MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

i already tried a search on this and couldnt come up with much so heres the situation my car (97 LT1 T56) is in SC im in FL, my dad is doing my clutch install for me and he is having problems with getting the clutch master out. he cant seem to get the master positioned right to be able to get the pin out on the master and i was wondering if any of you guys have had this problem and what you had to do to get this thing out. i really wish i could be there and do this myself but im having to do my best to help over the phone. any help would be greatly appreciated.

locodave46

Hi, Is he trying to get the master disconnected from the slave? Push the outer ring in & the quick connect just pulls back. Releasing the hose from the master, at the slave by the trans. The pin your talking about. That the small one where the metal flex hose goes into the master? You leave that pin alone. On taking the master out. You disconnect it from the slave 1st. ( Quick connect. ) Under the inside driver side. You have a circle clip holding the masters rod onto the clutch petal pin. The clip has a kinda like a locking lid that keeps it from poping off the shaft. Pull the lid up with a small screwdriver, or fingernail. Then just pull up on the C clip to remove it. Pay attention on the plastic washer right behind the C clip. One side has a recess & other side dosen't for replacing it. Pull the masters O end off the pin & watch your head. That petal has a spring & 1st time I took off the masters end from the pin. The petal whacked me in the head. So ya know. 2 nuts to take off inside on the U bolt. Unless your going to replace the master, leave it in by the by. They are a pita to put back in by yourself. Had to add this. Now under the hood, take the plastic push part that holds the resivour onto the bracket. Snake the thing around the booster, under it. Now have him grab the U bolt to work the master out. You have room under the booster to get it out that way. Hope this helps. Fun one is getting it back in, lining up the bolt holes. You really need 2 ppl. One inside looking & other one being talked to on what way to twist it. Think I lined up the top hole 1st & twisted to get the bottom hole lined up. Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

thanks dave maybe this will help him i will send it to him. just to catch you up on some details i left out. the trans is already out and the old hydraulics are what is still in they need to come out for the new hydraulics we got. this is all kinda hard not being there to see exactly what he is describing but i also was wondering is there and difference on my LT1 hydraulics compared to the LS1? i know i have a pull type and LS1s have a push type setup. is your car and LS1 or are these tips you gave me for a LT1 car?

sorry for all the ?s

locodave46

Hi, Know what? My sons is a 2001. I apolagize. I'll see if I can come up with something for a 97. I came up with this from AutoZones sight. Might help. -> http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm & more specific on the 96-98 -> http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

no problem i think the master may be the same but the slave setup may be different.

locodave46

Hi, In this sight I found a post with pics. Maybe your dad can see them & if the same setup. https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-transmission/693743-clutch-master-slave-need-help.html Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

ill send it to him. thanks again man

locodave46

Hi, Anytime. I do the same stuff for my 25 & 27 year old sons. Learned to roap them in on helping. I'm 53 & thru the years worked on many of their cars & mine. Many klunkers, nicer ones thru the years. Never ending. Lol. Just hope they learn & some of it sticks when we do it. Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

ok so i got a little more info today from my dad the specific problem he is having is the pin that holds the master to the pedal. all the info we have gotten makes it sound like this pin should just come out. but according to my dad it is pretty jammed in there. do you guys have any help with how to get this stubborn pin out. he is so frustrated with it he is about to just keep the old one in there and give up on removing it at all.

i apreaciate the all the help so far. just thought i would let you guys knows some more of the details of the problem.

locodave46

Hi, If it's the same as the sons 2001. The pin stays on the arm. Does he see the clip on the end, looking up, the clip would be facing the outside of the car. Once the lip is pulled up over the pins edge. Use a small screwdriver between the U part of the clip to pry it up against the pins shaft. Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

i will call him and ask about that thanks again maybe i can get him on here so he can post direct instead of me having to explain.

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

he wants to know "how do you get rod off of the pin on the clutch pedal and do you push the pedal down to make it easier to get the rod off?"

locodave46

Hi, Wife took me shopping yesterday. Yuk! I did depress the clutch petal a bit to access the clip better. When the petal is fully released, the clip & pin are burried in that pocket. 1/4 or Half way down or so with the petal gets the clip off. I let the petal in full release when I tryed getting the masters end off the pin. I used a large flat end screwdriver between the masters arm at the O end and side of the clutch petal by the pin. Twisted the blade & rocked it. It came off & know what he's talking about on it ain't easy. Thats when the petal whapped me in the head when it came loose. lol. Dave

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

just got off the phone with my dad and he was wondering how do you get the u bolt out? he has the 2 nuts off the u bolt but the lock washers are underneath a bracket that covers where the u bolt goes through the firewall and from how he was describing it the bracket also holds some sort of switch. he wants to know how to go about getting the bracket out of the way so he can remove the lock washers?

he told me to thank you dave. he looked at the link of this thread i sent him and some of the stuff began to make sense.

locodave46

Hi, The thin metal bracket behind the nuts is just left alone. I didn't have to remove it. I don't remember any lock washers between the bracket & car body on the sons car. The bracket does hinder yanking out the U bolt. Catches on the threads. Tap it thru from the inside? Or just push up on the bracket & the U should come right out. I just yanked on it from under the hood. And you have to deal with it on putting it back in too. Took both my son & I to put the master back in. Lining up the masters bolts thru the bracket & car body holes. And let him know when he puts the master back in, he needs the U bolt in the master to be able to grab onto something for twisting & holding. Scroll up here to post #6. Then on the link, scroll down to the 3rd pic down in the post #13. Thats the bracket inside the car he's having "Fun" with. See in the pic how it twists a bit to catch the threads on the right? Dave

locodave46

Hi, Found this in this sight on bleeding the slave. Very good write up. Hope it helps your Dad.
To bleed the LT1 slave you need to install it in the car, after you've yelled multiple profanities for an hour to get the U bolt through the firewall and everything is tightened up you leave the slave loose.
Go get your wife/girlfriend/buddy/neighbor... whoever doesn't hate you yet. Remove the rubber diaphragm from the reservoir. Hold the slave vertical with the pushrod facing down and depress the pushrod, hold, have the helper replace the diaphragm then release the pushrod on the slave. Tell helper you appreciate their assistance, notify them they are not done.
Now hold the slave vertical and depress the pushrod repeatedly. Have your helper watch for air bubbles. Keep a container of brake fluid available to add to the reservoir and make sure you explain to helper that it needs filled if it goes below this line on the side of the reservoir. Keep your head away from the firewall to keep your helper from spilling brake fluid in your face. Do not get agitated when helper spills brake fluid in your face.
When you think you have it bled, bolt it to the bellhousing, check the clutch pedal, curse a couple times and unbolt it from the bellhousing and depress the pushrod more times to try to work the rest of the air out. Do not get agitated when your helper complains they've been leaning over the fender for too long and their back hurts or that their hands are dirty. Do not complain to helper your arms are tired, you've been out there three times as long to get everything installed and you have a raw spot on your hand from pushing aforementioned pushrod, they will say you are trivializing their discomfort and be insulted. Repeat as many times as necessary. I believe last time took about an hour with a friend. Thank your helper, spend the next week trying to make them not hate you.

Keep in mind it would be in your best interest to not use any helper that is female if at all possible.


In theory you can bench bleed them, but I've never had any luck, always manage to spill the fluid while installing it in the car.

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

thanks dave i sent it to him im sure it will help.

MadMike 97 Z28

iTrader: (3)

ITS FINALLY OUT!!!!

hey dave does your clutch pedal have a spring return on it? because my dad says that when he got the master cylinder out that he didnt see one on my pedal and it swang freely.

Dad says THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!! he really appreciated the help.