Clutch won't disengage
 

I have a 2004 Ion level 3. I've had issues with the clutch recently. It was feeling very spongy and not disengaging fully. I tried bleeding the system, but that didn't help. I replaced the master cylinder and tried bleeding the system again, to no avail. I had the clutch kit, including the slave cylinder, and flywheel replaced. The shop that did the work had to use their air compressor to push air into the system to manage to bleed the slave cylinder. This fixed it, for about a day. Now it won't disengage again. I bought a pressurized brake/clutch bleeder. After getting the system under pressure, I pumped the clutch continuously for over half an hour. That seemed to work, until I let the car sit without pressure on the hydraulic system for a few hours. Now it won't disengage at all again. What would you guys recommend I look at next? Should I replace the lines running from the reservoir to the master cylinder and from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder? What is the part that is between the master cylinder and the line going to the slave cylinder? What are the part numbers for these parts?

How did you do your bleeding (what method)?


Sounds like the shop was trying to power bleed it. I doubt they were pushing air into the system since that is the exact opposite of bleeding. They were likely using air to force fluid into the hydraulic system until no more air bubbles came out. This in theory works well unless there is a leak and air is getting sucked in as the fluid rushes by the leak.

Here's a link to a discussion about bleeding these clutches:
The impossible to bleed clutch. - Saturn ION RedLine Forums

I do not believe the IRL clutch is configured any differently than the other ions, but Bones can come by and smack me if I'm wrong.

The first thing that came to my head based on your described symptoms was a failed slave (or failing slave) because the slave could disengage the clutch immediately after bleeding but lost the ability to do so with elapsed time.

If you replaced the master and bled w no improvement, prob not master as long as it was properly bled.

Throwing the kitchen sink at it after that makes troubleshooting of the original issuennearly impossible because you've replaced some of the hydraulics and the mechanicals at the same time. Fork travel issues vs slave cyl performance cannot be individually isolated as the issue.

Since it sounds like the only bits you haven't replaced are the lines between the clutch master and slave--which is a plausible place for the leak given the symptoms.

Because you stated a mushy clutch pedal, I am shying away from mechanicals being the problem

They absolutely were trying to power bleed it, but he didn't have a power bleeder adapter for my vehicle, so he jury rigged it, essentially. I'm sorry if explained that part poorly. I purchased a power bleeder, which does an excellent job at getting the clutch disengaging properly.

Reading the thread from the redline forum leads me to believe that the setup is at least slightly different, for one there is no bleeder valve screw/bolt. The bleeder valve is "actuated" by partially removing the line going into the slave cylinder from the master cylinder.

The failed slave cylinder was my first thought, but a buddy of mine, who is a Ford Master Mechanic said he thought it might be the master cylinder, so I tried that first instead. That didn't work, which is why I wound up throwing the kitchen sink at it, as you put it. The slave cylinder is internal to the transmission, and I'll be damned if I'm going remove or have removed my transmission and only replace the slave cylinder when the clutch is original to my car with 160K miles on it. I would have done the job myself, but between having to raise/support the engine and remove a section of subframe to get the transmission, and the extra hours I pulling at work lately, I just wanted to get it done quickly.

I've ordered a replacement line from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder, and the master cylinder elbow as well, which attaches to the master cylinder then the line going to the slave cylinder attaches to it. I tried to order the supply line from the reservoir to the master cylinder, but that line is integral to the reservoir. I tried to order a reservoir, but it is discontinued by GM, and there isn't one in their supply system at all. I hope the parts I've ordered fix it, other wise I'm not sure what I'll do.

I should have said that I initially tried manual bleeding, then I used a vacuum bleeder, neither was successful in getting the original slave cylinder to work. I have since purchased and, after having the new clutch and slave cylinder installed, used a manual pressurized bleeder. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Slave inside the tranny? That sucks.
I'm an s car guy -- trying to become an ion guy.....slowly.....

I was a bit perplexed at the APPARENT "try one part, then go to town on it" approach, as people that just throw parts at a car without rhyme nor reason don't usually shotgun all the parts it would make sense to address. Well now we know why

I don't know how it exerts force on the TOB, but is it possible that the original replacement slave is defective? Can you somehow pressurize it out of the vehicle and see if it alone is the cause of the leak? B/c it would suck to replace that tubing only to find the same issue persists, again incriminating the slave....

I'm sure your buddy was going for the longshot since he knew you'd have to pull it apart otherwise anyway

PLEASE come back and let us know what transpires

Yesterday I used my power bleeder on the system. I had the wife pump the clutch with the power bleeder up to pressure. I then used a bleeder connected to the bleeder port and opened the valve a couple of times with the system under pressure and my wife pumping the clutch. I was able to let the car sit for 12 hours while I was at work last night and drive away without re-pressurizing the system. I haven't tried it yet today, but it wasn't easy to get to it earlier than now since I work until 3 am.