I've got a 5 speed isuzu attached to a 305 SBC v8. My clutch does NOT disengage when I'm driving it, i have to either slide it into gear while its revving down while moving, or already have it into gear when i start it up. It bogs down when I'm sitting still and not moving cause it wants to go forward, even with the clutch to the floor.

I bled my system a few weeks ago, it barely fixed the problem, but then came back in full force. I checked the fluid today, its below the fill line and the suction cup thing in there was all the way to the bottom and made a suctioning noise when i peeled it from inside. its got a leak somewhere, but where to start? Should I start replacing parts at the slave and move back or what? i dont think its the m/c because its very clean in that area and I see no fluid anywhere.

Any tips on where to start?

Matthew Hanson

A lot of times a master cylinder leak shows up under the carpet where the banjo comes through the front bulkhead. If it's the slave leaking, fluid tends to leak into the rubber boot where it isn't visible.

Check for traces of fluid at master banjo rod where it pushes in ,if it has been leaking you should have fluid moisture in carpet,,80% of the time it is the slave pull slave boot and check for fluid , are you using fiero slave ??what year slave do you have ?? 5 speed isuzu,, if any problem with older model slave install 86 MR 2 piston ,just research this with search feature at top right of page ,,Normally the master will not improve or fix itself,, this would more likely be a slave problem,but check both do not forget to check the clutch fluid lines tho normally a tube line leak would never firm up..

use search feature ,,put in "" mr2 slave "" there will be all you need to know about slave
look at slave cly question by joshh44 on this page and you will see source of new inexpensive slaves unfortunately these are for fiero not compliant slave girls !!.

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 11-29-2008).]

My V8 install required me to make the slave rod longer to get the right amount of travel. If your pushing the slave cylender too far in the bore because the rod is short it could be causing it to leak. I still ended up replacing it Napa had the correct slave, the one at autozone didnt look right.
I got some push rods and cut one down until it worked.

Good luck.

I'd like to pull my old slave, buy a new slave and then put the mr2 parts in there as uhlan suggested. Any idea what slave I should get? I'd need a year, make, model, and engine size to pick at the store I'll be buying the new slave from. Everything for these v8s seem different than what they should be so I'm asking.

Thanks
matthew hanson

I wanted to notate here that

before i started any work on this, the clutch wouldnt disengage fully, and always grinded when i tried to throw it into reverse. i had to go into 3rd and then into reverse to get it to go in at all. also, toward the end it wouldnt go into gear at all, not even a little bit. i had to shut the car off, and then put it into gear adn then go.

i searched, decided to get a new slave and replace the brand new single seal piston with a double umbrella piston from an 86 mr2 slave rebuild kit.

I put a new clutch slave cylinder, SC37795 is the NAPA part number, I could not find this slave anywhere else, in autozone or advance or anywhere. napa is the only place i could find this. it was 31.99 plus tax.

i also bought the 1986 mr2 slave rebuild kit, and replaced the original single seal with the double seal piston in the mr2 kit. i bought this at advance auto, and i do not have a part number.

i powerbled, using a powerbleeder from motive, flat on the ground for like 2 whole quarts. closed the bleeder screw, tried the clutch and got nothing.

i proceeded to jack the rear of the car up, and then continued bleeding, and that got alot more air out. i also pulled toward the drivers side on the slave piston rod, until it was fully depressed WHILE bleeding, which got alot MORE air out. i closed the bleeder valve, then let the rod come back out slowly, and it pulled the fluid from the powerbleeder up front. i opened the screw back up, and a few more bubbles came out, but nothing after that.

i closed up, put the cap back on the master cylinder, let the car down, and ran the car. it shifted better than it ever has. like butter through every gear, INCLUDING reverse, normally it grinds when it went into reverse, but no more, no more going into 3rd and then into reverse, it went straight in, no sounds. i had a good solid pedal, not as hard as before but it worked way better. the clutch fully disengaged, and i drove it to get fuel with no problems.

i notate all this for the search feature, so when someone comes along and searches, they find all the answers here.

thanks everyone for your time, archie for taking my phone calls!, uhlanstan for suggesting the mr2 kit which i had never heard of but comparing it side by side with the original piston was a majorly huge upgrade, and its obvious why its so good once you see them. and everyone else in the chat room who helped me get motivated to get the job done.

matthew hanson

Good to hear you got it worked out and the motivation to get it fixed!

a few months later....

The problem came back, I've bled it about 6 times since then. Air is still getting in somewhere, I'm just not sure where. I'm considering replacing the m/c and the line. That seems to be the only idea that would work, there MUST be a leak somewhere letting air in. the cap to the m/c maybe? that seal on it seems like its a poor excuse for a seal, considering if you tighten it down too far it'll just plop down into the m/c. Is there a replacement seal to buy thats a little more sturdy?

matthew h.