Clutch Help

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DerekTheGreat

Forum Regular
Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
1,557
Reaction score
1,554
Location
Michigan
My truck is ten years older than yours with an external slave. I replaced both the MC and slave and had a hell of time bleeding as well. Had to lift the ass end of the truck up a good deal and that finally did it. However, pedal was still engaging low. After about a week or two of driving it slowly adjusted itself and is now like before. This was last year during the winter. I can still feel the cold attacking my finger tips as I worked feverishly to have a vehicle again...
 

Erik the Awful

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2019
Messages
7,610
Reaction score
15,516
Location
Choctaw, OK
Replace both the master and slave as a set! Otherwise you'll be bleeding the clutch again in a few months when you replace the other end.
 

DTrain

I'm Awesome
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
57
Location
Georgia
Well I got the new master cylinder on, so I’ve at least got clutch action and a driveable truck again. The clutch action itself feels awesome, a new master cylinder was definitely overdo. I have better response with all my other issues, but I’m not out of the weeds yet...I’ve had two bleeding sessions since I installed the master cylinder, which I’ve done by myself, that has sucked. Will any residual air works it’s way out of the system as I put miles on? Or am I doomed to bleed this thing until it’s 100%?
 

sewlow

Bitchin' Stitchin'
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
5,745
Location
Abbotsford B.C., Canada.
Keep an eye on the fluid level & for any leakage under the truck over the next week or so. Down a small amount would just be a residual bubble or two working it's way up.
Sounds like it should be good now.
 

DTrain

I'm Awesome
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
57
Location
Georgia
Curiosity has gotten the better of me...

Can you pump fluid into the system through the bleeder and eliminate air that way?
 

DTrain

I'm Awesome
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
57
Location
Georgia
This afternoon, after getting fed up with another bleed session, I pulled vacuum on the master cylinder...I couldn’t believe how much air I was getting, definitely gonna do that a few more times!
 

dwragon

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
97
Reaction score
60
Location
hell michigan
When I worked at Newman Chevrolet, we had one guy who did nothing but hydraulic "drive" and "driven" cylinder replacement. This design was recognized as a PITA all the way back in 1960. The mid 80's to 95 GM drive and driven cylinder were both stainless steel, which promptly got thrown away on an aftermarket replacement, and why you don't see them anymore (All you had to do was replace the rubber cups.). All the agony I read about here is the same reason I converted mine to mechanical. One of the easiest ways to get air out of the system is, after you have a half bassed pedal, find a washboard country road to drive down, the gravitational vibration shakes up the fluid and forces the air upwards.
 

DTrain

I'm Awesome
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
57
Location
Georgia
Well, turns out it was more then a master cylinder. I went back to the shop about a month ago now and mentioned things just weren’t right. The guy at the trans shop took it for a spin and figured maybe the clutch liner was too thick, based on everything else a d the way it “drove”. So he said he’d gladly swap things out, or I could just keep driving and see if it wore down a little. That it was under warranty and he’d fix it either way. So I kept on driving. Then I got a noise start happening here in the last couple days, that progressed pretty dang fast, so I took on back in. The noise is definitely from the trans, so I’m guessing I must’ve had a synchro problem this whole time or something. We’ll see, he’s tearing back into it. I’m super curious.
 

DTrain

I'm Awesome
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
57
Location
Georgia
Been a while now since I got my truck back, failed to update...

He went ahead and swapped the clutch while everything was out. Which may or may not have played a roll in what was going on.

Something weird seems to have happened. All the new bearings had a little bit of markings on them. The input shaft was marred like crazy. Seemed as though the thing hadn’t been properly hardened, really weird.

Anywho, it was all under warranty. So I got the whole thing rebuilt again with another clutch. Guess I’ll never know the real culprit, but it’s driving like a champ.
 

Frank Enstein

Best. Day. EVER!
Joined
Jul 15, 2018
Messages
2,005
Reaction score
3,431
Location
Canton, Ohio
I did a LUC pre-bled master/slave on my 92 K3500. In a half hour, in the gravel driveway, in the snow. Piece of cake! I like the external ones for that reason. When I do the trans the clutch and everything inside the bellhousing will get the full treatment so I never have to touch it again.:D
 
Top