Help!! Hydraulic Clutch Problem

[Clois Harlan]

Never a dull moment at the Harlan Snake Pit! Last weekend in Omaha I was racing and during the race I bent the rod that attaches to my clutch pedal and works my clutch master cylinder. A slight mis-alignment caused the rod to bend 90 degrees. I have replaced my Wilwood master cylinder and re-drilled another hole to properly align the unit. Now, I can't seem to bleed the system. I am using a "Mighty-Vac" as well the old two people method. Two days of pumping and squeezing has yielded nothing. My pedal does not want to return to the top.

I bench bled the master cylinder before installation but I am now wondering if the throw out assembly could have been damaged when my master cylinder rod bent. I had to drive back to the pits with the clutch partially engaged (slipping). I have inspected the bottom of my scatter shield and there is no sign of clutch debris. No fluid seems to be leaking around or near the clutch area.

Tonight I am going to open my upper throw out bearing bleed hose (I attached it at the back of my intake manifold) andattach a plastic tube to the bleeder valve and run it to the top of my clutch reservior hoping the gravity will equilize the fluid and all the air be pushed out.

If that doesn't work then tomorrow after work I will try and rent an electric vaccuum pump to pull a complete vaccuum from the top hose to the throw out bearing. If that doesn't work I am calling summitt and ordering another bearing for Saturday delivery. I don't really want to pull my transmission or spend the $300 unless it is really necessary.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? :