Need clutch help, getting frustrated.

[mottrhed]

Ive searched, read dozens of threads here and ls1tech, still at square one.
I have the same issue most are having, clutch wont disengage completely, i cant get into gear running.

02 ls1
t56
new ram flywheel
wilwood 7/8 master hinson modified
hinson adapter
stainless braided line
stock slave
centerforce clutch, dont know the model, it came with the trans

Most people say its just the master throw adjustment, but Ive played that game for 3 weeks, and cant make any headway.  Ive started all the way at one end, gone half a turn at a time, as far as it goes, to no avail.  Ive even removed the adapter to move the throw the extra 1/4 in, doesnt help. 
In my reading I stumble on this shimming BS, which I didnt know about when I put the car together, so Im not sure if one should be in there or not.  Then it looks like guys are putting on adjustable masters and overcoming these issues without shimming due to being able to move more fluid and push the slave further.  So could a 1" master fix it? 

Im just getting thoroughly frustrated. Im trying to avoid pulling the trans, but it seems like I might have to pull it, get a new slave, measure and shim if needed, and start again. 

On a side note can a t56 be pulled from a fc w/o pulling the engine?

Summer is ticking away, and this is all thats holding me back..

[gc3]

is there any air in the lines?

[SSjon]

Sounds like it needs a shim.

[digitalsolo]

T56 can be dropped out of an FC easily without pulling the engine.  DO pull the intake manifold though.

[mottrhed]

Just went and bled it again, adjusted the rod in and out, no difference. I guess the trans comes down now...

[mottrhed]

Just ordered a new slave, speed bleeder, and shims from Tick, Im doing this once...

[Cryptic]

Just ordered a new slave, speed bleeder, and shims from Tick, Im doing this once...

I did it twice... ^^^ wise words above.

[mottrhed]

Awesome, replaced the slave, added a .055 shim, and a tick speed bleeder, SAME FN PROBLEM.  Im about to scrap this car. 

Noteworthy...Old slave was over .100 further from bellhousing surface than the new one..., was there an updated one or??  The throw out bearing is externally different, can see by eye, I have pics.  Either way, I measured the new one, shimmed it to work, and all should be good right.. I wish.

So here is what I did.  All new parts in, bled the slave from remote bleeder.  Started with the rod threaded in enough so it is loose, master all the way relieved, and brought it in from there.  I can get it into gear running, but its hard and it wants to roll forward.  So I went and bled from the speed bleeder again, no difference.  Then bled the wilwood master, cuz, why not...no difference.  Im going to try and bleed the slave one more time tomorrow morning, but Im running out of ideas and patients. 

[mottrhed]

Anyone have any ideas????

[josh18_2k]

Where does the pedal start engaging the clutch?  I set mine to engage really close to the top, then used a pedal stop to prevent over-extension. If your pedal engages really low, you probably need. Bigger shim. If the pedal engages high, but won't release the clutch, that sounds like hydraulics prob. Its possible the master is bad (it happens)

[mottrhed]

Well I can adjust the rod to make the pedal engage at the top or half way down.  I can make it so I can get into gear, but its still too hard, and the car wants to move forward.

[Pez]

I always bleed with a vacuum pump.  Takes 5 mins, never fails.  If vacuum pump is not availible, crank the engine and use a vacuum port on the intake mani.

If your engine is not running, I have connected the MC to the slave while the engine/trans are still on the ground, bleed it by hand pumping it, and installed the engine with all the clutch hydrolics connected.

The first time I bleed a T56 clutch, it took me a week, after I learned the tricks, it's no problem.

And I've never had a use for a speed bleeder.  Using the options above, it makes the speed bleeder a waste.... at least for me.

Have you inspected the clutch disc?  Last time this happened to me (car pushing), and it wasn't a bleeding situation, the clutch springs were barely in the disc.

[mottrhed]

I agree with not needing the remote bleeder, Im just trying to cover all my bases.  I havent vacuum bled it, I will try that, but the fluid coming out from manually bleeding looks like there is no more air. 

I got the clutch used, and cleaned it up, but I wasnt sure what it was "suppose" to look like.  It could very well be the problem.  If I cant get it going in the next couple days, I guess Ill be buying a clutch, then Ill have about 1g in trying to get the clutch to disengage... I just want to drive it..

[andrewb70]

With a 7/8" bore MC you may actually be over extending the bearing. When that happens, the clutch can actually start to engage again.

In order to figure out what is going on, do the following test. You will need two people for this. Jack up the car and get under it. All this is to be done with the engine off, obviously. Put the transmission in 4th gear and then grab hold of the driveshaft and put rotating force on it. As you do that, have your helper start to press down on the clutch pedal. At some point you will be able to start turning the driveshaft by hand. Note the position of the pedal when that happens. If the pedal is all the way down then the bearing is not releasing the clutch fully. If, however, the pedal is only half way down, then you can have the helper press the pedal more and you will feel the driveshaft is getting hard to turn again, or you might not be able to at all. This indicates that the bearing is over extending and the clutch is engaging again. This obviously cases shifting problems and it's also not good for the thrust bearing.

Andrew

[theantirotor]

I don't really want to start a huge shit storm here, but why don't more people just run the 3/4" Wilwood?