JB22

OK, I have been swapping a 350 into my 305 car, just getting around to finish hooking everything up and I hooked up the rest of the clutch linkage to the transmission, ie the slave cylinder.

I got the slave bolted back up, it had dropped down and the pin was dangling and all seemed well. Got it lined up with the shift fork, and got the heatshield lined up and pressed everything together so I could get it bolted up.

The clutch petal is all the way out and looks good, everything, but I went to push the clutch pedal down and it pushes real hard and only goes a little bit... so I stopped because I wasnt sure if something was right. (note I tried pushing with my hand, and I didnt want to rief on it cause I dunno if somethings not hooked up right or what. I would have expected it to push easier and go all the way down.

Just a little more background. I had a new clutch put in last summer, only has 2500 miles on it, When I did the engine swap, the lines etc... for the clutch were left untouched. I did redo the rear brakes at that time. The clutch pedal was not pushed down while things were unhooked to my knowledge, the slave appears to be a GM Stocker plastic model.

I am not sure what the deal is, can anyone help shed some light for me??

JB22

I edited my original post to make more sense.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I did some searching and really couldnt find what I was looking for.

Souseless

You may need to bleed it a bit. I had a similar situation and I pushed harder on the clutch pedal. The result was blowing the seals on the slave. Open the bleed screw on the slave and have somone push in the pedal for you. Be sure to close the screw before the pedal is released.

JB22

would that still be true even if the system was not opened at all to air?

Souseless

you had the slave unbolted, did you have the master removed?

JB22

just the slave for the clutch, the master cylinder stayed put.

JB22

Heres a pic of the assembly

Souseless

did you pull the roll pin and disconnect the hose?

JB22

I unbolted the slave from the trans and left it dangling during the swap and then bolted it back up.
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I didnt disconnect anything in the system for the slave other than unbolting it from the bellhousing.

JB22

Thinking back to when I was putting it back together, the pin in the slave was kindof dangling out a little bit. I dunno if that is normal because the slave had been hanging with the pin facing downward.

I dont think the clutch pedal got depressed at all after it was unhooked... but its hard to say for sure, just cause it had been awhile since things got taken apart to when they got put back together.

Does it sound like the slave got blown up?

Souseless

I still think that the safest first try is to simply try to bleed the system. If that is not the problem no harm done. When I blew my seals the fluid was pouring out so I doubt that has happened.

JB22

Yeah, no fluid leaking on the ground and the system appears to be full.

Where is the bleeder screw on the slave?

Souseless

Bleeder screw is on the slave. It looks just like the ones on the brakes. I think it is an 8mm wrench.

rjmcgee

IF there is air in it that will not cause your problems. Air compresses easily and will cause the pedal to move all the way but not make the slave cylinder have full movement. Most likely something in the clutch binding and not letting the clutch fork move all the way. Clutch disc in backwards or throwout bearing in wrong or not on the fork properly. Something along them lines.

JB22

The throwout bearing and fork were untouched in the transfer.

I pulled off the clutch disk assembly and bolted it up exactly as it came off as well.

Those 2 things I can guarantee 100%

JB22

It pushes down relatively easy about 1/4 the way and then appears to not want to go any further. Granted I am pushing by hand, but it should push down relatively easy.

I dunno, is it possible that the throwout bearing moved somehow during installation? Everything went together pretty easily using the special dowel for lining everything up.

JB22

I went back and looked at my service manual. It doesnt really look like the throwout bearing could have moved. Is it possible that the clutch fork got shifted forward some and could be binding slightly?

I apologize if the questions sound stupid, This is my first time doing all of this, and I am kind of baffled at whats going on.

Also, what would be symptoms of slave failure if for some reason the pedal got pushed when it was disconnected??

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

It takes alot more force to push it, than you can put on it with your hand.

If it all went back together right then there's nothing wrong with it. Don't worry so much.

Try doing it right, that is, working it with your foot; and see what you get.

JB22

Point taken.

I have been worrying about it, and I cant get back to work on it this weekend either, so It will have to wait another week.

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I will give it workout first thing when I go back and let you know what the prognosis is.

JB22

I was looking through some of my pictures and found a good one of what the slave looked like when it was hanging out waiting to be hooked back up.

You can kinda see how the pin was hanging out some, when it went back together, it slid back in and everything compressed ok in order to bolt it back up.

JB22

OK guys, you were right, it presses with your hand a hella lot harder, pushes down with my foot no problem.

It doesnt appear to be disengaging the clutch though. I propped a stick to hold it down so I could try to move the rear wheels, and no dice.

Thoughts? Clutch fork not traveling properly?

JB22

So we got the 350 running today and unfortunately the clutch isnt fully disengaging...

We checked out the linkage and its definitely moving, just apparently not enough to fully disengage the clutch..

Thoughts? I think we are going to try and bleed the slave just to be sure.

I am sure that we are only talking thousanths of an inch to actually get it to fully disengage...

Anyone have any tips or thoughts?

JB22

Pumped the clutch a bunch of times and things appear to be working ok now.

Guess we'll see.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice.