I am at a loss

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
10/03/2019 at 19:35 • Filed to: Corvette, C4 Update

The C4's master slave cylinder was leaking past the rod and into the car. Fine no big deal I will replace the master cylinder.

Replaced and I have spent 2 hours trying to bleed this fucking system. I am 90% sure zero fluid is traveling through the system. I really fucking hate this car. I even took the master out and pushed by hand to see if it would push fluid through and it does. I had to take the slave off to even get to the bleed screw but it’s still attached to the line... it should bleed especially with the vacuum bleeder that seems to have only pulled fluid out of the slave and not through the system.

I then reinstalled the slave and had a friend come and do the pumps while I opened and shut the bleed screw.... Still have seen no fluid leave the master reservoir. There is some darkness bleeding into the master from the line so I figured something was working. And of course my cheap pressure bleeder broke too.

Do you think the master I bought is bunk?

DISCUSSION (21)

Discerning > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 19:46

I recall reading about slave cylinder woes.

Search corvett e forum. Thi s thread has some good tips:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c4-tech-performance/3953881-bleeding-the-clutch-on-a-c4.html

CaptDale - is secretly British > Discerning
10/03/2019 at 19:51

Yeah I read that thread already.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 19:51

New master is probably fine. Clutch hydraulics are notoriously shite to bleed. Get a long vacuum hose and run it from the bleeder valve into the fluid in the reservoir. With the bleeder open, pump the clutch pedal for about 5 minutes non stop. Close bleeder and recheck.

If that doesn't work you'll need to continue pressurizing the master and vacuuming the slave.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 19:58

It’s possible, sometimes it’s the thing you last suspect. I was chasing a front end clunking and found it was the tie rod, but I had replaced the tie rod last week and it did not clunk then so it was just because I braced myself on it when shoving other stuff that I found it was the culprit. Same with a distributor rotor recently. Replaced the rotor, timing sounded fucked, after checking other things I swapped the old obviously worn rotor back on and it started right up normally.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 20:08

Read it the emancipation proclamation and see if it gets freed up at all

Discerning > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 20:19

Good luck. You could always take it to a Corvette shop if there's one near you

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 20:38

Did you say slave? Here is some audio slave. I’ve never bled a clutch. Sounds like a bitch. I’d call in a favor to a mechanic friend.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 20:44

Seems nobody on Oppo can bleed brakes lately. Groupbuy a speedbleeder?

CaptDale - is secretly British > Discerning
10/03/2019 at 21:09

Ugh can’t justify the money on something I should be able to do myself.

CaptDale - is secretly British > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/03/2019 at 21:09

I’ll try that method tomorrow

CaptDale - is secretly British > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
10/03/2019 at 21:10

Maybe. If I can’t get it bled tomorrow I am blaming the master and returning it.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 21:23

Sometimes clutch systems are a bit difficult to bleed. I know on my miata it's a ton harder than the brakes, to the point that it's almost impossible to do without a power bleeder. Definitely try one of those (air powered is easiest). Also if the lines are complicated or the slave is also fd up, it would make bleeding extra difficult.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 21:24

It is certainly possible. Like a number of other things on these cars, quality replacement parts for clutch hydraulics are no longer manufactured, and some things are simply no longer available at any price. There was also an issue where much of the remaining stock of one of the cylinders in the hydraulic system was assembled incorrectly at the factory.

www.powertorquesystems.com

His site doesn’t seem to be working anymore, but this guy was the guy for clutch parts. He ran an industrial hydraulic supply company , and road raced C4's for fun . A number of years back he bought up the vast majority of the remaining inventory that was out there to be had for quality clutch components for these cars and was selling it off in an effort to keep as many ZF6 equipped vettes on the road as possible (along with being able to run his racecar for as long as possible) . Some things like the dual mass flywheels are completely gone. There are no more to be had at any price, and the tooling was sold for scrap and no longer exis ts.

The other resource is ZR51 performance in Tucson. That guy is the guy for the ZF6 gearbox, and my understanding is that he owns much, if not all, of the remaining parts inventory for these transmissions. It might be worth poking around his site/getting in touch of him.

http://www.zfdoc.com/

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/03/2019 at 21:25

I’ve had good luck with the air powered bleeder at the hobby garage I use at work. I bet harbor freight sells a cheap one that will work at least once.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
10/03/2019 at 23:09

Hey now don’t say nobody, I bleed brakes many times a week without issue!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
10/04/2019 at 12:33

Yeah I had a hand pump one from HF. It worked for the brakes but broke trying to do the clutch XD

CaptDale - is secretly British > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
10/04/2019 at 12:34

I bled my brakes last week perfectly fine. Now I am doing the clutch line after replacing the m/cly and can’t get fluid to flow

CaptDale - is secretly British > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
10/04/2019 at 12:37

I have talked to the ZF6 guy about getting new 2nd gear sychros when I pull my trans apart. They are expensive , but not as expensive as buying a used trans so *shrug*

CaptDale - is secretly British > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/05/2019 at 17:49

Nope that way didn’t work :/

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > CaptDale - is secretly British
10/06/2019 at 09:56

Damn. Pressure and vacuum then. If that doesn't work, it might be that your new part is bad.

CaptDale - is secretly British > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/06/2019 at 23:54

Yeah, got another vacuum pump and nothing. So I returned it and ordered another.