[SWinter]

Recently acquired an 04 6spd GTO. Car is rough and I am working on getting it put back together. Transmission was out due to a bad slave cylinder. Replaced slave cylinder and reinstalled tranny. After installing, the clutch would not disengage. I bled the slave and had (what I think) good clutch feel. I thought maybe I assembled something wrong, so I tore it all back apart. I could not find any assembly errors, put it all back together, rebleed the slave, have good clutch feel, but still will not disengage clutch. The clutch appears to be a stock OEM style clutch. I have a new pilot bearing but have not installed it yet. Eventually I plan to put in a new clutch but wanted to make the car mobile to get in and out of garage for now and allow me to troubleshoot any other small issues. Looking for any ideas on what the problem could be. I did some research and from what I read it could be that the slave needs to be bled some more or possibly a stuck pilot bearing? The clutch feels very similar to the last F-Body I had so I think it is bled decent. I apologize if this has been answered in a previous post I missed. Thank you

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

as a rule of thumb when doing a clutch, you should replace everything in there. that being said:

Could be a whole host of possibilities. Clutch disk could be slightly off center and binding, or could have sat for too long and is now stuck.

easy trick for that is just to start the car with the back wheels off the ground. it might kick the clutch disk free.

You have a small leak somewhere and so you didn't really get all the air out while bleeding.

Check the pedal freeplay until it starts to show resistance, best check it by hand and not foot since you'll feel the resistance much easier that way. Too much freeplay indicates there is some air left in the system.

Could need a shim or an adjustment to the thickness of the shims used.

Could be a pilot bearing. if the input shaft can't turn freely vs the flywheel, you'll run into shifting and engagement issues.

 

[whippersnapper02]

Did you shim the slave corretly?

Also use a bearing puller for the pilot. There's a plug in the crank you will knock out if you use grease to push the bearing out.

 

[SWinter]

as a rule of thumb when doing a clutch, you should replace everything in there. that being said: > I agree, but haven't decided future recipe and hate buying parts multiple times.

Could be a whole host of possibilities. Clutch disk could be slightly off center and binding, or could have sat for too long and is now stuck. > I wondered if maybe the disk was binding on the trans input shaft.

easy trick for that is just to start the car with the back wheels off the ground. it might kick the clutch disk free. > Thanks for the tip. It's off the ground but didn't help.

You have a small leak somewhere and so you didn't really get all the air out while bleeding. > Gonna try to bleed them some more hoping it is still some air in system.

Check the pedal freeplay until it starts to show resistance, best check it by hand and not foot since you'll feel the resistance much easier that way. Too much freeplay indicates there is some air left in the system.

Could need a shim or an adjustment to the thickness of the shims used. > I didn't measure the distance to see if it needs shimmed the last time I had it apart but should have and it certainly could need a shim.

Could be a pilot bearing. if the input shaft can't turn freely vs the flywheel, you'll run into shifting and engagement issues. > Also very possible. New pilot bearing was in mail and I got impatient and decided to just put it back together without changing it. I will change it for sure if/when I pull it again.

Thank you for the quick reply!!

 

[SWinter]

Did you shim the slave corretly? > No not at all. I should have measured it to see if it needed one the last time I had the trans out but did not. It could need to be shimmed.

Also use a bearing puller for the pilot. There's a plug in the crank you will knock out if you use grease to push the bearing out. > Thank you for the tip. I read that in another post but was unaware prior. I will source the blind bearing puller to remove the pilot bearing.

Thank you for your quick reply!!

 

[rednari2]

If you have good feel but it won't disengage, then start thinking master cylinder. especially if it creeps in gear. If it doesn't creep or is not difficult to put in gear, then think shimming the slave cylinder. If the slave does not move out far enough, it will feel normal but will not push the pressure plate fingers in far enough.

I forgot the actual amount, but you have to measure the distance between the throw bearing face and the bell housing. Look this up, but I think the distance is about .120 or an eighth of an inch. If the gap is larger, shim it out accordingly. Good luck and let us know what the problem was.

 

[5ft24]

If you have good feel but it won't disengage, then start thinking master cylinder. especially if it creeps in gear. If it doesn't creep or is not difficult to put in gear, then think shimming the slave cylinder. If the slave does not move out far enough, it will feel normal but will not push the pressure plate fingers in far enough.

I forgot the actual amount, but you have to measure the distance between the throw bearing face and the bell housing. Look this up, but I think the distance is about .120 or an eighth of an inch. If the gap is larger, shim it out accordingly. Good luck and let us know what the problem was.

if it is a factory replacement clutch, no shimming is needed.

 

[Corndog]

Either the clutch disc is in backwards or your hydraulic system is faulty. Air in the lines, or a master cylinder failure. Open the bleeder at the slave cylinder and press the pedal slowly to the floor. Solid stream of fluid out?