Goldfinger911

iTrader: (24)

I was wondering if anyone else has this behavior. I have a T56 with 25k miles on it, and a Cartek clutch with 8000 miles on it. The clutch seems to engage and disengage fine while driving. I have almost no freeplay. However when I sitting still idling at around 900rpm, and I push in the clutch and put it in 1st gear, the tranny makes a slight clunk, almost as if the clutch is slightly engaged?, or maybe when I put it in 1st, something in the tranny is starting to spin?

I have a Moser rearend, a 4.10 with a Detroit locker.

Also, sometimes during decel, I push in the clutch while slowing to a stop and the car jerks like the clutch is still slightly engaged?

Could this mean I need to bleed the clutch? I have no fluid on the ground or leaking anywhere. My fluid level is fine.

Anyone? Thanks in advance.

-GF

KCRickSS

I'd be interested to hear what folks think about this too. If you pump the clutch pedal does it act better? Mine has been doing this lately too and I can pump the pedal and get things working. I'm sure my problem is with the hyrdolics since pumping the pedal "fixes" it.

I've got an LS7 clutch that has been great for the past year (about 8-10K). The clutch has never slipped and still doesn't. Over the past few weeks its been cooler in the AM and my clutch has been doing the same thing but under weird conditions:

• ONLY on cool mornings after the car has sat all night. However the car sits all night in the garage and it's pretty cozy in there even when cool out.
• I'll drive it for as little as 10-20 minutes and the car will behave badly the entire time. BUT when I drive it later on the same day - could be 4-8 hours later - it acts fine with no problem at all. Even if it is still cool out.

I've flushed some dark fluid out recently with DOT 4 but that only fixed it temporarily (like a day or two).

It seem like air in the system would be a problem all the time, not just cold mornings. I assume the same if it was a leak - seems like once the fluid level gets low it would stay low. I also don't see a leak or lower level of fluid so I don't think that's the problem.

Not trying to hijack your thread...but if anyone knows why the cool weather would do this ONLY in the AM for me please chime in.

ChicagoTransAm

You need to install new hydraulics....

KCRickSS

I should have mentioned this before but everything has been replaced once already. The hydraulics on mine (01+ stuff - master, slave, and the drill mod) have only about 20K on them and the LS7 only has 8-10K. I didn't replace them again with the LS7 install because I thought they were relatively "new" in terms of mileage. I might have to go that route and start with the master but I'm dreading the idea of the slave being bad.

And I'm still not understanding why it happens under these circumstances...wouldn't it be a constant problem if the slave or master are "bad"?

Goldfinger911

iTrader: (24)

Mine does not vary with time or temp of the day. It is a minor sound when I put it in 1st. I am going to try bleeding and double checking my freeplay adjustment. I am thinking that the stiffer Cartek clutch is not liking air in the system. I will report back when done. I am going to put the rear wheels in the air and see if they spin when I put it in first.

nighthawk15

Mine makes a slight clunk going into 1st at times. It did it with my old clutch and it does it with my new one also. If it's just a mild clunk I wouldn't worry about it.

styoung

iTrader: (4)

your clutch might be dragging a bit, bleed the hyd. and it should help.

thesource

iTrader: (60)

Yeah your clutch is dragging and is probably a hydraulics issue and needs to be bled some more .

KCRickSS

Well...I tried mine this AM again and still had the problem. Not very cool out today so I think that may not be part of it (still not sure). I mityvac'd it and couldn't draw up a single tiny bubble so I guess it is time to start messing with the master.

Does anyone know of someone selling prebled 01+ master WITH the drill mod already done? That would make things much easier.

Goldfinger911

iTrader: (24)

Wow. I bought a MityVac and followed the instructions here:

http://performanceworks1.com/ls1_clutch_bleeding.htm

Just after two bubbles coming to the top, the clutchs feel different. And my problem is gone. The secret is pumping the pedal SLOWLY when the vaccum is applied. The release the pressure. And repeat. It took be 4 times until I saw bubbles. So far I have repeated it 8 times, and 4 big bubbles caneout. They have stopped now and the clutch feels great.

Autozone, best $29.95 I have spent on the car yet. Ahahaha.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I highly recommend having a MityVac in your toolbox.

-GF

T-56SLPSS

The cool weather will pull moisture into your resivor. Check the boot that sets inside the resivor, it more than likely has a bad spot in it and is not sealing air tight. If your fluid is really black there is most likely water in the system. Try bleeding the system and replacing that boot and that should help for those cold morning clunks.

KCRickSS

That's a new tip - thanks! I HAVE had black fluid lately and "flushed" it with DOT 4.

Last night I tried to Mityvac one more time (12 lbs. max) and things were worse this AM than ever...even though I got ZERO bubbles out of it. So it seems like the Master replacement is a good place to start. The weird thing is it was fine again after I drove at lunch...just a problem after the car sits. And it wasn't cool today at all, so I think it has more to do with the car sitting all night (air rising?).

Based on all that I went ahead and ordered a new Master which includes the resevior too. At one point a while ago I had mistakenly used the Mityvac up to 20+ lbs. which was probably too much pressure. I figure I will go ahead and replace the entire Master in case the seals got messed up and are now slipping a little.

I'm very hopeful its not the slave...that will suck if I have to crack the tranny again.

Thanks for the tip!

ChicagoTransAm

So in addition to this problem, I have also noticed that (of courrrse this was on a closed course).... I had my car up to about 135 the other night and again last night. Everything gets ... for a lack of a better term..."Mushy". Feels like I am rowing gears through mud.

Again, I have a brand new hydraulic setup, new SPEC Stage IV, and full rebuild on the trans....

styoung

iTrader: (4)

the more you beat on you car, so to speak, the more often you need to bleed you system, when im done bleeding mine the clutch is very soft but very responsive, a day later it gets hard, i also have a carteck clutch. i bleed mine like once a month if not more. just keep an eye on your fluid, wrap your line with heat wrap and bleedd when needed. hope this helps you out man.

ChicagoTransAm

Thanks for the heads up. Now, this power bleeder "system" dealio... Anyone have a procedure written up? I know how to bleed my brakes, but never bled a slave/master for the clutch.