Boyes50

Hi Everyone,

Working on a 1999 Camaro Z/28 with a T56. The car was purchased without a transmission, and upon further inspection the LS1 was cracked. I recently finished swapping in a 6.0L LQ4 Short Block with 243 Heads and a Brian Tooley Stage 4 Truck Cam. Once installed in the car with a Speedway Remote Bleeder, I am attempting for the first time to bleed the clutch. When I purchased the car, the master reservoir was completely empty (Dirty) and the pedal would just flop right to the floor.

I cleaned the reservoir, added fresh DOT3 Brake Fluid, and attempted to bleed the clutch. With the bleeder open and in a jar of fresh fluid, and the reservoir remaining full. I pump, and pump, and pump. At no point does the pedal get any sort of pressure. I then put a Mitty Vac inside the reservoir and pulled a lot of bubbles out the top, which then gives the pedal 1 solid, pressurized push. However, the pedal stays on the floor and will not return. If I manually return the pedal to the top, the pedal once again has absolutely no pressure. The reservoir also does not go down almost at all.

I put the car back up on the hoist and had a look. Brake Fluid is pouring out the bottom of the Bellhousing. So I am sure there is a leak inside, I am assuming either the slave cylinder or the Remote Bleeder could also be leaking. (Have heard some issues with the Speedway Remote Bleeders)

So. I have several questions:

1. Is there a way to test the Master Cylinder as a standalone unit, for example, disconnecting the quick connect and using the Mitty Vac to pull air out of the assembly? I would like to verify the Master Cylinder is good before I order parts (Has to come across the border, Canadian Eh).

2. Since there is an obvious leak, I will pull the transmission out and check it all. Once I get the transmission pulled away from the bellhousing, is there any way I can "pressurize" or test the system to determine if the leak is coming from the Remote Bleeder's connection or the Slave Cylinder? Again, I don't mind replacing parts, I just need to have a good diagnosis to confirm it before I order parts.

3. With a fairly significant leak like this one, is it possible that I would get one solid push, then air would be introduced, and then the pedal would lose its pressure again? I am just unsure exactly how to corner

Any insight is great. I am a 4L80E guy and this is my first time ever working with a Manual Transmission. I honestly am not even worried about getting a "crisp", perfect pedal right now. I just want some pedal to be able to get it to work well enough that I can actually drive and shift the transmission and verify the used transmission I bought is any good. I just wanna drive this thing once, then I'll get the bug back I'm sure.

Thanks in advance guys!

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

When you disconnect the master, assuming no air present, the pedal should be completely rock solid. The check valve in the line will not let fluid flow.

You could have an assistant pump the pedal while you watch to see where the fluid is coming from. Given that you have no pedal return, I would lean toward the slave leaking. When you say "Pouring out" the bellhousing, typically a bleeder leak is a drip, not a flood. There is some give int he line, so you can get a gap between trans and motor with the line connected so that the pedal gives you the pressure you need. I think though that you will not need to do any tests to see where it is leaking from.

That is likely what is happening. When the pedal tries to return, it sucks air in through any leak.

What I do to bleed with the remote bleeder is I crack the bleeder valve and then stick the end into the reservoir, making sure it stays submerged. Then pump until it quits bubbling. Then pump some more for good measure. Then with an assistant do three pumps the old-fashioned way to make sure (Crack bleeder, press pedal, close bleeder, let up pedal, repeat). Then, leave the bleeder closed and do a bunch of test pumps. Sometimes it will still take some pumping to start building pressure. That's the best and easiest I've ever been able to do.

stevieturbo

If you have a remote bleed and can get a pipe onto it. A cheap large syringe is as good as any for bleeding.

It will easily allow you to push fluid through forwards or backwards as well as a good visual with clear hose to see any air bubbles.