I'm about to throw something large.

I have a 1997 LT4 Firehawk, that I purchased new in March of '98. It has 24k miles on it, and has been having a few small problems in the past couple years. I replaced the left power window motor, the piece of crap headlight motors both have been nothing but problems since it was nearly new (yes...brass gears), and several other "normal" things for an F-body. No big deal, part of having a 15 year old car...even though it has no miles.

A few months ago, I drove it to take my son to a soccer game, and we were on the way home when the clutch slave cylinder disintegrated. No...really.


Sitting at a stoplight, transmission in first waiting on it to change, clutch pedal down...BOOM! The whole car jumps and immediately cuts off. I hit the starter to see what gives, and it turns over, but lurches forward like the clutch pedal is up...Well, I'm new to hydraulic clutches, but figured that if that failed it would slowly start to creep like I was letting out on the pedal, so I figured the linkage under the dash let loose. I left it in first and started it in gear, eased into second...then traffic stopped in front of me, so I popped it into neutral and stopped. When I cut the car off to slip it into first and start again, it would barely turn over. So, I drifted backwards into a gas station lot and called the wife for a jump start, but it still wouldn't turn over well, so the next call was for a tow. Hydraulic fluid was leaking from the slave cylinder, and then battery was low enough that the headlights wouldn't come on.

Just now getting to work on it tonight. I ordered a prebled AC Delco hydraulic system a while back and had it here...so I put that in. Everything looked simple enough, but my old, fat, gimpy self does NOT belong under that dash screwing around with anything. Anyhow, I got it replaced and sat down to see what it felt like. Pedal goes down a little bit and starts to get firm...figuring this is the little zip-tie slingshot doodad about to break, I push a little harder...SNAP! Pedal to the floor. What the flip?!? No fluid this time underneath the car, and the pedal linkage under the dash is still on there. What happened? Now what?

Also...did the stress of a start under load kill a cell in the battery the day the clutch initially pooped out? I tried to charge it out of the car, and it won't take a charge at all. It was always fine until all of a sudden.

Thanks for any help you can give!

 

Just to clarify: You're saying you've replaced the slave and master cylinders with new ACDelco units, correct?

Did you make any adjustment to the clutch pedal sensor?

What is the "little zip-tie slingshot doodad" that you're referring to?

 

Yes, the MC and SC were replaced, with a prebled, complete system from AC Delco.

I did not adjust the clutch pedal sensor...sounds like it may be near the blinker fluid, though. I assume you mean the switch that disables the cruise, or the clutch safety switch for the starter?

Zip tie thing is what comes on the end of the pushrod on the slave cylinder to hold it in until the first time you press the pedal.

 

Note zip-tie slingshot.

 

Yeah, cruise or safety switch thing -- whatever one wants to call it The last time I did a clutch that switch was giving me fits until I learned it existed. I adjusted it and all issues abated. I just wasn't sure if they might have been what broke on you?

Keep in mind that I have no idea if LT1 T56/hydraulics are any different than LS1.

 

No...whatever snapped let the pedal drop dramatically. Not either one o fthe switches you mentioned. Thanks, though.

 

thats weird. that zip tie thing is designed to break as soon as you press the clutch in when everything is installed. I recently installed a new one and had no problems like that with the pedal dropping. Felt normal

Is your clutch fork installed on the throwout bearing correctly? Maybe something broke when the slave fell apart. I don't know, weird situation

 

OP

if you pushed the clutch pedal WITHOUT the slave being attached to the tranny...you will just explode your slave. It needs to be bolted into place first

the plastic strap breaks on the first clutch push (normal). the plastic cup remains on the slave piston

your dead battery most likely is just coincidence. starting the car in gear is considerbly harder on the starter than just starting in neutral and will kill a otherwise "weak" battery...and is also not good for the starter

 

Everything was bolted up and tightened. The picture was of the original failure...not after I replaced it and -whatever- happened. There is no fluid under the car now, so I assume that the SC didn't come apart like it did when the picture was taken.

I have another one of my cars on the lift, but as soon as it comes off, I will put the Firehawk up where I can get under it easier to pull it back apart and see what I can see.