prokilllsx

I'm really hoping a Mityvac will fix this issue but don't want to try anything til you all weigh in. I'm trying to get my brother's 00 T/A ready for his return from Iraq. He has only seen it in pictures as I picked it up for him a few weeks ago. I rode a greyhound 600 miles to get to it and when there the seller tells me it just started making this noise "today". Anyway, with clutch pushed in you hear a rattle/ rumbling. Shifting up or down into gears also results in the noise. Also happens with the trans out of gear and clutch pushed in and held there for a few seconds. I tell him to take me for a drive. Sure enough, every time he clutches it grumbles and grinds going into first, second, and third. Worse in first and second. He stops at a gas station and I check the reservoir. Empty. Bone dry almost. I send him in to buy brake fluid and fill it up, pump the pedal several times and then I drive it. The issue seemed slightly better. Kinda hit or miss except if holding the clutch in for longer than a couple seconds. So I was guessing air in the system. Called my LS1 guy back in Ohio and he says I might not get the car home from Missouri. I decide to brave it versus patronizing greyhound bus lines ever ever ever again! Hit or miss getting to highway. After I drove it about a hundred and fifty miles at 65mph I peeled off for gas just off the highway. NO ISSUES! Another 300 miles and I stop for gas again. After fill up it barely did it as I went into first with just a little bit of grind. I finish off the drive with no further problems and even stopped one street over from home just to test the clutch. Rolled it up to about 20, punched it, ran it up to six thousand and nailed second gear. Car slightly sideways, grabs traction, and I'm out of it by 65 mph. Perfect. Next day, starter is dead. Sent to mechanic who replaced the starter. I told him the story and he said don't worry about it or bleeding the slave cuz it shifts fine. This is not my LS1 mechanic btw. When I picked the car up I noticed the clutch was engaging around one third of the way down which was much better than the first inch of travel that I had experienced for the 600 mile trip and sure enough it drove perfect the whole 3 miles home. Note- the car was cold when I picked it up from the mechanic and it was at operating temperature when I picked it up from the seller. Now, I took it on a 17 mile round trip the other day. Cold, no issues. Got where I was going with lots of city traffic. Clutch pedal started out engaging at one third depression and as I headed back home I noticed it moving more towards the first inch of depression. Sure enough 3 miles to go the sound comes back. Every clutch depression, even out of gear if clutch was depressed. Hard to get into first, second and third. Maybe some noise with fourth too. So it does it when it heats up but not cold. I have had the car on two other very short trips with car at op. temp but with no issues. Not many shifts involved there though. I was told the slave was upgraded to an 01 and with 128,000 miles I'm guessing someone was putting a new clutch in it at the time. The car IS NOT visibly losing fluid. The level in the reservoir has not dropped since I filled it in Missouri, 700 miles ago and there are no puddles on my garage floor. The bellhousing opening is dry. BUT... the fluid in the reservoir is now black. My brother left Iraq two days ago and is catching a plane out of Kuwait right about now. He will be home in Texas in a couple of days or so and here to pick up his car in a month or two. It is his money I am spending and I just want his car to be right when he gets here. I'm asking you all because I don't want to be jerked around and start throwing parts at it. He has shipped me headers, cats, cat back, O2's and a bunch of other stuff to have installed. I also plan on having a tune up and tune done before he gets here but as you probably can figure, need to get this issue taken care of first. Sorry for the lengthy post. Your advice will be appreciated by myself and a US army veteran! Thanks.

prokilllsx

I read somewhere that one of the lines runs close to the collector maybe? I don't know if this could intensify and air in the lines problem or not?

prokilllsx

Oh, btw, the clutch pedal actually feels good and is moderately stiff. I blew a slave in a formula I had so I know the cushy feeling and how they sometimes fail to return to the top. None of those issues are present here.

prokilllsx

Any ideas?? I hate to even touch the car without some guidance since it's not mine. Please chime in.

prokilllsx

Hello? Someone please chime in.

bongva

iTrader: (7)

I was having similar problems. save yourself the headache and time.... drop the tranny, get a new slave and get the tick master cylinder. just do it once. hate to be a douche to you. but its the truth.

prokilllsx

I appreciate your advice. You aren't being a douche either. Blunt is ok.

prokilllsx

Update: Before yesterday I had bled the hydraulics about 4 times with a mityvac and each time the problem got better but refused to go away completely. It was still acting like the sychronizers for second and sometimes third gear were going out once it was warmed up or after mild to moderate throttle in a lower gear. Yesterday I modified my bleed technique and pulled out at least four huge bubbles, each taking up two to three inches of the tubing. I cycled things thru and continued the process until not getting any air at all the last two bleeds. Today I tested it. Took it on a 130 mile round trip today with lots of traffic, shifting, curves and a couple eighty percent throttle runs to 65mph. Perfect! Not a hint of the past issues. I just wasn't bleeding it right. Don't be so quick to throw out the old parts, maybe just swapping some air for some brake fluid will do it.