I have had the car on the road now for a little over a week and everything had been working fine. I am using the LS-7 Clutch/Flywheel set up in the 4th Gen F-body LS-1/T56.
I took the car out with my wife on Saturday afternoon and we stopped at a place for a beer. The car behaved totally normal on the way out. When we got back in the car to go home I suddenly could not get the car in gear. With the car shut off I could put it in gear no problem. I ended up starting the car in gear with the clutch depressed and the car would roll slightly and start and then I would try to shift without the clutch. About 2 minutes into the ride, the clutch started operating again although it felt like it was barely disengaging. The clutch worked normally for the rest of the 10 minute ride home.
The next day I inspected the whole system and saw no leaks and the level in the reservoir hadn't moved. I then started the car and the clutch acted normal. Figuring it couldn't hurt to bleed the clutch, I gathered the tools needed and planned to go over my buddys house. When I jumped back in the car again the clutch wouldn't disengage again. My buddy came over to my house and we bled the clutch in my driveway, but nothing changed.
Since the clutch master is the one from the donor car, I assumed it must have failed internally so I ordered a new one and started removing the old one. This is where I got confused. I disconnected the line going to the slave. As most people know this is a quick disconnect which locks the fluid in the line. Well if the clutch master had failed internally, you would think that you would now be able to depress the clutch pedal, but I couldn't it was solid as a rock. So now I don't know if replacing the master will solve my problem. I need some ideas.

 

It's going to be solid, the fluid doesn't have anywhere to go.

 

If the master is working like it should, yes, but if the master has failed I would think it would move.

 

Should I have worried about shimming the throwout bearing if I used the complete LS-7 clutch set up.

 

No shim required for the LS7 clutch. I have the exact same set-up in my Cougar, but I am using a Modern Driveline MC mount and a Wilwood 3/4" bore master.

What brand slave is in the car? I have seen reports of people having issues with anything other than GM slaves. The one that I have is branded as Luk, and it works fine.

No leaks anywhere?

Andrew

 

No leaks that I could see Andrew. I replaced the master tonight, bench bled it, put everything together, bled the **** out of it and it is doing the same thing. I cannot get it in gear. Here are the parts I used. From GM parts direct "PKC6LS7CLUTCHKIT and Slave cylinder #24264182. I set the pedal up so that it is within thousandths of the end of its stroke fully up and I can adjust it to go to the end of its stroke on the floor with a pedal stop I have so I know I am getting full stroke from the master. This whole thing has me sick to my stomach. It was working fine and all of a sudden it stopped disengaging.

 

What is the stock MC bore size?

 

I would say probably slave. What mc are you using? How did you mount it?

 

1999 Firebird master. I explained the mounting a little bit above, but I am getting full stroke. I also went on GM Parts Direct and they are showing a slave cylinder with PN 24264180 when I say I want the LS7 clutch kit.

 

The first number you have says 98-02 and the other says 97-04 corvette, per tick performance. But it also says either will work.

 

http://www.tickperformance.com/tick-...-firebird-ls1/

This kit has shims.

 

And looks like it uses the 98-02 f-body slave.

 

.....

 

A stock 4th Gen LS MC is 3/4" bore, but it has only about 1" of travel. I am using the a Wilwood MC that has 1.4" of travel.

I think there are a few companies that sell a firewall mount kit for 1st gens that use the Wilwood (grilling style, which is what I am using) MC. This style of MC has 1.4" of travel and is better suited for swap applications.

On my 1970 GTO I am using the same MC, with a Kiesler mount, and a LS7 clutch, without any issues.

What's odd in your case is that it was working fine, but then it wasn't...I don't have a good answer for that.

Andrew

 

I don't think I can use a longer stroke MC unless I completely modify the pedal. At the top of the stroke, the pedal is up against the OEM pedal stop. I have some room at the bottom, but I get the feeling the extra stroke is at the top end.

I know why did it stop working????

 

So it looks like I will be pulling the tranny to see what is going on and Tick is out of shim kits, WTH!!
I read on the manual trans forum where someone had a problem with the input shaft not being greased properly and spinning with the crankshaft. I wonder if my pilot bearing could have failed.

 

I found a guy on E-bay selling them so I will get them there.

 

So I see all the measurements are from the transmission/bellhousing surface and not the engine to bellhousing surface. When I pull the trans, which surface should I separate? I always assumed it was the engine to bellhousing.

 

The trans from the bell.

 

I used the complete pedal assembly for a fourth gen. It mounted up almost perfectly clutch mc is in the the exact location as on the fourth gen. I did have to move the hole on the firewall for the booster but I used a fourth gen booster and brake mc as well.