Hi Grungy,

Bubbles in the hydraulics are a bad thing. Since the clutch is known  
to be low milage, I'd recommend replacing the slave cylinder. Bleed  
the dirty fluid out of the lines while you're at it.

I did mine in the driveway last December, and got it swapped and bled  
in an hour working with a helper.

Greg

Quoting Grungy <grungy@GRUNGY.COM>:

> The clutch in my '90 had been spotty for quite a while, but Monday it
> ceased to disengage, entirely.
> It kicked me back a couple of times when shifting, just after
> starting up and then it did nothing at all - always engaged.
>
> Managed to drive it to a FLAPS near where I was going by starting it
> in gear at stop lights and slamming it through the gears.
>
> Bought a hand vacuum pump thingy at the FLAPS and proceeded to bleed
> the slave cylinder.
> Lots of dirty fluid and bubbles.  But it could be sucking air around
> the seal, which is designed to prevent flow the other way.
>
> Managed to drive it the 1 mile to home from the FLAPS and there had a
> daughter to push on the pedal while I watched the external clutch
> lever on the tranny.  It moves.
>
> This is a relatively recent clutch, in terms of miles, but not years.
>
> Not sure how far the arm is supposed to move - anyone know?
> The pedal feels like it's doing nothing.
>
> As I see it, it could be not moving far enough, the throwout bearing
> fork could be broken somehow or the spring-loaded pressure thing that
> the throwout bearing pushes on could be dead.  That last I've never
> seen before.  What say you?
>
> I'd rather change out hydraulics than the clutch itself, just cuz
> it's less work.
> So far, all I've done is bid on a Carat on eBay.
>
> --
>
> bcnu - Grungy  (Baytown, TX)  opinions are just that.obviously.
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