I finished my T-56 swap (or so I thought last weekend) into my 89 formula. The hydraulics were used and seem to have air in them, (which i could never bleed out using some of the methods posted on TGO) and couldn't disengage the clutch. With the engine running, you have to really force it into gear, especially reverse. The pedal starts to engage the clutch about a half inch off the floor (which is the opposite problem that we usually have with T56 swaps as I understand).

So I gave up on the old used hydraulics and purchased a pre-bled set up from GM (4th gen) and installed them today. After getting everything bolted back up, tried it again annnnnnnd no change. Clutch still engages about a half inch of pedal travel off the floor.

Does anyone have any idea why the clutch wont disengage after putting in brand new pre-bled hydraulics?? Could is be that the pilot bearing (needle bearing type) is binding on the input shaft??? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Anybody have any ideas?!

 

That's odd that you have the reverse problem. I also have all my useful pedal travel in the first inch.

LS1 or LT1 T56?

I dont know about the pilot bearing. (I used a bushing, who knows if that was a bad idea or not) Did you grease up the input shaft/bearing/clutch fork surfaces?

Any chance your pedal geometry could be off? I kind of think that's why my pedal travel is so weird (Or normal, I guess, for a 3rd gen T56 swap). There's no real exact way to mount these master cylinders.

I guess if all else fails, rig the system. Put your clutch rod tab on your pedals an inch farther back or something. Should get you more useful travel, but that'd only be a good idea if the hydraulics were otherwise working fine. Can you tell?

Hopefully someone else who is more knowledgable than myself can help. I made my T56 work through luck and guesswork for the most part.

 

I'm having the same problem with mine. I cannot get it into gear. The clutch fork is moving, however. I rigged up the slave without that little aluminum housing. Using the housing as a gage, i installed the slave and tightened it down until it was at the height it's supposed to be at. Then I had my wife hit the clutch while i watched the fork. It does move, but obviously not enough to disengage the clutch. Some one else on TGO said that i could have air in the lines, and that i should try bleeding the system. idk how this is possible, because i bought a brand new GM pre-filled and pre-bled unit.

 

What trans and pedals are you using, see my recent thread with prety much the same title.as this thread