vbMike

iTrader: (2)

I swapped in a T56 transmission with T56 hydraulics and 3rd gen clutch pedal set. Also have a Hayes street/strip clutch and stock flywheel. I did the swap 15 years ago and did a big write up on there. It’s been good since then till this week.



Now it seems like I’m losing clutch pressure as if the hydraulics are bleeding off. When I pull up to a red light and push the clutch in all the way and shift into 1st gear. When the light turns green I got to let the clutch out and it engages just as I start to move the pedal. Normally the engagement is near the top of the pedal, not down on the floor. Also, when maneuver around in a parking lot, if I’m on a off the clutch I eventually will lose all pressure and even with the pedal to the floor the clutch won’t disengage and I can feel there is no weight or pressure against the pedal. If I completed let off the pedal I can push it down again and it will work. I doesn’t do this every time but has probably happened 6 times or so.



The fluid level is good but I’m assuming that one of the hydraulic cylinders has a leak. How do I know if the problem is the master or the slave? Do I have to replace the whole set or can I replace one or the other?



I’m surprised I’m having a problem. Yes it’s 15+ years old but probably only has 15k-20k miles on the hydraulics which were new when I installed them.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Peel the boot back inside the cabin. If it's not wet in the top end of the master, that much is okay. The slave doesn't need peeled back really, The boot and pushrod flop when you unbolt it from the spacer / bell and a leak there will be obvious.While you're there, plunge the rod into the slave piston to burp air; that's the documented bleed method.

The fluid can't just stop working. And a failure of a cylinder has to show as a leak somewhere. Air pulled from the reservoir to master line can make things tough to troubleshoot.

vbMike

iTrader: (2)

There was no oil on the carpet inside the car but as soon as I pulled the boot back a bunch of oil came out. Good thing I had a rag handy. Apparently the master is bad. I have the stock T56 hydraulics. Can I replace just the master?

tom3

I would think so. And quite often replacing the slave cylinder is a real pain to bleed it and get the air out. Kind of surprised that the master went bad that quick, usually last about forever.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

The market used to have master/slave as easier to find. Some people like "no bleeding needed" of that. And on an LT1 setup, it's easy to replace them both without dropping the trans., so buy and replace whichever. The master is retained to the line by a small roll-pin. A roll-pin punch is best, but they're not challenging to remove.

vbMike

iTrader: (2)

The hydralics were about 15-20 years old and only about 20k miles on them so surprised the master went bad. In any event a replacement master was $50 on rock auto and the full assembly was only $70 so I bought the whole thing. Already took the old one out without removing the break booster. Just waiting for the replacement to show up.