i know exactly how u feel...same problem here.
i think 1/4" is expected, but it has to STAY there..

i took my master cylinder loose from the
mounts and hand bled it while holding
it above the car somewhat.. cap off.
lotsa bubbles came out.....squeeze slow,
as itll shoot everywhere if u arent careful...

mine still doesnt work , but im gonna
rebuild the master next......z

I kinda think it should be more. Have you looked at the rod and pedal linkage at the master to be certain the holes of the pushrod and pedal aren't "ovaled" or the pin worn? Excess wear there translates to a LOT of motion *lost* at the slave. And I've seen pins worn to a point they look like mini crankshafts. They will feel reasonable when in the "freeplay" position and spin 90* with pedal pressure which shortens the distance the master cylinder is depressed.

Just one more thought.

my master is/was new...
no pin problem here, nice and tight.....

im thinkin bout adding some length
at the slave rod and checking the results.....
ill still rebuild the master though....z

Umm, changing the length of the slave rod wouldn't do anything for distance the slave traveled. It's the swept area/stroke of the master wot determines the stroke length at the slave, it'll still move the same distance with either length rod. Only thing more length would be needed for would be if the rod & arm were loose (too much freeplay from slave "zero" position to where the T/O bearing begins to engage the clutch). If the freeplay down there is excessive, then I could see the need.

good point Doc.
my whole system is new or rebuit
except for the master....
kinda points fingers, dont it? ....z

ah. Indeed. Got a nice fine brake cylinder hone?

Guy on another forum says you should depress and hold in the slave pushrod/piston during bleeding. Think that matters? I'll certainly try it while I wait on more parts. And I'll double check the wear at the master pushrod/pedal linkage. Can't help but wonder if this clutch spin situation (which was probably there for a long long time) didn't contribute to the demise of the old gearbox. That old gearbox behaved just like this one (grind to 1st/reverse, bit hard to hit other gears) only it would not go into 4th 95% of the time, had metal bits in the case and on the bench 4th would only grab and hold the output shaft sometimes.....consoling myself that swapping gearbox was still the right thing to do and it's issues weren't the result of this whole hydraulic thing......which I highly doubt.

i ordered a master cylinder rebuild kit
from oreillys.....dont know if its
the correct one though....
itll be in tomorrow...........zimmmy

I ordered mine from VB, probably should have just ordered one of everything in the catelog at the rate I have to order lately, would have saved on shipping!
It'll be a race then; who gets rid of their clutch spin first.
As you're a guitar guy, I'll bet my '89 Ibanez S540 that you win......
Hopefully these MCs aren't too hard to rebuild, I've only done two so far, one on a 1500 Midget, one on my Opel, neither with dual.

ive taken mine apart twice already
pointy needle nose pliers....

strange....i happen to have a pre Satriani
Ibanez 540R .....z

Wow, freaky, good taste in cars and axes. I sold off my Ibanez Destroyer DT400, which may have been a mortal sin but I had to have a floating tremelo. Love the 540S. Not that I can play worth a darn but with the whole Guitar Hero thing being so big among my kids and their friends, I'm a hero that I can actually play most of those riffs! Kills me how all these 12-15 year olds are so into 80's Metal, love it!

Oh, yeah, M.G.s......
master cylinders.....

You think you have a bad seal in there yet? I sure hope that's my problem and not something more sinister.

PS does your guitar case fit alright in the Midget?

Weird, this MC looks great to me (NOT!!)
Dirty MC

You got to break the glaze in there Zimmy, No shineyness in the bore. Those seals need that fine microscratches from a hone to grab the fluid and seal properly.

ill check it out kim.....
mine is new from last summer
but i worked it alot learning
how to bleed it and also rode
the clutch alot while my tranny
was sticking in neutral....

hopefully the latter is fixed.....

the clutch works, it just doesnt hold
the pressure long.....z

Well, I've got the MC rebuilt and reinstalled and I bleed like crazy but the results are the same, grind into first, grind into reverse, grind into 4th a tad too.
Still wondering how much slave push rod travel is expected. Suddenly a cable clutch looks brilliant.