OK, before someone lays into me for not searching for other posts, it has been a long few days and all I really need is information from someone who has experienced these two issues. Background - I pulled my transmission this winter to update the clutch since my POS clutchmasters gave up the ghost last fall. I purchased and installed a Spec stage 2. Got the clutch in to the point of re-connecting the battery last night and that brings me to the first problem. When I connect the battery, the engine cranks over automatically. yes, I checked the obvious, such as the wires at the starter and searched for disconnected connectors. The only one I could find is the one that used to go to my rear O2. There was a dangling wire near the starter. It is white with a stripe on it (don't remember color of stripe but it was dark). Anyway, I put a connector on the end of this wire and tried hooking it to the small post on the starter, no good; then to a ground point, still cranks automatically; and then to the hot wire on the starter, you guessed it, no luck. That one has me baffled, but maybe a good half nights sleep will help. The second problem is that when I bled the hydraulic system, the clutch pedal got hard as a rock. I have driven 60 pound pedals before, but this is probably approaching 200 pounds. As though the CSC is hanging up on the input shaft retainer. I really don't want to think about taking the trans out again, but unless I am missing something here, that is going to be what needs to be done.

If anyone has experienced either of these issues, I would appreciate your input at to what the root cause was.

 

OK, so I found out why the engine was cranking when I hooked up the battery. The anti-rotation tab on the B+ terminal from the battery was rotated and in contact with the trigger wire from the ignition switch. The miscellaneous wire was a ground wire. Engine starts and runs fine. The clutch operation is not a good of an outcome. In order to get the pedal to the floor for the engine to start, it would appear that the flange on the clutch master cylinder broke, because the pedal went right to the floor. Bummer. But once starting the engine, I was able to confirm that the clutch itself is fully engaged (transferring torque). That tells me that the slave cylinder must be hanging up on the input retainer. Good thing I don't need this car for my daily transportation.

If anyone has a better idea of why the pedal is rock hard, I'm all ears.

 

to much pressure in the line?? Not sure, but that would be one of the first things I'd check.

 

I agree, but foot pressure on the pedal is what causes pressure in the line. Then the slave cylinder is supposed to travel through its stroke keeping the pressure from building up too high. Am I missing something. Sometimes I get too close to a problem to see the obvious.

 

1. How did you bleed the slave cylinder?
2. Did you replace the slave cylinder when you did the clutch job?

I do the old school two person needed style bleeding as it seems to be nicer on the slave cylinder than the vacuum pump. Also, if you did not replace your slave cylinder you are going to have fun pulling it all apart to do so. The slave WILL fail if not replaced, no question about it. Trust me as I went through the whole 3 different versions of the CM cluthes until they go it right. I finally settled on my Exedy which pwns them all without a doubt!

 

I used the vacuum method. That is not the issue. The air is definitely out of the line. I believe that I may have discovered the problem. I suspect that I kinked the hydraulic line between the master cylinder and the slave cylinder. That would cause the rock hard pedal and it makes sense.

 

Ouch! That plastic line sucks! I wish someone would just make a nice SS braided line for us. I hope it all gets worked out in the end for you.

 

I count myself one lucky SOB. Turns out that I pinched the hydraulic line between the trans and the trans mount. For those of you who have actually done this job you know that unless you take the electrical distribution box out, that whole area is blind work. It is not leaking, but I don't trust it. For the $30 that it will probably cost for a new line, I will leave the car the way it is until I can pick one up tomorrow or the next day. Also, I have a high performance shop for tuners and I am going to give the crushed line to Agency Power and try and get them to make a braided line. If they will, the next time I am elbows deep in the engine compartment, I will put one on. Will give the all clear when it is actually on the road again.

 

OK, my car is back on the road. The crushed hydraulic line was the cause of the heavy peadal. The new Spec stage 2 clutch feels real nice. Lower pedal effort than my CM, no issues with high rpm shifts, etc.. I do have a couple of bugs to work out, but no big deal.