a little more reliable...but there was a big batch of bad slave cylinders not too long ago, so you may have just got quite a few of those...
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 456
Likes: 3
From: Sumner Texas
jfb mentioned the hose. It is a source of problems because it is positioned right next to one of the light off cats so it deals with a bunch of heat. If it is leaking, don't look for a new one, remove the assembly and find a hydraulic hose shop. They will reuse the metal lines and replace the rubber portion.
When you take it to them make sure you tell them that it sets right next to one of the converters and to use the highest temp material that they can get.
Henceforth flush the clutch system often, at least annually, to help prevent corrosion, thus failure.
Good luck and Merry Christmas,
When you take it to them make sure you tell them that it sets right next to one of the converters and to use the highest temp material that they can get.
Henceforth flush the clutch system often, at least annually, to help prevent corrosion, thus failure.
Good luck and Merry Christmas,
