I know this is probably super simple but does anyone know how to do this? my car wont go into reverse or first if stopped, but if im moving the car will go into 2 3 4 5 easy and if im slowing down i can go into first, but with a little bit of difficulty. i was told i had air in the lines is this true?

EDIT: by the way, every once in a while I have to fill up the clutch fluid, are these problems connected?

[This message has been edited by fierogt27 (edited 01-18-2011).]

Yes the problems are probably connected. Pull the rubber boot back on your slave and see if there is fluid in it. Also check for fluid under your carpet behind the brake pedal. You have a leak somewhere and it is probably letting air get in too. Once the leak is found and fixed you can properly bleed the system.

Im really new to working on my own car, where is the slave? lol and if there is fluid in it, how do i get it out? and what am I looking for behind the break pedal?

The slave is the hydraulic cylinder on the transmission that moves the clutch lever. It has a hydraulic line to it and a bleeder valve on the top left end, and a rubber boot on the right end with the pushrod that goes to the clutch lever. If there is fluid in that boot the slave is leaking past the seal. If there is fluid under your carpet behind the brake pedal the master is leaking. Bleeding the Fiero clutch system is a touchy project, the slightest amount of air and 1st and reverse dont work well. There are some specific ways to successfully bleed the system, once you know if you have any leaks you can look into the right way to bleed it. If you need a slave, I reccomend getting one from Rodney Dickman.

I just did this, and used Archie's method. Fieroking helped, and it works to a "t". Found in his site... http://search.yahoo.com/r/_...a//www.v8archie.com/

Tony

thanks a lot mike, its night time but i'll do that tomorrow when its light outside

tony: your the second person to tell me to go to archies but I can not find the page y'all are talking about

I remember bleeding the Clutch Slave Cylinder on my old GT, it took forever and was a pain in the a$$. LOL! I used a air gun with a vacuum port and hook it up to the bleeder valve. You have to get all the air bubbles.

From Archies site.

Clutch bleeding prodeedure
You can do it your way, But this method always works for me.
After checking to be sure there are no leaks in the Clutch Hydraulic system.
Complete ALL of the following steps before test driving the car:
1) Install a helper in the drivers seat to push in and let out the clutch pedal on command.
2) Remove the cover from the Master Cylinder reservoir.
3) Top off fluid in the reservoir.
4) During the course of this procedure DO NOT allow the "helper" to "pump" the pedal. The "helper" is to depress and release the pedal on command only, DO NOT PUMP THE PEDAL. (See theory below)
5) You will be opening and closing the bleed screw on the slave cylinder as instructed below. CAUTION: During this procedure protect your eyes from squirting brake fluid.
6) (Helper) Press clutch pedal in fully and hold.
7) (You) Open the bleed screw to allow fluid to escape.
8) (You) Close bleed screw.
9) (Helper) Release pedal completely
10) (You) Top off fluid in reservoir.
11) Repeat steps #6 thru #10 no less than 5 times before going to #12 below. NO PUMPING!
12) You have now bled the Master Cylinder and the hydraulic line. YOU ARE NOT DONE YET!!!!! We must now bleed the Slave cylinder. (This is what the manual doesn’t tell you)
13) With no further action to be done with the clutch pedal, you can no remove the "helper" from the drivers seat and have him (her/it) help you do the following.
14) After topping off the Master Cylinder, completely remove the bleed screw from the slave cylinder.
15) Have the "helper" stand at the ready with the bleed screw and the appropriate wrench for installing the bleed screw.
16) PROTECT YOUR EYES!
17) With the bleed screw removed. With both hands grab the push rod coming out of the slave cylinder and push it into the slave cylinder as far as it will go AND HOLD it in.
18) Your "helper" will now install and tighten the bleed screw while you hold the plunger in.
19) When bleed screw is tight release the rod and as it comes out guide it into the proper position on the clutch arm.
20) Top off the Reservoir and the job is complete.

The link I gave, sends you to Archie's site. Clutch information is in there.

As usual, Mike pulls through.

I would try to find the leak first. Sounds like your issue.

Good luck,

Tony

You have a leak in the system....Either in the master, slave or the braided area of the clutch line....You will need to find/fix this issue or not amount of bleeding will keep the system working right......

alright thank you everyone this helps a lot, I'll try to find a leak tomorrow while the suns out

Another thing i would sigest doing it jacking the back end of the car up slightly on the side that the slave cylinder is on. Doing this will allow all the air to travel upwards into the slave for the bleeding.

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: Another thing i would sigest doing it jacking the back end of the car up slightly on the side that the slave cylinder is on. Doing this will allow all the air to travel upwards into the slave for the bleeding.

No--jack the front of the car up....air will travel upwards........

Mustangs..... I am 100% sure that you posted too late in the day. The slave/bleeder is in the rear of the Fiero, and raising the front of the car would put would let air travel in the wrong direction.

Tony

lol which one am I supposed to do?

Follow Archie's proven method. It cannot hurt to raise the "Rear" of the car. Air travels upwards through the system, and having the bleeder at the highest point in the system is reccomended. Mustangsbeware is very knowledgeable, and surely that is what he meant.

Tony

quote Originally posted by Tony Kania: Follow Archie's proven method. It cannot hurt to raise the "Rear" of the car. Air travels upwards through the system, and having the bleeder at the highest point in the system is reccomended. Mustangsbeware is very knowledgeable, and surely that is what he meant. Tony

I don't know about all Fieros but on my car, when the car is on level ground, the bleed valve on the slave is on the downhill side. I have to jack up the left side of the car to get the bleed valve on the highest point of the slave.

I was not able to successfully bleed the clutch system until I did that. I also used a hand vacuum pump, since I don't always have an assistant available (pushing in the slave with one hand and putting on the valve with the other was a lot of fun).

But, it was worth it. It shifts like a new car now.

------------------
Jim Martin
White '86 GT
California

[This message has been edited by Jim_Martin29 (edited 01-19-2011).]

yea I need to, hopefully I understand these directions though lol, Im still a newbie

quote Originally posted by Tony Kania: Mustangs..... I am 100% sure that you posted too late in the day. The slave/bleeder is in the rear of the Fiero, and raising the front of the car would put would let air travel in the wrong direction. Tony

Nope....I always jack up the front of the car so the slave it at the lower point....open the bleeder on the slave then let it gravity bleed for a while keeping the reservoir full....this allows all the air to bleed out of the system using gravity and requires no pumping/opening/closing of the bleeder screw.....I use the same method on the brakes....

could this be corrected when we install the new clutch?

With both by fieros the master cylinder will start to leak every winter. If I remember right it has something to do with a crappily designed seal.

quote Originally posted by fierogt27: could this be corrected when we install the new clutch?

Yes......