The clutch system will recharge and hold it with the accumulator that is attached to the slave cylinder

To gauge the "boosted" system. Turn ignition off and pump the clutch pedal. If it take 10 pumps and gets STIFF you have a decent slave system. 14 to 16 yields a near new system.

 

Have you looked at the Clutch slave reservoir up front in the trunk? Is it overflowing? If so you have a slave issue.

 

I did check up front. No overflow. Level at Max.

 

Just checked this out...

First I checked the fluid level - about 1" above the HOT line. Then ran engine for 20 sec as per the manual. Checked fluid level - about 3/16" above HOT line. Next I pumped the clutch and on stroke 16 it got HARD! Then checked the fluid level again - back to 1" above HOT line.

 

So the car was cold and fluid was 1" over hot mark, PA reservoir. Ran car 20 sec, and fluid dropped ~ 5/8. Pumped clutch 16x and rechecked fluid, back to 1" overfull, correct?

Therefore PS is known to be overfull when cold. When started for 20 sec, fluid drops...so it is going somewhere but not to the front clutch reservoir. When accumulator is pumped if returns to 1" overfilled.

On PPI they found a similar problem on my 2007tt but it didnt have the volitility of the PS fluid level.....by the time they checked it it was nearly empty.

what they discovered was that the internal rubber seal/bladder in the accumulator was leaking and the fluid from PS was getting slowly sucked into the other side of the bladder. If they pumped it, it would work but won't hold the pressure over few days. I didn't actually experience the situation but the previous owner related the experience. A replaced accumulator fixed it. Since you've already done the PS reservoir but not the accumulator, I'm wondering if the accumulator could be your weak link.

I don't recall a slave cyl failing in such a way as to overfill the PS reservoir bc the reservoir has a check valve. A slave failure is almost always pushing fluid into clutch fluid reservoir or leaking.

The curious thing is that you get a good pump count on your accumulator, so it has me scratching my head too.
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Correct.

I double checked front reservoir after that exercise and it is not overflowing with level still where it was at max.

 

My troubleshooting via the theory of operation of the slave/accumulator yields to possible areas within the slave. In either case the slave gets replaced. The correct way is to measure the fluid in mm out of the tank. Can’t remember word for word but it has you measure the amount. The accumulator stores real high pressure within it. The pentosin stays inside until you get in and depress the clutch in the morning. Kevin correct me if I am wrong here. If that check valve is bad, the fluid will “pass thru and return to the tank”. Yielding just one depression of the clutch. Typical person has no need to depress that pedal 10-12 times before each start. Therefore, maybe it’s just enough to allow just a few. Might even return to the front also. The shop manual has you relief pressure by at least 25 depressions. They do this because the likelihood of personal injury to the tech is likely.

 

The accumulator was changed with the reservoir. See copy of service ticket above.

I will let it sit overnight, 12 hrs and then pump the clutch again. I will report back with the count.

 

To me, it makes sense that the level would go down in the reservoir as the accumulator is charged (running engine). Perhaps that is why the manual tells you to run the engine before checking the level. Then the level would go up in the reservoir as the charge in the accumulator were released (pumping clutch).

 

I say remove fluid when it’s cold to correct level and monitor. Watch the paint!

 

Ahhh, didn't see the accumulator replacement too.

The curious thing for me is I've never notice a drop of the cold PS fluid level after starting....only increase when hot. The fact it is dropping simply with a 20 sec start, wo/using clutch, but returns after using clutch/accumulator suggests there is either fluid movement and/or pressure changes .

If I assume a defective (leaky) check valve on the PS reservoir, then when the car is cold it could push fluid past the check valve over time, resulting in an over full cold condition. Since the pressure would have been relieved on the accumulator side of the check valve, when the car is started some fluid would be drawn into the accumulator side. This could explain why the fluid in PS reservoir increases when cold (not normal)...and why it drops when engine is started. The fact that after the accumulator is depressed 16 x the PS fluid returns to the 1" overfill, really seem to logically point to a PS reservoir check valve issue.

Quick questions: Have you added any fluid at any time? If so, when and under what conditions? When the car is hot and you've been driving where is the PS fluid level? If you then let the car cool over night and recheck fluid, what is the difference. I've seen the pics of the fluid in the PS cup but that appears to be after setting for a while....or is that what you get while driving? , When you see the fluid and open the cap, is the fluid at the top of the reservoir or below the top? If below, it suggests that the reservoir was pressurized and pushed fluid past the cap....once again suggesting a leaky PS check valve.

 

I thought about that also but the tank never has pressure unless.....the tandem pump is damaged. Remember two pumps are employed in that system.

 

Ive never added any fluid at any time. I do not recall ever checking the fluid level prior to the reservoir overfill (or after). I’ve never checked the level when hot.

I noticed the overfill as described in the in the first post. The PS cup was FULL! It had to have overflowed while stationary. No way it could be that full while driving. When I opened the cap to inspect, the fluid was not at the top of the reservoir. The fluid level was at the level I currently am at (1” above HOT) which is well below the top lip.

I suppose it could have been overfilled from from the beginning, but I can’t understand why it didn’t overflow after my first drive.

 

Based on the comments and your experiences, I'd suggest as others have also, is to assume everything is working fine but it was overfilled when installed. Since all mechanical and functional capabilities seem ok, the only issue is fluid level/overflow. You indicated it is overfilled when cold, so correct level and monitor.

Suggest a simple test of drawing down fluid to the cold line (cold engine), drive car, check fluid. If it is at or near full level, you'll have your first data point. Repeat over a few days and assess if it is stable. If all of this works, write it off to a overfilled PS reservoir.

 

I am in agreement at this point.

This morning I first checked the fluid level, unchanged from end if day yesterday. Pumped clutch 18 times before stiff. Then checked level - it went up slightly as it did yesterday. Ran car for 20 seconds, level went down slightly as did yesterday. Very consistent operation.

I then removed fluid from the reservoir to the COLD level. I took about 7-8 oz out. Later today I will test drive and recheck level when hot, then again tomorrow morning when cold and report back.

I took some pics today but can't upload from my phone. I'll get them posted tomorrow.

Thanks for all the input up to this point!!