HELP - Wierd Clutch

[George Selby]

At 12:01 PM 6/23/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Very shortly after I got the car, while I was doing some minor "new car
>testing" in the driveway, I depressed the clutch pedal and  the pedal went to
>the floor without disengaging the clutch, AND the pedal did not return when
>released.


There is air in the system, try bleeding the clutch at the slave 
cylinder.  The reservoir is very small, so be sure not to let it run out of 
fluid.  BUT...

More than likely your clutch master cylinder has gone out, if it's not that 
then it's your clutch slave cylinder.  Save future trouble and replace both 
at the same time, along with any rubber hoses in the clutch release 
system.  This will also prevent any contaminants in the old unit from 
quickly taking out the new unit.

If you need a quick fix to restore your clutch pedal, try lifting the pedal 
with your hand and pumping it a few time quickly.  I was able to limp my 
former 86 CGT along for 6 months this way.  Also I noticed the longer I 
pressed the pedal in (at one time, such as sitting at a light) the more 
likely it was to not come up when released.   So at lights I would sit in 
neutral, and keep from holding in the clutch for ay period of time any 
other way possible (like I would coast up to the light in neutral rather 
than holding in the clutch.)  Also, adjusting freeplay at the top of the 
pedal will sometimes bring back the pedal for a while.

George Selby
70 F-100 Ranger XLT 400 C6
78 F-150 4x4 400 4 spd
83 Audi Coupe GT
86 Nissan 300ZX
92 Subaru Legacy Wagon AWD
gselby4x4 at earthlink.net