ParkerC

Hello... I'm the proud new owner of an 88 Grand Prix white S4 with a five speed. I've had a 928S poster up in my house somewhere as long as I can remember. This is definately a dream and a half coming true that still hasn't really sunk in. I'll try to post a pic, and keep this short. My Question...I pushed in the clutch today to try to shift to first after sitting at the ATM for a minute or so, and it decided it wasn't going to come back up until I reached on the floor and pulled it up with my hand. Now the clutch seems to be about 30-40% easier to push and I seem to have more trouble shifting through the gears. Checked fluid and hoses inside and out, no leaking fluids. Searched archives and came up with a bad throw out bearing, or pilot bearing. I'm a busy man right now and DIY is not an option. Called mech, have an appointment in TWO WEEKS. If it is one of the two probs mentioned above can I drive with caution until then, or is it time to start driving the Volvo again. WOW sorry for the long post.
Thanks

cfc928gt

Congrats on the long awaited purchase! The clutch staying on the floor sounds like a failing clutch master or slave cylinder. I had the same thing happen with my GT. I wouldn't drive it if I were you or you'll end out losing the hydralics completely and you won't be able to engage the clutch at all. Ask me how I know...

ParkerC

Thanks for the response cfc928gt. MY mech thinks he just fixing a leaky power steerings hose and replacing tires(new PS2s on 18" SportClassicIIs). I guess I let him know on Monday...Its too bad this didn't happen two weeks ago when I had mt PPI( I'm not POed in the least though, I know these things take $$$ to maintain...Let me try this picture again...If it doesn't work this time I'll try a pic hosting site...Parker

ParkerC

Had to resize the picture 5 times! One last try..

cfc928gt

Very fine! No rub strips either and I love the wheels

worf928

A good flushing and bleeding of the clutch hydraulics should be the first action - unless your records indicate that it was done recently - say in the last year. If after doing that the clutch acts fine for a while and the starts behaving as you describe then look for more expensive problems.

But, FIRST, check the clutch pedal - look at the piston that the pedal pushes into the clutch master cylinder. Find the rubber boot at the base of the piston. If you see any sign of brake fluid - even a single drop - then your clutch MC needs to be replaced / rebuilt.

FlyingDog

Like Dave said, check for fluid around the pedal. Then check the chassis to engine hose (look under the car near the front of the driver's door for a black hose with zinc fittings about 1.5feet long) for cracking, swelling, or leaking. Then check the slave boot for leaks (pop off black instection cap on the bellhousing and reach in with your fingers searching for fluid). Then bleed. There are a lot of special procedures people have come up posted on Rennlist.

Nice car. I think the wheels, rubstrip delete, and model lettering delete.

ParkerC

Hey ...Checked my ten years worth of records and discovered back in 04 the prev owner had a similar"Clutch pedal is on the floor, car will not select gear" problem. They found a leak in flexible hose and replaced, bled system. I pulled the boot on the piston, and checked boot, piston, and around that general area...totally dry. Pushed clutch in twice checked again...Nothing. Checked all hoses again too as best as I could...Flyingdog, I found hose similar to what you mentioned, but I couldn't ID any zinc fittings. Would I be correct to say the only other hoses/lines in the area would be my newly discovered SS brake Lines? Thanks Again...P

hupp

Did you check the master cylinder for or the slave cylinder for leaks? Take a look at the slave, if you haven't already - this could be the culprit.

ParkerC

Maybe I haven't checked the slave cylinder...I assumed the master cyl was the one shared with the brakes under the brake fluid resivoir, and the slave was the one down on the floor that the piston moved in and out of. If the later one is the master cyl than maybe I haven't checked the slave?

Daniel Dudley

Correct. Slave is under the car.

FlyingDog

You found the right hose. It's the only rubber hose in that area.

The clutch master and brake master are seperate. They share a resevoir on top of brake master. A blue braided hose runs from the resevoir to the clutch master mounted to the firewall behind the clutch pedal. From there a metal line runs to the rubber hose you checked which connects to another metal line going to the slave cylinder. The slave is on the far side of the starter attached to the bellhousing. You push the master which pushes the slave which pushes the clutch release arm.

PS: make sure you aren't losing fluid from the resevoir.

ParkerC

Hey...thanks for all the input guys, I definatily learned more about my car, but I still could not find any traces of fluid anywhere(I'll refrain from any CSI jokes). The "blue" hose looked like it had been chewed up by a cat, but it wasn't leaking. I guess I'll just take it real easy on the 15 Mile trip to my mech when the time comes... Thanks Again P.

worf928

If the slave cylinder is leaking it may be very hard to tell because signs of a leak may be in the bell housing. Anyway, time for a good flush and bleed of the clutch hydraulics. Then, wait and see.

Carl Fausett

The clutch master cylinder is dead nuts under the brake master cylinder. You can eyeball it with a good flashlight on your back looking up at it. There is a hose with a blue woven cloth cover that goes up from it to the brake fluid reservoir.

Did you say your 928 was parked for a while before you started driving it?

If the reservoir is full of silicone racing-style fluid (not regular brake fluid) it could be the moisture got to your system while it was parked. Common for silicone brake fluids. They are much more hydrotropic (sp?) than regular brake fluid - higher boiling point, yes, but absorb moisture from the atmosphere (causing rust, corrosion, and blown selas) much more rapidly. Silicone "racing" brake fluid is supposed to be replaced annually for this reason and almost never is.

Anyway... have your mechanic start by just a good replacement of the clutch fluid with new and bleed the system. You may get lucky.

Sharp car! I also prefer the rub strip deletes and the clean look. Very nice. And welcome to the 928 community.