clutch fell right in :(

Kandid · Kandid's Garage

To make the story short, I started my 84 944 after long winter waiting. (Started with no hesitation at all), touch the clutch pedal and it falls right in! I can manually return it to upper position but it doesn’t do it by it self. What should I check first?

-P.s. I was waiting for this gorgeous Saturday morning for many months. And this is what I got

coupe · 03-15-2003, 09:14 AM

Master and slave cylinders. Check break fluid level too.

Kandid · Kandid's Garage

Thanks. I have noticed that I'm bit low on a break fluid, can it be the case? (it's just below the min mark)

944freak · 03-15-2003, 09:26 AM

Mine did the same thing, it was just the slave cylinder.

Kandid · Kandid's Garage

"Just" the slave cylinder?
I'll get some brake fluid and try to pump it in
(there's very little chance that's going to work tho

)

944freak · 03-15-2003, 10:36 AM

My slave cylinder was bad. No other problems in my case.

944ThatCould · 03-15-2003, 11:50 AM

my car is starting to do that also every once in a while.. I figure I'll wait a little and replace the cluth, master, slave and throwout at once.

Kandid · Kandid's Garage

thanks to everyone...
adding break fluid and pumping didn't help...
I had it towed to a shop, so they will look at it next week..
I was waiting all winter

highboost951 · 03-15-2003, 12:54 PM

Pumping won't do it, you needed to bleed it. But then again it would only be a temp. fix since you brake fluid must be going somewhere to be low. As mentioned earlier, plan on replacing the clutch master and slave cylinders, unless you have a brake caliper leaking. Though most likely it's clutch related. Good luck, post their findings.

Frank B · 03-15-2003, 02:41 PM

bleed it... if you were only a little low.. I'd guess that there's alot of air in your system,, which isn't good for the brakes either... bleed baby bleed.. she'll be fine then....

stray15 · stray15's Garage

you need a new slave and master cylender...those of you that just did the slave, you WILL be changing the master shortly, trust me on that one...

bleeding it will not fix the problem, if you have air in the system, there has to be a reason for it...

do them both so you keep the towing bill down

do you have any tools? its an easy job...

caper · 04-29-2003, 03:38 PM

I am completing a total rebuild of my '86 non-turbo 944 and installed new master clutch cylinder, new master brake cylinder and reservoir. Removed slave cylinder and cleaned and honed it. Just finished bleeding my brakes. Clutch pedal falls to floor and was wondering what was going on. After reading your posts I presume that my problem will be corrected once my clutch is bled. (The parts catalog shows a clutch return spring but there is no connecting points at the top pivot points of the clutch pedal where a return spring would connect). Does the '86 944 have a clutch return spring or is the catalog referring to an older model?

Mrmerlin · 04-30-2003, 09:11 AM

Hi you need to blled the clutch the best way to do it is with a oil can filled with fresh brake fluid .
Pull up the pedal get under the car and put the oil can with a flexible rubber line onto the bleeder open the bleeder and back fill it till you see fresh coming out of the clutch feed line in the brake master cylinder resivour, do this till no air is showing, pump the pedal a few times you should have a pedal, after this then bleed the clutch the other way by pumping the pedal and opening the bleeder, do this till no air shows and your done.
Also the clutch pedal has a helper spring on it, this is for making it easier to press the clutch, and in all probability should be left alone........Stan

caper · 04-30-2003, 03:19 PM

Hello,

Just got home from the office. Thanks for the reply and info about back filling the system before normal bleeding process.

I am familiar with the helper spring and am not going to touch that. The spring I'm wondering about is a small one the same as the brake return spring which hooks between the top pivot of the pedal and pedal mounting bracket. The parts catalog lists a similar small spring for the clutch pedal.

Thanks again.

rben · 04-30-2003, 04:02 PM

Stan, you are probably the one who posted this method of bleeding the slave cylinder at a prior time. I have tried several methods, mity -vac etc. Your method works great. this is by far the easiest way to do the job.
rben

caper · 04-30-2003, 04:26 PM

It's good to hear about something that works and is an easier method.

Has anyone tried reconditioning a slave cylinder? I realize they aren't expensive, but thought I'd try cleaning the old one up and see if it will do the job.

Mrmerlin · 04-30-2003, 05:43 PM

Caper if you like to work under the car then by all means rebuild the old parts, then you can fix it in a parking lot at night in the rain with the outside temp at 35 degree while youre girlfriend sits in the driver seat pumping your clutch

Long and short of it Buy a new set of clutch master and slave cylinder, then you wont be having any doubts of the systems integrity..and you can be pumping something else besides your pedal.......Stan

caper · 04-30-2003, 05:55 PM

My wife won't let my girlfriend near the car.

cruzermusic · 04-30-2003, 08:02 PM

hey frank b.....have you found a car you wanted to keep?

rben · 05-01-2003, 05:07 PM

Wagner makes a rebuild kit for the slave cylinder that sells for about $16. It is a simple job to rebuild the cylinder, check out the Haynes manual
rben