1bad2k2ta

iTrader: (3)

First a little background. Basically all the mods in my sig went in about 2 mos ago. I had a new McLeod adj master cylinder and RAM 402 clutch with billet flywheel and 910 sintered iron disc. This is not a good disc for the street, it only lasted for the 1800 mile engine break-in period. All the pucks were worn flat and the billet flywheel has a 2" wide circular groove about 1/16" - 3/32" deep. Don't know if the flywheel can be salvaged and resurfaced to that depth or not. Anybody know? Anyway, bought and installed new Aussie clutch package (flywheel, pressure plate, disc, and slave) and still use the McLeod master. Well it let up pretty close to the floor and was fully engaged within about 2" leaving a lot of extra pedal that didn't do anything. Drove it around for a total of a couple of hours of bed-in time then took it to the track to get some jollys with the new s/c, etc., made about 14-15 passes in about 1 hour 20 min (almost back to back) and on the last run it was shifting bad, I missed 2nd and 4th, so I called it a night. The clutch seemed to be dragging and was almost like no clutch at all, really had to fight it to get it in gears and had a little grinding going on occasionally. Had to pump it several times to get in 1st at a stop and it began engaging immediately off the floor. Took it back to installer who said I probably boiled the hydraulic fluid and got air in it, the fluid was dark like has been described in other places on this forum. He removed the master, etc. and cleaned it all out and bench bled it and even tried adjusting the master, and it is a little better, but it still starts engaging about 1/2" off the floor, but pedal now has tension all the way to the top and begins disengaging about 1" or so from the top. Still seems to be holding good. Anybody experienced this with the Aussie, or any other clutch? Can anything be done? From the time it starts to engage to full engagement is a long travel and if you don't get it all the way to the floor it is still hard to shift. Is there something else wrong? Sorry so long, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

SSnakekiller

iTrader: (8)

Yeah something is not right. I originally had a Mcleod mc and Ram clutch and when I did the Textralia clutch they recommended using a stock master cylinder. Well, I took the Mcleod out and used a stock mc and was having your same probs. Then after bench bleeding the stocker twice and having no luck I bench bled the Mcleod and then put that back in the car and it works great. Engages right in the middle of the travel.

It was starting to engage RIGHT off the floor like you said when i was using the stock mc.

In your case, try this...
Once you know the Mcleod is fully bench bled (VERY IMPORTANT), hook it up. Pump the pedal 10 times then hold it down. Crack open the bleeder on the slave for as short of a time as possible. Try to crack it open and then immediately close it as soon as you can switch the wrench to reverse direction. Then SLOWLY let the pedal out. Pump it until it feels firm and then crack open the slave again. Do this a few times. Bleeding the slave is pretty important too.

That is what worked for me. Even after fully bench bleeding the MC, I still had to let some air out of the slave. After I did that, it engaged too high! It was completely opposite of when I started. Works great now.

Textralia

Hi Bad....this Jeff with Textralia. You drove it for 2 hours to bed it in then you took it to the drag strip and hot lapped it with 14 or 15 passes? Not the way to break in a new clutch system at all. You did boil the fluid of course .
The new clutch disk isnt even close to being bedded in.
please give Pete a call 214 774 2408 in Australia. Call him at 5pm your time.
Regards Jeff

1bad2k2ta

iTrader: (3)

Jeff, it seemed like a pretty brief period to me too, but I called the 800 number before I purchased and was told that it needed very little bed-in time. That if you installed it and went straight to the dyno it would probably slip, but to drive it a bit first and it would hold, then after that drive it in town a couple of hours and it was probably good to go. Straight from the horses mouth, I did it just like that. How much bed-in time does it need, because after spending that much money, I would like it to last longer than my RAM did (which only saw 1800 miles and no track time).

SSnakekiller: Thanks for the info, I will give this a try.

Thanks

SSnakekiller

iTrader: (8)

Yeah I heard this too...that it required very little break-in...
but I went ahead and put 300-400 miles on mine before getting on it hard...

Textralia

Hi 1Bad....You have hydraulic issues...just bleed the heck out of it ,and you should be good to go.
Regards Wash

1bad2k2ta

iTrader: (3)

I have ruled out air in the system as an issue as it has already been bench bled and the slave was bled as well. When you have air in the system, you can pump it, and it will get better, even if only temporarily. Mine doesn't get better. I have a McLeod master cylinder. I talked with their tech support yesterday and it is their opinion that when I made so many near back to back runs, I boiled the hydraulic fluid and damaged the rubber internals in the m/c allowing fluid to pass by the seals. A tell-tale sign is the dark color of the fluid. I ordered a rebuild kit and once that is installed I will report back as to whether it fixed the problem or not. Right now it begins engaging very close to the floor, has a long travel range to complete engagement, and it is very hard to get it into the gears, especially downshifting; it grinds more often than not. I am not going to drive it any more than absolutely necessary until I get the m/c rebuilt. It is not my daily driver so this is not a problem, but I am concerned I may damage the synchronizers or some other internal tranny part.

GoatChs

iTrader: (8)

Did the MC rebuild fix the issue??

SSblack98

iTrader: (8)

[QUOTE=1bad2k2ta]made about 14-15 passes in about 1 hour 20 min /QUOTE]

Probably had to rebuild the trans after that foolishness!!! No offense but why would you drag race your car if it engages right off the floor much less hot lap the freakin thing!

1bad2k2ta

iTrader: (3)

GoatChs: I have not rebuilt the McLeod yet, went ahead and reinstalled the stock master; didn't help. Will soon be reinstalling the stock slave/throw-out.

SSblack98: The tranny is fine. The clutch was fine until the last 2 runs. It didn't start engaging just off the floor until after the last run, so I called it quits, or I probably would have continued. I hot lapped it because there were very few people there and I was trying to find the best launch technique, and I wanted to see at what point the intercoolers would become heat-soaked. Even after all those runs, I only lost .5 psi, so it was just beginning to get heat-soaked, all other temps were normal. I was also told by Pete from Textralia that once I bedded it in with a couple of hours of in-town driving, it was good to go. I actually drove it around for about 6 hours.

GoatChs

iTrader: (8)

Betting it is the seals in the slave as well.

1bad2k2ta

iTrader: (3)

For anyone who is interested:

Went from McLeod adj master back to stock, bench bled, etc., no go
replaced Textralia slave with the stock one, rebled, etc., no go
Ultimately it was a warped pressure plate.
Can't say enough about the service I received from Pete and Jeff. First rate.
I paid extra and got the new billet flywheel and new disc, as well as a replacement pressure plate. Original disc was not complete broken in, so reinstalled it and keeping the new one for a spare.
Clutch works great and engages/disengages just like stock.

So any of you guys having problems with the clutch engaging right at the floor, once you have determined it is not the master cylinder, you should check the slave, but if it is bad, it will spit hydraulic fluid; no fluid, slave is good. Check the tines on the pressure plate, if they are not all at the same level, disc will drag, and pressure plate is bad.

By the way, check out the new numbers in my sig.
Still have a custom 3" QTP cutout y to install. Once I uncap those babies, I will have reached my 650 rwhp goal. New goal 700 rwhp on 109 octane.

dame

iTrader: (3)

i think i just found a clutch to put behind my bottlefed 408