Clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder, or something else?

[DeCaff2007]

88 RCSB, 5-speed obviously, 4.3L. I think everyone knows that by now. I've posted this issue once before with limited responses, so here goes again.

Clutch pedal goes down fine and releases the clutch fine. What it doesn't do is snap right back up. It's almost like the slave cylinder is slow to push the pedal back up, but wouldn't a bad slave cylinder mean a dead pedal? I've checked the return spring and it's fine. What's next?

 

[Erik the Awful]

How's the fluid? Have you changed any parts recently? Bled the fluid? The sprung fingers on the pressure plate exert pressure in opposition to the slave cylinder, and the fluid in the slave cylinder transmits that pressure back up to the master cylinder, which pushes the pedal out. If your pedal is staying low, either the pressure plate is dorked (less likely), the slave cylinder or master cylinder is bypassing fluid (somewhat likely), or there's an air bubble in your hydraulic line to the master cylinder (most likely).

 

[DeCaff2007]

Thanks for the info. I haven't done anything to the hydraulics at all besides visual inspection. The steel line between the master and slave is beyond rusted. That could be the problem right there. Someone even put a steel nut union on that line at one point. Fluid level looks ok. I haven't bled anything yet. Been busy fixing up other things.

Oooh btw, I was under the transmission inspecting the slave cylinder, and I noticed that there's a plug missing from the transmission case, right where the slave cylinder bolts in. The service manual says there's supposed to be a plug there. This could be tricky to find.

Lastly, I wanted to check the transmission fluid and replace as necessary. It turns out that both the drain and fill plugs are NOT hex heads. They are Allen keys - and friggen big Allen keys at that. I don't have anything near that large, so I'll have to order me some

 

[vr1967]

You can take a short bolt with the correct head size, screw two nuts on it, and jam them, then put the head the plug and put a wrench on the nuts and break them loose.

I do this a lot with plugs that seem to take metric size wrenches (but guess I do need to break down and buy a set)

 

[dave s]

If you tear into the hydraulics, since that lines already been repaired you can get the whole setup already assembled, no bleeding. Reservoir, line and slave cylinder all connected and prefilled ready to go. I used that on mine, worked out real well. Hope you get it figured out.

 

[DeCaff2007]

You can take a short bolt with the correct head size, screw two nuts on it, and jam them, then put the head the plug and put a wrench on the nuts and break them loose.

I do this a lot with plugs that seem to take metric size wrenches (but guess I do need to break down and buy a set)

Hmmm, sounds like the perfect excuse to break out the welder. Welding a bolt into a socket means I can use a socket wrench instead of messing with jam nuts.

If you tear into the hydraulics, since that lines already been repaired you can get the whole setup already assembled, no bleeding. Reservoir, line and slave cylinder all connected and prefilled ready to go. I used that on mine, worked out real well. Hope you get it figured out.

Ya know, I was looking for that exact setup... couldn't quite manage to find it. I'm still sort of taking this advice, though, because I have all brand new hydraulics on the way from Rock Auto (I really just wanted the fridge magnet lol). Seriously, though, I don't mind bench bleeding. I've done that to more than a few brake master cylinders and never had an issue.

EDIT: I just checked the tracking on the shipping. I had hoped to get the parts this weekend. Uhhmm... more like NEXT weekend.

@ 0:10

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[dave s]

I just checked Rockauto, that's where I bought mine. The ones they have on stock right now are all prefilled. Good luck with it either way.

 

[DeCaff2007]

I just checked Rockauto, that's where I bought mine. The ones they have on stock right now are all prefilled. Good luck with it either way.

What! I'm normally pretty efficient with the Rock Auto catalog. I must have missed it somehow. Oh well.

@ dave s: Where in PA are you located?

 

[Erik the Awful]

It sounds like you're already doing this, but as a reminder, always replace the clutch master, slave, and any rubber hoses as a set. If one goes bad it contaminates the fluid for the rest and they'll soon follow.

 

[dave s]

What! I'm normally pretty efficient with the Rock Auto catalog. I must have missed it somehow. Oh well.

@ dave s: Where in PA are you located?

Just west of State College. And you?