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t56 clutch issues

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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 01:57 PM
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Default t56 clutch issues

I bought a Stage III clutch kit from a well respected company on this site sometime last year (I think around Nov or Dec 2008). I put it in the car and have been having disengaging issues ever since. I called the company to see if any of your other customers were having the same issues and was told no. The car has been sitting in my garage for the last year as I just have not had the time to figure out what was going on until I decided to tinker with it this week.

The clutch would play nice for about 15-20 miles then the same symptoms appear over again with each bleed. I have to force it in reverse or put it in reverse before starting the car and powershifting is absolutely out of the question. Putting it in 1st also is starting to become a chore. After the install I bled it numerous times and even went as far as trying DOT 4 fluid due to its higher boiling level. The clutch only takes a few inches to put the car in gear no matter where the (adjustable) master is adjusted to. To go from one gear to the next I have to let the RPMS wind down before shifting. The transmission I have is a T56 that has been bulletproofed with a TheGearBox T56 Premium Master Overhaul Kit with all new billet keys, bronze pads, steel 3-4 shift forks ect.

Anyway I am in the middle of pulling the transmission out to see if swapping the pilot bushing for pilot bearing might be the cure and also am going to put in a remote bleeder. I am so sick of messing with it and am at the point to where I wish I kept the ls7 clutch/ls2 fw/stock slave. There is also some black flaking in the clutch fluid resevoir.

Anyone had any of these symptoms with a stage III clutch? What was the cure?

Thanks
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 02:04 PM
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With the bleed / works / fails process, you're gathering air somewhere. Fix / replace / repair the leak / bad part. Triple check for leaks at all junctions. With the trans just barely backed off the bellhousing so you can see the slave, check for leaks inside there too.

While you have the trans. down, re-verify that the slave doesn't need shimmed relative to the PP fingers.

Everything points to the release system; not the clutch.

You're a busy guy.
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 02:27 PM
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Thanks Matt
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 02:32 PM
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Since I am not sure if you have our parts...and I don't recognize the description you provide I assume we haven't spoken about this. Either way, the info you provide and the reference to the issue being better after a bleed and then getting worse as time and mileage are added really does sound like a hydraulic issue.

The black flakes can evidence two things: 1)a need for a thorough flush and refill of the fluid (which it seems you have done. 2)the need for a new slave or master as the seals may be breaking down. I would bet on the slave and or master as the culprit because you have already bled and bled the system. Have you noticed any fluid under the dust boot on the Master or Slave? Have you noticed any leaks under the car or moisture on the firewall? Let us know and I will be happy to assist you further. Thanks,
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 02:41 PM
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Thanks SPEC-01 but it is actually a Monster Stage III kit setup. All parts were new to include the Monster slave. I have also put a new Tick Performance adjustable master in it for process of elimination. I would hate to think some of these parts are faulty out of the box.
I called them and spoke to Jason. I explained that I am going to pull out the pilot bushing and replace it with a pilot bearing. He seems to think that may be the culprit. If not i pull everything again and they said they would warrenty the kit. Alot of car buffs I run across tend to think it is a problem with the slave. Either way I will replace the pilot and drip dry the hydrolics for the 9 billionth time.
I'm very sick of dealing with it and don't want to have to pull the entire trans out each week to find the cure,as Matt said I am a busy man.
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 03:00 PM
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Understood! It stinks to have an issue and no time to resolve it. That being said It really does sound hydraulic. And, sometimes you can have issues with parts straight out of the box. If your interested I strongly recommend the use of a Mighty-Vac when bleeding these cars. You should apply vacuum from to the bleeder valve found just off the slave cylinder as well as to the reservoir. This has been the best method for me. Let me know if you have any further questions and I will be happy to assist you. Thanks and good luck!
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 03:11 PM
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I just may do the Mity Vac. A friend suggested it while they were bleeding a clutch on a truck. He said it made the bleed effortless.
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 03:15 PM
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I use the mighty vac method. It's very effective.
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 04:01 PM
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Anyone have the MityVac part number handy?
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 04:22 PM
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They are made by lots of folks so a number may not help...and should be readily available through most parts stores.
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Old Oct 1, 2009 | 09:12 PM
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Well, not to get you riled up, but can I ask you a question....????

If you bought this clutch a year ago, and have had problems since day one (your words, not mine) why are you waiting a YEAR to tell us about it? From our point of view, as hopefully you can see, seems a bit "funny".


Back to the point/problem. While you might have a defective PP, it does sound more like a hydraulic issue than anything. An improperly bled system is the likely culprit.

You say you have a TICK MC...have you tried adjusting it?
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Old Oct 2, 2009 | 04:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Gen414
Well, not to get you riled up, but can I ask you a question....????

If you bought this clutch a year ago, and have had problems since day one (your words, not mine) why are you waiting a YEAR to tell us about it? From our point of view, as hopefully you can see, seems a bit "funny".

Back to the point/problem. While you might have a defective PP, it does sound more like a hydraulic issue than anything. An improperly bled system is the likely culprit.

You say you have a TICK MC...have you tried adjusting it?
He doesn't work 6am to 2:30pm M-F like me.

J,

One thing I forgot is if you have the trans. backed off, have someone press the pedal down as you check the slave / connections inside the bell for leaks.

Also,

Before you bother with the Mity-Vac, you might try my method of:
Barely cracked bleeder (pressure needed to drip much at all)
90deg. spark plug boot at the bleeder; Plug end on the bleeder
rubber hose out of the plug
other end of the hose submerged & pointing down in the reservoir, cap off
slow full pedal movements for a couple minutes (just slow enough you're not spilling the reservoir)

What I'm saying is you don't need a mityvac to bleed it. I do suspect that your results will be the same.

J.M.
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Old Oct 2, 2009 | 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by jmd
He doesn't work 6am to 2:30pm M-F like me.


.

If saying he works nights and sleeps during day, the internet is up all hours


I agree with you on teh Mityvac though (or lack of one) as I have NEVER used one either, to bleed our hydraulics, as my method (which differs from yours) but gets the job done none the less.
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Old Oct 2, 2009 | 11:48 PM
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I'm having the same exact issue.
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Old Oct 3, 2009 | 11:11 PM
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Originally Posted by jmd
He doesn't work 6am to 2:30pm M-F like me.

J,

One thing I forgot is if you have the trans. backed off, have someone press the pedal down as you check the slave / connections inside the bell for leaks.

Also,

Before you bother with the Mity-Vac, you might try my method of:
Barely cracked bleeder (pressure needed to drip much at all)
90deg. spark plug boot at the bleeder; Plug end on the bleeder
rubber hose out of the plug
other end of the hose submerged & pointing down in the reservoir, cap off
slow full pedal movements for a couple minutes (just slow enough you're not spilling the reservoir)

What I'm saying is you don't need a mityvac to bleed it. I do suspect that your results will be the same.

J.M.
Thanks Matt, Ill try that.
Originally Posted by Gen414


Back to the point/problem. While you might have a defective PP, it does sound more like a hydraulic issue than anything. An improperly bled system is the likely culprit.

You say you have a TICK MC...have you tried adjusting it?
I have. No matter where I adjust, it only comes off the floor a small amount. Right now I have it adjusted pretty far out although it really doesnt make a difference.
Originally Posted by Gen414
If saying he works nights and sleeps during day, the internet is up all hours


I agree with you on teh Mityvac though (or lack of one) as I have NEVER used one either, to bleed our hydraulics, as my method (which differs from yours) but gets the job done none the less.

If you must know a deployment and spending the summer with my son. I've had no time to dedicate to the car I am going to do 2 months Army training in Feb then 12 months in Iraq after that (may 2010-2011), then going to PCS (move) to either CA, FL, AZ or NV. I'll find out in about a week. I have to get this **** done before I move.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by -=Modified=-
I have. No matter where I adjust, it only comes off the floor a small amount. Right now I have it adjusted pretty far out although it really doesnt make a difference.



If you must know a deployment and spending the summer with my son. I've had no time to dedicate to the car I am going to do 2 months Army training in Feb then 12 months in Iraq after that (may 2010-2011), then going to PCS (move) to either CA, FL, AZ or NV. I'll find out in about a week. I have to get this **** done before I move.


Well, you might be a rare occasion of needing a shim. I know Monster does not call for one, and I have yet to install one (shim in any clutch I have done), but that is what it is looking like....

Also, first of all, thanks for serving our country. I really appreciate all that you guys do, in providing mine and my families security. Thank you.

While I understand being in teh armed forces takes up a lot of your time, and not always near a computer, but if you installed the clutch, and from day one you had this problem, which was a year ago. I would think that if you had time to drive your car, that you would have some to hop on a computer, or pick up the phone.
Only reason I am pointing that out, is, again, teh "fishiness" of it all. Most people don't have a problem with something that they spend $800+ on, and wait a year to tell someone about it.

Either way, the point is, you are having a problem, and that is really what matters, so let's get you fixed up.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 07:54 PM
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I had the same problem with my Textrailia. The clutch worked great but only for 10-15min. I would let it sit a day or so and the clutch would come back again. A new master cylinder fixed me right up.
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Old Oct 4, 2009 | 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Gen414
Well, you might be a rare occasion of needing a shim. I know Monster does not call for one, and I have yet to install one (shim in any clutch I have done), but that is what it is looking like....

Also, first of all, thanks for serving our country. I really appreciate all that you guys do, in providing mine and my families security. Thank you.

While I understand being in teh armed forces takes up a lot of your time, and not always near a computer, but if you installed the clutch, and from day one you had this problem, which was a year ago. I would think that if you had time to drive your car, that you would have some to hop on a computer, or pick up the phone.
Only reason I am pointing that out, is, again, teh "fishiness" of it all. Most people don't have a problem with something that they spend $800+ on, and wait a year to tell someone about it.

Either way, the point is, you are having a problem, and that is really what matters, so let's get you fixed up.

No worries and proud to serve.
Yeah I haven't felt like messing around with the Camaro over the past year when I did have time because I have a couple of other toys that needed to be in the water.

Anyway I finished getting the trans out today. Im going to have my transmission guy have a look at it. He has all high tech **** in his garage. He will figure out what is going on and it wont cost me anything.
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by -=Modified=-
ofAnyway I finished getting the trans out today. Im going to have my transmission guy have a look at it. He has all high tech **** in his garage. He will figure out what is going on and it wont cost me anything.

Look, do this before yo uput tranny back in:

Measure your setup!

Take the spring off the TOB/slave, bottom teh slave out (bolted to face of tranny).
Measure teh distance from face of TOB to face of tranny. See what you come up with (probaly in teh 1.90-2.20" range)

Then, with PP and clutch disc TQ'd on flywheel properly, and with bellhousing back on, measure from fingers of PP to face of bell housing. Tell me what you come up with. I have found this varies ALOT, from 2.00-2.50".
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Old Oct 5, 2009 | 09:45 PM
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Thanks Gen.
I will definitley do that and post up. I will get that done tommorow and post up sometime tomorrow night.

JMD, there are no hydraulic leaks.
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