Back to the hose, if it is swelled shut and 'needs' a bunch of MC travel to build pressure sufficient to activate the slave cyl, then you'd have problems.

OK thanks guys. Next the hose gets replaced, then if that doesn't work, who knows. Take it to a shop maybe. I don't have the facilities to pull the trans and figure it out further. Wish I did :-(

If I recall, the slave cylinder on my Raider mounted onto a sort of flange on the bell housing. I think I had managed to mount it on the wrong side of the flange to begin with, but it took a lot of work, and I fortunately realized my mistake fairly quickly for a change <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Doesn't sound like this is your problem...

Eric W.

This one is just two bolts that go directly into the bellhousing. I drove it about 50 miles today for work (mobile computer repair 1-2 days a week) and it did great. There were a few moments that I wasn't sure what was going on. It seemed to be fine at times and then other times not want to go into gear and then once I got it in gear it would bang around the whole car when I put the clutch in. Weird! If its not the hose, which I'm getting next week when I get paid, then its probably the throwout or pilot bearings. If that's the case I'll put a new clutch in it when I can afford to . For now it drives at least :-)

I'm confused. "it seemed fine at times"? It shifted into gear from neutral while stopped fine, clutch engaged as normal, upshifts and downshifts were smooth and grind free? "other times not want to go into gear"? would balk at going into the gear gate (even if double clutched?) on a downshift? upshift? all gears?

How does it shift motor off, sitting still, brake off, clutch in and out?

"once I got it in gear it would bang around the whole car when I put the clutch in"? The shifter would shake or would there just be noise? Is there a regular whanging sound on heavy accel that then fades away? Are the ujoints tight? I'd check the motor mounts, too.

Try to 'splain it again, like to an idiot...

Motor off, stopped, clutch in or out it shifts fine. No problems. Motor running, stopped sometimes is fine and others not so much. When its not, I have to slam it into gear (terrible, I know...) and then a couple of times it has acted like I'm dumping the clutch in and out. Its weird, I can't really describe it, so I'll stop trying :p

Try this for me. Drive it, shifting up into second, then get on and off the gas gently while still in second, watching the shift lever. Does it flop a lot forward and back? Normal is an inch or so, a lot is any more than that...

I'll give that a try. What is it an indicator of?

I did it. Started in 1st, went to 2nd and gassed it and let go a few times. The lever didn't really move enough to be noticeable unless I was looking for it.

By the way- after talking with a neighbor who was a mechanic for 30 years, I'm almost sure it is the hose. He described a similar situation with a brake hose that he dealt with back in the drum brake days. A car kept coming back to his shop with a problem where it would drag a brake and then pull bad when brakes were applied. Two new front brake lines and it was fixed. Given the amount of black "dust" in the fluid when I drained it I'm almost 100% sure that the hose is shot. I will know next week when I get some more money and get the hose replaced.