89 GTU Cluth disengage issue

[tannerjohn]

Guys, I am new here and promise I will introduce myself in the general section soon. Here is my delima I am seeking help with.
89 GTU 2.8L, 5spd

Just got it, my first beretta, and it had clutch issues. With clutch all way down (no carpet in the way, no free play in clutch pedal assembly) you could get it in gear, but just the slightest release of clutch and it was engaged fully. In fact, if you took your foot off break it would move with clutch all way down.
Tried bleeing. Went through 3 reservours full and not better outcome. Ordered brand new clutch master and slave cylinders. Installed, bled to the high heavens, same issue. Took them off, got replacements, just to be sure, and bled to the depths of hatties, no better.
The old slave appeared to have had the shaft retaining strap broke form first use, as designed; however, you never know if last guy cut it or not. Any rate, the new slaves never extend far enough to even break the strap. Not even enoughto put tension on it. Yes, it extends, but not far.
Now, I figured the fork is bent and it'll never work, BUT, if fort is bent just means you have correct amount of travel in the slave stem, but fork never reaching far enough, right? Regardless of fork bent wouldn't the slave extend far enough to break that strap?
One last bit of information. On the replacement parts, based on my VIN serial of 191881, the part had no bleeder and hyd line entered from END of slave. My tubing wouldn't even work with that, so we had to go to 88 model to match the slave that was on the car. Probably common, but wante you to know everything I know.

I do not want to pay an arm and a leg to pull transaxle, put a clutch in it to find out slave not extended was whole problem. Any advice guys?

Thanks in advance.

[heavywoody]

Many people experience problems with bleeding the clutch hydraulics... and it is suggested to get a new pre-bled unit from GM... I think it was around $170 or so for the slave, master, line, & reservoir... all prebled and ready to install.

[Cliff8928]

the parts lookup is all messed up with those slave cylinders.  An 89 should have the bleeder.

I would recommend bleeding the whole assembly out of the car.  That way you can fully depress the slave cylinder to get all the air out.  That's the most successful way I've done it aside from buying the one-piece assembly right from GM.

I never really had all that good of a clutch release with that system either, I had converted my car to the newer concentric slave/throw out assembly which appears to work significantly better. (but you need a new trans to use it!)

[tannerjohn]

THanks for the input guys. Buying the complete assemblyl isn't much of an option. I woul then have more in what I just bought and that than 1/2 what I paid for the car. Granted, adds up to about same as pulling the transaxle just to find out it is a bleeding problem.

By the way, I have twice took complete system out and bled manually, out of the car. Same end result.

I don't know what to do, but still thinking on it.

So, do you guys agree it does not sound like a bent fork, but simply that the system is getting the extension it should?

[Cliff8928]

Well, You can have someone measure the rod extension.  I believe it's supposed to be roughly 13mm (1/2") without actually looking up the spec in my service manual.

[tannerjohn]

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I don't know what I'll do from here. Today I unmounted the slave and built be a gig to clamp the output shaft all the way down. Pumped the pedal and immediately have hard pedal at the bottom. I pumped it 2 more times and busted through the piece of 1/2" maple I was using for my gig.  Reinforced the gig with a piece of metal divitted for the output shaft, clamped her down went through bleed procedures. Had good solid half a pedal of hard pressure after bleeding it. I remounted the slave and have no pedal at all. It move the output shaft about 1/4" (no pressure on plastic breakway straps at all) and never goes any further. Pedal completely soft. I pumpped and bled again in place, no change. Just doesn't add up. Even if the throughout shaft/linkage was in a bind and not disengaging the clutch the pedal would hit hard bottom either immediately or after a couple pumps at most.
Just stuck for now, but I do appreciate all the input.

I wish I could figure it out. Car only has 97k on it and runs like a top. No smoke, no leaks, just no clutch. Oh well.

[docrodg]

Couple of thoughts... The fork could be off the pivot, just check it out and make sure it is all ok.  Second the bearing could be engaged at the wrong point.   Also, some of these systems do not respond to bench bleeding or traditional "pump the pedal" bleeding but only to pressure bleeding.  Try taking it to a good tranny shop to get that done right.  The pressure bleeding procedure will hook up to the slave and force fluid into the system pushing out all the air.  Other bleeding methods are not good due to the desing of the system and where the bleeder is - allowing air to remain trapped.

[ws90gtz]

it's the clutch disc, happened to me twice on one gtz, and now on a second
car. starts off with you have a hard time geting it into first at a light, to not
geting it in at all after time.

[Cliff8928]

I guess that was it in your situation.  My particular clutch has been through 2 engines and 3 transmissions.  When i switched to the new style hydraulics it is worlds better.