Help! Potential clutch problem.

[jgfurr]

Pulled the car out of the garage last night and drove 10 minutes away to the store. After 20 minutes in the store, I came back out to start the Viper and noticed about 1 1/2 inches of play in the clutch pedal before I could feel it disengage. As I put the car in reverse and started to let the clutch out, the clutch grabbed immediately with no slippage. I don't normally feel that until I've released the pedal at least 1/3 of the way. As I came to the next stop light, the play increased to about 3 inches before disengagement. The clutch was feeling very light, and the shifting was a bit ratchety.

After about 5 minutes of driving, the shifting returned to normal and the clutch was feeling like it normally does. This morning, the clutch felt fine when leaving home, but the same symptoms returned when I stopped to get gas. ***?

I checked the clutch fluid resevoir, and it was full. Last fall (about 4000 miles ago) I had everything clutch-related replaced which included a kevlar clutch, aluminum flywheel, throwout bearing, both hydraulic cylinders, etc. Anyone have ideas? I'm tempted to just take it to Roanoke, but I would like to at least have some clue as to what's going on here.

 

[Tim]

jgfur,

I also have a 94 and still going through the same problem that you have described after changing out everything between my drive shaft and motor.

Bleed your clutch as there is still air in the system. That’s what I did yesterday and the clutch is better than it has been in a long time.

What all do you have done to your motor that your making that kind of power?

Tim

 

[jgfurr]

Thanks Tim. I was wondering if air could cause this. How difficult is it to bleed the clutch? I've got a shop manual at home, but I never looked at that procedure.

Actually, I think I'm making a little more power now. I found a couple exhaust leaks after the dyno. S&B filters, smooth tubes, belanger headers and cat-back, Roe Racing high-flow cats. Next up is gonna be the Vec-1.

 

[Ulysses]

Bleeding the clutch by Jerry Scott and Chuck Tator

1. Remove the cap from the reservoir.

2. Have someone in the car push the clutch petal to the floor and hold.

3. Put a 11 mm box wrench on the bleeder valve, then hold a cotton rag over the opening to catch the fluid. (I co
uld not get a hose to fit over the hex. shaped bleeder valve.)

4. Open the valve and let out a small amount into the rag.

5. Pump the clutch rapidly, a minimum of 10 times and repeat the bleeding.

6. Fill the reservoir to the step.

7. Pump rapidly 10 times, hold to the floor and bleed a third time.

8. Pump rapidly 10 times, then refill the reservoir to the step. (The level will go down after you pump the last
time.)

9. Replace the cap and your are finished.

added by Chuck Tator:

10. Wait at least an hour! Have someone step down on the Clutch
ONCE and hold it down!
Crack the bleeder loose-Just a smidgen[1/16 of a turn] and listen
for the last of the air to come out of the system..
Repeat one more time.
Top off the Reservoir.

 

[LETHAL GTS]

I had the exact same problem om 94 RT/10.
Have you replaced the master or slave cylinder?
I changed both eventually.
Slave is a big job. You have to move the tranny.
TJ