soft clutch pedal

[DMC81]

I went out to move my delorean and the clutch pedal went strait to the floor with no pressure so I checked the reservoir and it was way low so I refilled it to the correct level and now when I pump the pedal the fluid just shoots out the small hole in the cap? Any ideas what to do or how to get the pedal tight again?

[Jacko]

I went out to move my delorean and the clutch pedal went strait to the floor with no pressure so I checked the reservoir and it was way low so I refilled it to the correct level and now when I pump the pedal the fluid just shoots out the small hole in the cap? Any ideas what to do or how to get the pedal tight again?

Since the fluid level got so low in the reservoir there is air in the line ... you'll have to bleed it. Hope you have the bleeder attachment offered by Special T and others, it's a PITA without it.

[DMC81]

Since the fluid level got so low in the reservoir there is air in the line ... you'll have to bleed it. Hope you have the bleeder attachment offered by Special T and others, it's a PITA without it.

where is the bleeder? I thought I was in the right spot but must not be. On the fire wall near the passenger side?

[Jacko]

where is the bleeder? I thought I was in the right spot but must not be. On the fire wall near the passenger side?

Unfortunately it's on the clutch slave itself, a chore to get to. You'll need an assistant to help. Search the forum for guidance, look in the 'how to's'.

[jawn101]

Don't cut corners accessing the bleeder, either. You'll probably need to take the manifold off to do a clean job - if you drip brake fluid from the bleed nipple onto the bell housing or transmission it will eventually eat right through it.

A better question is why did the fluid level drop in the first place? Do you still have the plastic clutch line? Is there fluid leaking from the master cylinder (behind your clutch pedal, inside the car?)

[DMC81]

Don't cut corners accessing the bleeder, either. You'll probably need to take the manifold off to do a clean job - if you drip brake fluid from the bleed nipple onto the bell housing or transmission it will eventually eat right through it.

A better question is why did the fluid level drop in the first place? Do you still have the plastic clutch line? Is there fluid leaking from the master cylinder (behind your clutch pedal, inside the car?)

No, I dont see it leaking any where at all. the car has been in storage for years by the last owner so i dont know if it was low the whole time or just evaporated over time or what. Is the bleeder below the dist. cap?

[David T]

If you lost fluid it leaked out. That means either the slave or the master (or both) are leaking. Bleeding air out is a very short-term fix, the fluid will just leak out again. The fix here is to replace the clutch master and slave cylinders and if you have the red plastic hose, replace that too with the S/S braided line. The lesson here is that if you do not flush the brake and clutch systems at least every other year you can expect to be rebuilding/replacing a lot of expensive parts. Look under the carpet on the driver's side for the "lost" clutch fluid.
David Teitelbaum

[ccurzio]

And while I can't speak to replacing the master, I can tell you that replacing the slave is quite a chore.

[mluder]

It's not that difficult to replace the master or the slave and will afford you the opportunity to get to know your engine bay.

The simplest method is to reomve the intake manifold. This will also allow you to inspect your valley for any potential coolant leaks and clean up any potential clutch fluid spills on the bell housing/transmission. As was previously mentioned, the hydrolic fluid will eat through everything.

Take your time and it will be fine - there's a great step by step on how to remove the intake manifold on this site somewhere. A simple search should find it.

Cheers
Steve

[DMCMW Dave]

BTW back to the original question - if fluid sprays out of the hole in the cap when you press the pedal, the master cylinder has failed. Replace the master cylinder

[Nicholas R]

BTW back to the original question - if fluid sprays out of the hole in the cap when you press the pedal, the master cylinder has failed. Replace the master cylinder

Thanks for answering that Dave, that had me a bit confused too. I was waiting for someone to address it.

[DMC81]

BTW back to the original question - if fluid sprays out of the hole in the cap when you press the pedal, the master cylinder has failed. Replace the master cylinder

Dave thanks for the help, I guess its time to go shopping with you guys..lol

[David T]

While you are replacing the clutch master make sure to replace the line from the reservoir to the master if it is leaking or "sweating" brake fluid. Replacing the master cylinder is relatively easy, the slave is considerably harder but it can be done mostly from underneath. I agree it makes it a LOT easier if you remove the intake manifold but I wouldn't remove it "just" to do the slave cylinder. if you do remove the intake manifold you are adding to the work considerably and all of that additional work will require parts and they can add up quickly making this an expensive job!
David Teitelbaum