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Clutch Engagement Help

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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 10:07 AM
  #1  
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Default Clutch Engagement Help

I just got finished putting in a new master, slave, throwout and pilot bearings, remote bleeder, and a spec 2+ clutch. Now that it is all buttoned up, the car starts and the clutch seems to be disengaged with my foot all the way to floor. The pedal pressure feels extremely stiff. More importantly the car has a tough time getting into gear. The engagement point starts 1/2 inch off the ground. Any thoughts? Still air in the system? What's goin on here?
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 11:44 AM
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air still in system or too much gap from slave to pp?
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 12:28 PM
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I think my remote bleeder is leaking where it meets the slave. Is it possible to tighten this without having to take the whole driveline out? I really don't want to do this again.
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 04:42 PM
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Can u see fluid leaking from the inspection cover? Is the resevoir losing fluid? I doubt it's air or your pedal would be soft. I suspect the slave needs to be shimmed. If you can, jack it up and remove the inspection cover and have a buddy pump the clutch while you watch the slave. That should help you zero in on the problem. Either way if it's an issue with the slave you'll need to drop the driveline to fix it. Good luck with it... Is it an LAPD bleeder???
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 05:20 PM
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It's a LAPD Bleeder. It seems that the bleed screw up top leaks unless really torqued down. The bottom one was leaking where it met the slave, i just pulled it down and there was clutch fluid. Should I shim it anyways or should it just be ok with it. Is there anything wrong with shimming it either way?
Thanks
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 06:07 PM
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Sounds like your clutch isn't 100% disengaged with the pedal to the floor. This would make it difficult to shift into gear and would also make the clutch "engage" very close to the floor. You're just not getting enough pressure when you push the pedal, likely due to a leak or due to air in the system (air will compress unlike the hydraulic fluid). What makes you think you have a leak? If you've got fluid draining out then that would be obvious I suppose, heh.

As far as tightening the bleeder where it attaches to the slave....good luck. I don't see how you could get anything in there to tighten it without pulling the torque tube off of the bellhousing. You can't really do THAT without removing the rear subframe and such...not fun. Sorry I'd be REALLY sure you have a leak before you take that step, that's a lot of work.

If there is no obvious leak, then I would work on bleeding the crap out of the clutch.

Dope
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 10:29 PM
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Alright guys, I have took the car down again because I found a leak where the speed bleeder hit the slave. So that is twice in a week jeez. I have about an hour or two of work tomorrow to finish it up so I keep you posted.
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 10:33 PM
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If it is in fact leaking at the slave you'll have to pull the driveline and address that issue. Did you place the crush washer between the fitting am slave when you installed it? FYI I encountered issues with the speed bleeder that LAPD includes with the line. It seemed to pull air in around the threads. I was stumped... I decided to remove the bleeder, drill out the ball bearing in it, cleaning the Teflon on it off and reinstalling with Teflon tape. I then pressure bled it from the reservoir using a motive power bleeder. I would give that a shot for sure if you can't see fluid leaking from the slave.
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 11:17 PM
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Yes I have a question about the LAPD bleeder screw. I just reinstalled the bleeder and it was loose. The speed bleeder on the end of the engine compartment seems to leak. After a few clutch pumps it seemed to let clutch fluid leak out.
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Old Apr 24, 2009 | 04:01 PM
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Sometimes if you work the bleeder open & closed several times with force you can get the 2 surfaces to mate & seal. I bet before this is over the 2+ comes out.
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Old Apr 25, 2009 | 09:50 AM
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Ok guys it is all back together and the car drives. Two questions, what didn't you like about the 2+. Is there something wrong with this clutch? Secondly, the bleeder screw that sits in the engine compartment for the LAPD bleeder seems to leak fluid. This is when it is very tight and has teflon plumbers tape on it. When I press the clutch pedal I can see the line move under the pressure, but there is some leakage that I know will cause problems in the future. Advice?
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Old Apr 25, 2009 | 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted by SearayC5
Ok guys it is all back together and the car drives. Two questions, what didn't you like about the 2+. Is there something wrong with this clutch? Secondly, the bleeder screw that sits in the engine compartment for the LAPD bleeder seems to leak fluid. This is when it is very tight and has teflon plumbers tape on it. When I press the clutch pedal I can see the line move under the pressure, but there is some leakage that I know will cause problems in the future. Advice?
The bleeder should not have tape on it - they are designed to seal with an "interference fit" between the angles of the male end on the bleeder and the female receptor in the line fitting. Remove the tape and tighten the bleeder - it should not leak and if it does you have an issue.

Also, did the adapter that replaced the factory bleeder on the slave use a washer? These will never seal as well as the design that use the interference fit adapter.
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Old Apr 25, 2009 | 01:02 PM
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It had a washer that connected to the slave, the had the interference recepter connected to that. The only reason I added the tape was becuase the bleeder was leaking up top with out it. I have it tight to the point where it will turn anymore, but there is still some fluid around the fitting after shifting for a little bit.

It is also did not seal on the slave earlier because it was not tight enough and while I was installing it, it came loose. This time I kept checking it the whole way in and it was rock solid.
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Old Apr 26, 2009 | 07:03 PM
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Hi, call me if you still have problems and I will help you through it. Our
C5 & C6 remote speed bleeders our designed just like there's. The reason it keeps coming loose at the slave is because you dont have the 45 degree fitting pointing in the right direction, once you tighten it down very good you cant try to swivel it or it will loosen, its not a swivel seal fitting. On the speed bleeder leak, take off the tape and use a little thread sealer on the threads only, you must tighten this fitting down completely or it will leak.

Hope this helps, we sell dozens of these type of bleeders every week without any problems.

Thanks
Mike Yeager
1-864-404-1776
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Old Apr 28, 2009 | 05:24 PM
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Default spec clutch

My son is having the same problem but he doesn't have a speed bleeder. Does your car shift ok now after you got evrything sall buttoned up?
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Old Apr 28, 2009 | 08:59 PM
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Yes the car shifts like butter. I tightened the speed bleeder down and it was the source of the leak. The speed bleeding screw up top has also stopped leaking. Make sure you do a shifter adjustment before hand.
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 06:11 AM
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Default clutch problem

Did you install the shim behind the t-bearing?
thanks
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 09:06 AM
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I have a similar symptom. Everything seems ok as far as shifting and going into gear. The problem I see is the clutch engages soon after you release the pedal off the floor. I cant see any leaks anywhere, and I thought I had the air out of it.

As far as a shim behind the throw out bearing... I had no idea about this. I bought a Stage 3 Monster from East Coast Performance and never heard anything about a shim, nor was there one included in the box, nor did it mention that in the instruction sheet......

I'm gonna be pissed if I have to do this all over again!!
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