TR-6060 clutch slave cylinder failure

[TheBrightSide]

I’ve disassembled the factory, bone stock clutch slave cylinder (older factory one that GM produced), and am wondering if you guys could help me with confirming the mechanisms/workings of this thing. From what I examined, it seems like the green-colored, flexible ribbed rubber boot around the spring and hardware, had a tear near the top.

This tear in the rubber boot/cover, let in tons of gunk and debris over the years and probably seized up the “plunger”, as well as running the internal seals… The green rubber boot was also smaller than the newer produced CSC’s, and it was stretched a good amount over the hardware. I saw a bit of rust and grease, with the plastic composite, factory release bearing support; however, everything seemed okay and not overly worn.

The only thing that seemed worn with the CSC, was the release bearing (SKF branded), where it rested against the bearing support. The needle bearings(?) inside also had a good amount of play, although I don’t believe I had any weird noises when pressing or releasing the clutch pedal. With the new CSC, I’ve applied a fair amount of high temp grease, all around the metal to metal contact points, apart from the top of the release bearing, where it contacts the pressure plate “fingers”.

Now, I didn’t physically see anything except the wear and tear on the rubber boot and release bearing, on the CSC. I know that it stopped letting out clutch fluid and barely worked, so again, I inspected the debris that was around the metal plunger in the actual CSC. I pressed it down with the plastic bearing support to test it, and then it ended up seizing… Not sure if that’s normal for failures, but it definitely seems like a contributing factor, since the spring is mainly there for additional support/actuation.

Apart from the billet aluminum release bearing support I installed onto the new CSC, I installed a remote clutch bleeder line. I used blue thread locker on the threads on the fitting going into the CSC bleed valve threads, as well as the threads to the line fitting. The new bleeder valve bolt came with it’s own red-colored thread locker, so I left it as is. I haven’t used a speed bleeder bolt in years, so I’ve forgotten how they work.

[TheBrightSide]

I feel like I'm talking to myself here... lol I ended up removing the factory o-rings (black-colored) on the clutch line "adapter", for the clutch save cylinder (black hard line, with clutch fitting ports), and then replacing them with some new Viton o-rings.

The new Viton o-rings I used were like a dark orange/light brown color, and they felt a bit stiff from being brand new, I guess? I eye-balled the new o-rings to the original ones, but I don't know if I should "moisten" them with a bit of brake fluid? Or should I use any kind of silicone lubricant at all; like a tiny dab of it?

[acammer]

The newest GM HRB's (hydraulic release bearings) or CSCs as you call them actually have upgrades the throwout bearing support to metal straight from the factory. We still sell those billet supports as there are plenty of the old style HRBs in circulation, but we don't offer them with new HRBs for that reason. That's your most common failure mod, the throwout support melts and takes the bearing out of alignment and causes it to fail.

Sounds like your failure was related to the dust shield (green part) failing and allowing debris into the sealing area of the bearing, ultimately causing it to bind, and leading to it seizing. The big spring is low tension, it's designed simply to place that bearing in constant contact with the clutch fingers, but it's not responsible for any part of the actual clutch release actuation.

As you probably realize, these things are designed with service in mind, and I don't think you can get many of the parts individually. Sounds like the right call on replacing old, hard sealing rings with fresh ones. I would give them a touch of fluid, you don't want it going together dry.

[TheBrightSide]

Originally Posted by acammer

The newest GM HRB's (hydraulic release bearings) or CSCs as you call them actually have upgrades the throwout bearing support to metal straight from the factory. We still sell those billet supports as there are plenty of the old style HRBs in circulation, but we don't offer them with new HRBs for that reason. That's your most common failure mod, the throwout support melts and takes the bearing out of alignment and causes it to fail.

Sounds like your failure was related to the dust shield (green part) failing and allowing debris into the sealing area of the bearing, ultimately causing it to bind, and leading to it seizing. The big spring is low tension, it's designed simply to place that bearing in constant contact with the clutch fingers, but it's not responsible for any part of the actual clutch release actuation.

As you probably realize, these things are designed with service in mind, and I don't think you can get many of the parts individually. Sounds like the right call on replacing old, hard sealing rings with fresh ones. I would give them a touch of fluid, you don't want it going together dry.

For the newer HRB’s/CSC’s, are you talking about the most recent, newer GM manual cars, or for all the manual ones pasts like 2013-2015+ era in general? I have yet to find any CSC for the 5th gen Camaro V8 manual models, that come with a metal release bearing support, besides obvious performance companies that make or supply a billet support and have it installed already (to sell as a whole CSC assembly).

Off note, I notice that there’s mainly all FTE-supplied parts for the CSC’s, which isn’t a surprise; although the very original GM ones (have the cast logo) have been long discontinued. And as far as aftermarket performance options go, you’re limited to like Centerforce, Ram Clutches, or Tick Performance (and maybe some other companies I don’t know of).

I might upload a closer photo when I get the chance, but what exactly is in the aluminum hydraulic release bearing assembly, once you remove all the external parts and pieces? There’s like a metal ring thing inside of the area where the release bearing support rides on, and also helps plunge down. I’m assuming it was part of the plunger and maybe had a seal underneath? You were saying something about a bearing, but I was under the impression that the only bearing in the assembly, was just the release bearing itself, which is on the very top of the CSC.

But yes, like you and I were talking about, gunk and debris got into it through the ripped dust boot/cover, clogged it up and probably seized it. I just don’t know what’s inside of the thing, and it’s kinda driving my curiosity crazy. I sprayed brake cleaner through the bleeder end and the clutch line end, and they both go straight through each other obviously. But the plunger thing was so seized, I don’t think that anything except maybe something blowing a ton of pressurized air through it one way, will get the plunger to un-stick itself, or come back up.