[DeTomaso] Clutch woes in Asa's garage

[steven.liebenow at att.net]

Asa Jay,

I must agree with the questioning of the spring in the slave..... why is it even there????  The Goose runs a 3/4" bore slave, no spring.  I like the idea of having it fully seated....at rest (plus required gap...for fork finger withdrawal).

If you eliminate the spring in the slave for kicks and giggles, and it still does not resolve issue.....

...then look towards master.

You said that it was difficult to push fluid back up the line.....could be a restriction in the master's plumbing???  Presuming that someone was in there and replaced it with some slightly incompatible unit??? Looks similar....acts different?

Any steel fittings in the line that may be rusted inside?  I found that on my rear brake lines! Rusted solid shut!!!

Anyway, if after removing spring you can then see that pedal effort (extra eyeballs or video camera required!) results in little or no movement out back, your master is going south or already there.

If you have never replaced it or the seals prior......then I would call it a "next best target" rather than messing with longer throw slaves.....

The slave is on the ass end of this problem.  If you can improve the performance of the whole system with a master unit, then you can always improve with the longer stroke slave if still needed.

For unseizing aluminum slave to bracket, try a product called "PB Blaster" found at most auto stores these days.  Works WAY better than anything I have ever used in the past, certainly miles better than WD-40....  Good stuff!   Soak time may be required, but it works fast!

Steve