Cutch issues solved

[Steel185]

I'm writing this becuase I love this board and in my struggles for this problem I couldn't find much info on this board, they might have been too far back, but i searched several times.

My clutch would only disengage only when pedal was at the floor. The firmess was average mush at top and firm at bottom. I wanted it firmer, and to disengage more in the middle of the pedal stoke. The following are the steps i took to get to the solution and the result of each. I researched for days and got more and more confused because several LS1 owners assuming the LT1 set up is just like theres and they pass off info to bleed the system with the bleeder valve. If you have dug this far into the problem you know the LT1 doesn't have one. See notes and link at bottom for bleed advise.

Step1: Being new to hyd clutches I replaced the fluid with fresh fluid and bleed the system. I tried how i do the brakes but the lack of a bleed valve wouldn't let that happen. I pumped for ever and used a mityvac at the reservor as some suggested, it worked but it took forever and i think there was still air in the system. Result: firmer pedal all over with little mush at top but disengaged in same place, at bottom.

Step2: Next I replaced the slave, MC, and did the drill mod. I blew out the line after i drilled out the restriction and installed the system, and bleed it all over again using mity vac and got most of the air out. Result: less mush at top and same pedal feel through out pedal stroke. ( I believe the drill mod and the new parts canceled each other out, with drill making it easier to push and new seals making it firmer) the disengagement didn't change still at the floor.

Step3: Having replaced everything except the steel braded line my only choices were to replace clutch (which is working fine) or do MC adjust Mod. I removed the new MC and did the mod to it, making it adjustable. I practiced first on my old one and glad i did. The first time i did the mod i broke a seal and launched several o rings from inside never to be found again. I recommend practice everything once (including the threading of the rods) before doing it on a MC you want to keep. I installed and re bleed the system. Result: what i was looking for! Firm throughout and now I can move the disengagement point away from the floor.

Notes on bleeding: I used 3 different methods to bleed: pumping for eternity, mityvac, and the slave cylinder method. Pumping takes for ever and doesn't get all the air out, mityvac on the reservor takes less time and gets most of the air out but not all. The slave cylinder takes 5 mins and gets it all out.

Supporting links:

Bleeding:
http://www.ls2.com/boggs/clutch/lt1clutchbleedingmm6.htm

MC adj mod:
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/manual-transmission/317767-stock-adjustable-master-cylinder-writeup.html

Drill mod:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-modifications/1015780-clutch-line-drill-mod-needed-lt1.html

I looked and found all this informantion on several sites, i try not to reinvent the wheel, sometimes you just have to piece the wheel together from different places. Hopefully this will help. Let me know if you have any Qs.

[AChotrod]

This is great info!!! Im having the same prob with my clutch, the pedal feels firm but it dissengages at the floor. I found a hole in my MC line and Im sure thats the prob, but how to bleed it once I get the new line in, is what I wanted to know!!

[GRIM REAPER]

heres how to bleed they clutch

http://www.ls2.com/boggs/clutch/lt1c...leedingmm6.htm (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/clutch/lt1clutchbleedingmm6.htm)

[Z28pr0jekt]

heres how to bleed they clutch

http://www.ls2.com/boggs/clutch/lt1c...leedingmm6.htm (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/clutch/lt1clutchbleedingmm6.htm)

he already posted that up there...

[Steel185]

This is great info!!! Im having the same prob with my clutch, the pedal feels firm but it dissengages at the floor. I found a hole in my MC line and Im sure thats the prob, but how to bleed it once I get the new line in, is what I wanted to know!!

Glad i could help. Good luck

[Spartan7]

The best bleeding method is the GM recommended method. I've tried all those as well, and the by-the-book GM way is the fastest and easiest.

I didn't know there was a restriction in the LT1 line though. But as I see it, the LT1 pedal is far firmer than the LS1 pedal from the factory (I've driven both cars), so it shouldn't really be needed IMO.

My only question, why didn't you try some complete pre-bled hydraulics from the factory? And the adjustable MC is not going to change how the pedal feels, only where it engages.

[Steel185]

The best bleeding method is the GM recommended method. I've tried all those as well, and the by-the-book GM way is the fastest and easiest.

I didn't know there was a restriction in the LT1 line though. But as I see it, the LT1 pedal is far firmer than the LS1 pedal from the factory (I've driven both cars), so it shouldn't really be needed IMO.

My only question, why didn't you try some complete pre-bled hydraulics from the factory? And the adjustable MC is not going to change how the pedal feels, only where it engages.

I did not find the link or the information to bleed the clutch with the slave until midway in the project. Thus i had to attack it with the only reference i knew at the time and that is how i bleed the brakes, with pumping and a mityvac. It makes the most sense to use the GM method, and i would have done it sooner but didn't find it until later. But as stated it helped but didn't solve the problem of disengagement too low.

I agree and I thought i stated in my OP that the adj MC was only to change where it engaged, i noted the pedal feel at each step so others would know the results of each step so if they were looking for a different solution they would be able to understand what changes to the system corrilate to which results.

[Spartan7]

I did not find the link or the information to bleed the clutch with the slave until midway in the project. Thus i had to attack it with the only reference i knew at the time and that is how i bleed the brakes, with pumping and a mityvac. It makes the most sense to use the GM method, and i would have done it sooner but didn't find it until later.

I think I've posted it on here before (or another forum, I forget), sorry you couldn't find it. But at least you finally got everything worked out. Clutch issues can be really frustrating.

[AChotrod]

Can the bleeding be done with the hydraulics outside/off the car? So If Im reading this right, just make sure the slave is the lowest part the master in the middle and res the highest, just like its installed. Fill with fluid and pump the slave rod untill all the air bubbles stop coming up at the resivior? Gonna try an tackle this tonight?

[Steel185]

Can the bleeding be done with the hydraulics outside/off the car? So If Im reading this right, just make sure the slave is the lowest part the master in the middle and res the highest, just like its installed. Fill with fluid and pump the slave rod untill all the air bubbles stop coming up at the resivior? Gonna try an tackle this tonight?

you could do the entire thing on a bench, you would have to have entire system off to bleed it correctly. It would be hard to reinstall without disconnecting the resovor, but might be do able. Its really easy to do on the car, we are talking 5 mins at most to bleed.

[AChotrod]

Cool, I just figured the new one MC/line/Slave assem is pre bled and can go in all together it might be easier. I have a Mcleod Adj MC so its got to come apart and re bled. Anyone using a stock MC assembaly with a street twin? If it works I could just put the entire new unit in. I liked where the clutch engaged/disingaged stock but not sure how the ST will work with stock hydr.

[Steel185]

Can we put this on a sticky someplace, i get IMs on this subject often.