I've got an 02 camaro ss with a 6spd and longtubes. I've been wrestling with they clutch fluid problem since I got the headers.(a year!) I've done the drill mod on the line, I've switched over to dot 4 brake fluid. I've gone to lowes and bought 2ft of heater hose and I wrapped my line from the tranny to the clutch master cylinder. My fluid still QUICKLY turns black and while racing it boils the fluid and makes shifting more difficult. I want to make it to where it is completely unphased by racing.

WHAT MORE CAN I DO?

 

well, you could always try heat reflective wrap on the lines. if that doesn't work, get the longtubes ceramic coated.

 

my headers are ceramic coated! the only thing I haven't done is the heat reflective tape!

 

You would be surprised on how much fluid is in your master cylinder. I took my master out and took it apart and could not believe how much dirt nasty fluid was in there. I also wrapped the line with hose and metal heat tape.

 

Mine too, a ton of soot on the inside and around the plunger, yours might be on its way out.

 

I bled the crap out of mine yesterday. I KNOW there's nothing but fresh fluid in my system. After bleeding it felt a little more notchy than before. Just a little... I wonder if I got all the air out or if the fluid has to break in. Maybe I've got some crap in my master cyl. What do you guys think?

also when you bleed your's do you have someone hold down the pedal and open and close the bleed valve quickly or do you open it let it drain then close it?

 

I doubt you have a fluid problem.It's either the hydrolics or the clutch.

 

no its not hydraulics or clutch. they're all practically brand new(less than 1yr) I have an adjustable mcleod mc, and new stock clutch and slave. it was driving better before I changed my fluid. I think I have some air in the system still. besides I have no leaks.


anybody know what to say about post #6?

 

I'm going with hydraulics on their way out, just because they are less than a year old, doesn't automatically exclude them from failure. Especially with regards to the master being a McLeod piece. A quick search will reveal that they have had issues with their master cylinder manufacturer putting out low quality parts leading them to suspend sales of the master temporarily.

I also recall a thread about a wilwood rebuild kit being used on the master to repair it's shortcomings.

My headers are ceramic coated, SS, and I've got only heater hose on the line with a bit of DEI Spark Plug wire fireboots on the section leading to the slave. Even after a year, the internal heat on the slave will degrade the fluid seriously enough to leave it blackened within the master cylinder reservoir. That's with 10k miles of driving +100 track launches.

 

So how does your shifting feel? Maybe you need to readjust your MC

 

To answer you, heres how to bleed it....

Have someone in the vehicle, bleeder CLOSED, have them pump the pedal a few good times, then HOLD to the floor, while the pedal is held down, open the bleeder until all fluid/air/whatever else comes out, close the bleeder, then tell them they can release, and repeat the process.

Also, you can wrap your headers, that will be your most noticable reduction in heat.

-Will

 

Try adjusting the master, there is a suggestion in adjustments in the 'stock master made adjustable' sticky thread at the top of this forum.
I know I have had issues in the past with my McLeod master, have also had to hone/rebuild it. I also flush it constantly by bleeding whenever the fluid starts to darken. Works for me in keeping the problems away.

 

why would you say its the hydraulics if it was perfectly fine BEFORE I started trying to flush and bleed it?

I was just trying to do some preventative maintenance to keep my car running right. I may need to wrap some of that heat reflective tape around my line to the slave.
I rebled it like twice today and it did get A LOT BETTER! but... it started getting notchy again, but a whole lot less than before. truthfully everybody has their own way to bleed hydraulics and today I found the way that works best for me, but its still not 100% good enough. Just sitting in the car and shifting it feels great. When I get moving every now and then it'll get notchy, but 80% good overall. I'm going to work on it some more tomorrow. I hope I don't have to adjust my mc. that's kind of a p.i.t.a. I don't think that's the problem because its right where it was before the bleeding.

personally I think I've still got a little bit of air in my system.

TARZAN above said have someone pump and depress the clutch and I open the bleeder valve and let whatever come out then close valve and tell them they can release.

Here's how it goes for me. I tell assitant to hold pedal down, I open the valve, close it, and the pedal ALWAYS sticks on the floor when I ask them to release it. should it spring back up? anyways they pull it back up with their foot, I check the reservoir and keep it full. And it keeps going on and on!

Some people say don't pump the pedal when bleeding because it makes the air break down into smaller(harder to remove) bubbles. Here's someone else who thinks this... > https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....2&postcount=13

I can never find consistent info on how to bleed it. The dealerships have a definite way to bleed it and I want to know how they do it.

thanks for the helps guys and keep the info coming.

 

its in the dealership right now... I broke my valve off in the bellhousing. good news is I bled it right. I just need to buy a remote bleeder now and have it installed.

 

probably a bad slave cylinder