How hard should the clutch pedal be on a brand new swap (Page 1/1) GodSend AUG 22, 11:48 AM Hi Everyone, Brand new 3800sc swap in a 88. Just working out the kinks, has never been ran (See my other post RE: fuel pump). This post is about a no crank situation. When assembling It took me 2 weeks to put my fierorog flywheel and spec 3+ clutch on the getrag. I checked, double checked, and triple checked everything. Even went out of my way to order a new skf throwout bearing for a better quality part.. After I assembled it and mated it up to the 3800 I noticed I could not move the shift fork by hand . Posted on facebook and was told this was normal, that I would not be able to generate enough force. So in it went. Once I got engine back in and clutch slave attached (which was never disconnected from the master) I tried my clutch pedal. I only get about 50% movement (of a typical stiffness) and then it comes rock hard. There is not enough travel to release the clutch safety (or my clutch safety is bad) because as soon as I disconnect the clutch safety and jump it, I am able to get the car to crank. I tried giving the pedal a hercules stomp and I heard a pop and blew some fluid out the master in the frunk. I suspect though the lid itself becuase I added more fluid and its back to "normally broken". I ordered a new master just in case. So what am I looking at here. Im assuming my pedal should have full travel correct? Is this just a matter of the clutch needing to be broken in, is my slave maybe pooched, or is it possible I have something going on with my clutch setup. As mentioned I checked it so many times, making sure the clutch puck/springs were facing the right way, that the throw out bearing slid freely, was facing the right way, and was correctly positioned with the fork tines correctly placed. Really dont want to drop the cradle again.... GodSend AUG 22, 12:14 PM Forgot to mention. Slave cylinder rod is tight against the clutch fork, and does not move when pedal is pressed. Note that when I first reassembled the rod was loose in the boot. I held it in place while my son hit the clutch pedal and the rod moved into place and has sat there ever since. pmbrunelle AUG 22, 01:31 PM Clutch pedal should not suddenly become hard. It sounds like the slave’s piston is running out of travel and hitting the internal snap ring inside the slave cylinder. Perhaps the lever on the throwout bearing shaft was installed with the wrong clocking? Perhaps your slave pushrod is too short? cartercarbaficionado AUG 27, 06:10 AM quote Originally posted by GodSend: Forgot to mention. Slave cylinder rod is tight against the clutch fork, and does not move when pedal is pressed. Note that when I first reassembled the rod was loose in the boot. I held it in place while my son hit the clutch pedal and the rod moved into place and has sat there ever since. just did a getrag slave so I can finally have input here. this behavior is not normal please check for a crushed line since it should return and have full travel. sounds like your slave is stuck somehow like mine was GodSend AUG 27, 12:54 PM quote Originally posted by cartercarbaficionado: just did a getrag slave so I can finally have input here. this behavior is not normal please check for a crushed line since it should return and have full travel. sounds like your slave is stuck somehow like mine was Solution was to replace the slave? GodSend AUG 27, 12:57 PM quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: Clutch pedal should not suddenly become hard. It sounds like the slave’s piston is running out of travel and hitting the internal snap ring inside the slave cylinder. Perhaps the lever on the throwout bearing shaft was installed with the wrong clocking? Perhaps your slave pushrod is too short? I never had to do anything with the shift fork as far as removing it. If I remove the slave should I be able to move the shift fork (in either direction) by hand or at least with minimal effort using something for leverage? cartercarbaficionado AUG 27, 03:47 PM quote Originally posted by GodSend: Solution was to replace the slave? correct. but loosen the line going into it first and see if fluid sprays out and it retracts. if so maybe replace the line because that line should not hold pressure in the slave as for the clutch fork... I do hope you have the right parts installed for the Fork and trans you are using GodSend SEP 03, 10:25 AM Just as a point of closure for anyone else searching. I was able to determine that it was infact the slave. To test I unmounted it from the transmission and noted that the pedal action was still the same (only moving about an inch and then rock hard) which eliminated the shiftfork/throwout bearing. Popped off the rubber boot and noticed some fluid as well as more than a bit of rust. Anyways, replace the slave, bled, and now the shift fork moves (somewhere between an inch and two inches) and I get full pedal travel, Thank goodness, was not looking forward to pulling the setup out to investigate further. Thanks all for the help!