Today was a fluid swap day... I did the engine oil, diff, tranny, and clutch, as well as replacing the clutch line with a stainless braided one. Everything went well, except for the clutch...

After a complete fluid swap and two bleeds, the pedal feel is way off. I used DOT-3 brake fluid, fresh bottle. There is more play than usual at the top of travel and the engagement point is much closer to the floor (although the car is still drivable).

Should I still be looking for air in the system? If so, how else can I get it out? Nothing done so far is showing any bubbles coming out.

Should I be adjusting the bar on the firewall? If so, why do I need to do this after a bleed (which obviously can't be done every time)?

 

I found that a clutch bleed is a peculiar procedure in some ways. Not only do you have to manually lift up on the pedal between strokes, but right after the bleed, the first inch or so of clutch travel seems to do nothing. I discovered that once the bleed was done, the reservoir topped up to the right level and the cap on securely, that if I grabbed the pedal with my hand and rapidly pushed it up and down the first few inches, this firmed it up and made it act like it should.
Now, since you have replaced your line with a steel line, you may have different results.

 

x,

I read about the "wiggle" in another thread of yours earlier today, so I went out and tried it right after. I didn't take a drive afterwards (too tired today, I'll do it tomorrow), but it seemed to firm up a tad. Of course, minds play tricks on you when you want to see a difference, so it should be noticable if anything has changed since earlier today once I go for a drive.

 

did you bleed it by pressing the pedal and opening the bleeder, or did you use a vacuum pump?

 

I was underneath at the valve and my father was at the pedal (advantages to spending Labor Day weekend back at home ).

 

the rapid pumping motion done to firm the pedal is too get out air that is trapped and wont be pressed out by stable pumping, the type of line will make no difference. when my buddy's shop swapped a manual in my old car they didnt know how to bleed a clutch properly and it kept the pedal from building adequate pressure. Upon arrival at home I went to another buddies shop (one with much more experience) and told him the problem (he does all my work, the other shop only did the manual because we had an exchange of service and he had a 5-speed, so it worked out nicely) and we fixed it by rebleeding the clutch (alot more air came out with rapid pumping and someone watching to make sure air wasnt funneling back through at the topper) and then adjusting the pedal so that it would release much more toward the top. I prefer having a clutch that releases and engages towards the top, so I only have to tap the clutch (instead of lunging my foot to the floor, that gets old) when changing gears.

 

Sounds like you still got air in the line....

As previously mentioned..make sure that your Dad or partner is "rapidly" pumping the pedal and going all the way to the floor. This will firm up the pedal fast.

Lift the pedal, open the bleed and press the pedal to the floor....should be solid stream, no bubbles....

 

You won't get all the air out, unless:

You unbolt the slave and tip it in the right direction.

Or, you can slowly push the fork and rod with your finger, all the way into the slave and let it go. One time will do it.

BE SURE the fork stays engaged in the trans, and the ball end of the slave stays in the fork.

 

Well, I pumped it rapidly per xv's instructions in another thread, and that seems to have done the trick. I didn't know what it would be like until I started the trip home this morning, but it feels normal... engages about 1/3-1/2 of the way up (as it did before), and only an inch or so of play at the top (as usual). Gear changes are also a bit smoother.

Thanks guys!

As a side note, my diff fluid was surprisingly cloudy (water water water), the tranny fluid was surprisingly clear, the engine oil was black (as usual), and the clutch fluid in the reservoir was a deep muddy brown (now clear as can be). Kind of ruined my weekend spending all of that time on the car, but it needed to be done, and I felty bad neglecting my girl as long as I did

 

On a side note, can ATE Super Blue be used as a clutch fluid?