RebekahsZ Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 So I "bled" my Tilton 1" clutch master cylinder on my LS2 swap tonight. Removed the little "basket" from inside the reservoir and sucked out most of the fluid (which had become discolored and mirky with a metal-flake appearance in just a few weeks). Added some new fluid and used a Mighty Vac in the center hole of the master cylinder reservoir to vacuum out any air trapped in the master. Then, I brought the remote bleeder line up into the engine compartment (hoping air will rise) and bled it with the help of my wife on the pedal (I tried to Mighty Vac it, but the fitting on the remote bleeder was too small to keep the the vacuum hose on). For a change, we communicated pretty well and I don't think I sucked any air. Never got a satisfying burp of bubbles, but I bled and bled until the dirty fluid (funny, it has only been in the car for a few weeks) was gone and I got clean fluid, the color and clarity of the fluid in the reservoir. Cleaned everything up and put the cap on the reservoir, but forgot to install the little basket. Then I had my wife pump the clutch pedal and I noticed a lot of commotion inside the reservoir. Took the cap off and had her push clutch pedal again, expecting to see some bubbles followed by me swearing. Well, when she stepped on the pedal, hydraulic fluid shot straight out the top from the center hole in the bottom of the reservoir and lands right back inside the reservoir, making no mess. I put the little basket back in, and everything seems ok. Master is working properly. Is that squirting of fluid indicative of a problem, or is that normal for the Tilton master cylinder if you forget to reinstall the basket???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) Posting a few pictures that may help diagnose/fix the problem. Brake fluid was about 2 weeks old. One photo shows how it looked in the master cyl. Then I bled some off into a tuperware. Paper toweled out the reservoir and the dark gray residue had a fine metal flake appearance. Final photo shows the color and clarity of new Motul high-temp brake fluid. There appears to be NO fluid leaking anywhere.. Level is staying constant and no drips from bell housing. Search of internet suggest that the fluid shooting up in the reservoir is sign of a bad seal somewhere inside the master. Gonna order a new master cylinder, and while waiting for it, gonna get a brace made to stop the firewall from flexing. Will change the master and bleed everything again. If that doesn't fix it, then I guess the tranny comes out..... After flushing the system last night, drove car 4 hours today on roadtrip. Fluid is dark again. Edited August 20, 2012 by RebekahsZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Uh, mine does that, but it never really breaks the surface of the fluid.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Dude, it shoots 6" above the reservoir on mine. Just ordered a new one from Summitt as a last attempt to keep from pulling tranny and getting mired down inside the bell housing. Reduced size from 1" to 7/8". Having a really hard time coming to terms with the chances that I'm sucking clutch dust into the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 The fluid squirting out is normal. All the cars I have bled brakes on do it. Leave the filter basket in place or put the cap on while bleeding and it will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Dude, it shoots 6" above the reservoir on mine. Just ordered a new one from Summitt as a last attempt to keep from pulling tranny and getting mired down inside the bell housing. Reduced size from 1" to 7/8". Having a really hard time coming to terms with the chances that I'm sucking clutch dust into the system. Well my fluid turned really dark... and I had a leak in the system. It was where that fitting is roll-pin captivated into the slave cylinder. The hole had egged out just enough so the fitting could tilt 15 degrees or so, and caused it to leak / contaminate the system. Who knows how some of this stuff happens... boggles my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Keep me up to date on your clutch performance, please. This is my hot issue because it makes my car crap out on me at the strip. Points to focus on are: 1) how soon the fluid turns black, and 2) how the clutch performs (disengages) during wide-open-throttle, high rpm shifting. Thanks. I want a fix, but it seems that there is a design flaw with the throwout and how it slides across its sleeve and picks up clutch dust in the process. I'm considering a different transmission if I can't get a reasonable fix. Changing master cyl for now and gonna bleed it regularly (weekly) to keep fluid clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) If your car is like mine and you are using the original slave cylinder, I think the new fluid turns black so fast because it is mixing with the clutch dust that is already in the slave cylinder. I would think flushing the fluid a few times in succession would clean it out. I just swap out what is in the master every month or two and so far the clutch is working perfectly. Oh, and don't worry about the squirt that comes out of the master with the screen out. Mine does it as well. Joe Edited August 21, 2012 by rags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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