I was hoping someone might be able to diagnose this problem before I start throwing more parts at it.

I started with an 88 V6 Camaro and put in a 350 4 bolt from an 82? Cube Van. I used a 85 Iroc as my parts car, and from that took the tranny and the clutch. Once the car was all buttoned up and running, the clutch was not working properly. When pushed to the floor, the clutch would still not go overcenter or catch properly. I could not get it into gear unless that car was turned off. So... I put in a new clutch. Same problem. I fabricated a push rod that was an inch longer. Same problem.

So I am thinking that the slave cylinder (from my 88 V6) doesnt have enough throw. I am not sure whether the slave from the v6 and from a v8 would be different, so before I go out and buy a new slave and master, can you confirm my suspicions?

Thanks, Mike

 

I will NON-CONFIRM your siuspicions. That IS NOT likely to be the right thing to do.

How do you have the throwout bearing installed on the fork?

In particular, there is a little flat spring sort of thing riveted onto the fork, that has 2 little ears right behind the points where the fork contacts the throwout groove. Those 2 little ears are supposed to go ENTIRELY INSIDE the groove, and not "clipped" onto the ridge around the back of the throwout. If you "clip" them onto the back side of the throwout like that, the fork will be held back away from touching the surface it's suposed to be up against; and the first half or so of your available clutch mechanism travel, will be wasted in taking up this "free play" you created that doesn't belong there. What you end up with is the EXACT set of symptoms you describe. Do you have the spring "clipped" onto the throwout bearing, or are the fork and the spring all slid completely together inside that groove the way it belongs?

Search the Drivetrain forum for userID RB83L69 and the words "famous pic"; he had a pair of pics he used to post once in a while, that showed very clearly the right and the wrong ways to install this.

The problem IS NOT anything you can fix by monkeying around with the hydraulics, that much is certain.

AFAIK the hydraulics are the same for both a 6-cylinder and a V8. That's not your problem either.

 

Thank you for your quick response. That is likely the problem, even though i am about 90% sure it was installed correctly. I will go double check to make sure. If it is NOT the problem, any other suggestions? I called around to a few tranny shops and told them my story, and the only suggestions i got were installing a new slave or shimming the flywheel, both suggestions that the forums say are not the problem. I sure hope this works!
Thanks again, Mike

 

i know this may sound like a stupid question but you bled the slave after you reinstalled the clutch right?. also if for some reason anyone stepped on the clutch pedal while the slave was not attached to the bellhousing there is a good chance that the slave is now ruined. i agree with sofakingdom it kind of sounds like you have the throwout bearing in wrong. but it could also be the slave. good luck...

 

The throwout bearing is installed correctly. I was under the impression that the slave was self bleeding?

 

everytime i have ever messed with a slave cylinder i have had to manualy bleed it. if you have never bled it then i would be leaning to believe that that is your problem. with air in the system you are not going to get full throw on the arm which would cause your clutch issues.

 

What about the height of the throwout bearing? Are there different heights? If it was about an inch wider, then would my problem be solved?

 

did you bleed the slave???? start there before you make any more homemade push rods. did you take the slave apart in order to modify the push rod? If you took it apart then i would bet money that is is bad.also i have seen people mount the slave outside of the slave shield and that would also cause your thro issues. gm engineers spent a lot of time on the clutch design use factory parts installed correctly and you should have no problem....