My clutch is stuck, can't press the pedal
 

I recently changed the clutch in my Camaro LS1/T56, it was worn out, pilot bearing was toast and the release bearing needed a new one.

I had a new Z06 clutch package that I mounted with the new bearings. Everything worked well when I drove home from the shop were I did the work, I borrowed one of their lifts to do it.

Well, when I came home I parked out in the street and later when I was going to drive it in to my garage the clutch pedal was totally rock solid when it should disengage the clutch. I pressed on and bent the MC-bracket and the pushrod :faint:

I checked around and got an advise that the check valve in the line could get stuck. When I took it apart it was surely stuck and needed a lot of pressure to release.

I got some new hoses and fittings so that I now don't have the check valve. Mounted everything back today and when I started to bleed I was back to square one. The pedal gets rock solid when it meets resistance from the pressure plate. When I release the pressure when bleeding the pedal goes to the floor so that part works.

The slave moved when I had it out and seemed to work.

Could there be something wrong with the pressure plate that locks it up?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks


Jan

Jan,

It sounds like you have a frustrating situation on your hands. It is very possible that something is wrong with the pressure plate. However, the problem could also be in any of the hydraulic components. I would start at square one. Get the car back on the lift, take the whole clutch assembly off the engine, including the flywheel. Bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel with the disk in place, as if it was in the car. Then go to a press, get an old mechanical throw out bearing, mount the assembly in the press, and simulate releasing the clutch by using the press to push on the TOB. You should not need more than .5" travel at the clutch fingers to release the clutch. Examine the action of the spring fingers to see that the pressure plate is lifting from the disk as you press on the clutch fingers. This is the only way to check if the problem is in the pressure plate.

If everything looks good mechanically, then your problem is most likely in the hydraulics.

Andrew