Yet another odd clutch problem.

Odd clutch problem in my 60 bugeye.

1. After driving the thing at engine speeds above 3000 RPM, more than a few seconds, the clutch pedal gets "hard"--that is, I start to feel resistance at a point quite a bit higher than normal. Very little play left, if any.

2. When I push on the pedal, the clutch releases normally, but when I let it out again, it engages close to the floor, a little closer to the floor than the point at which it normally engages. It also feels somewhat lighter than normal.

3. After running a half minute or so at lower speed, it all seems normal again.

It seems like, at high speed, the fluid is getting pushed back into the master cylinder from the slave. Then, when I push on the pedal, it doesn't all get pumped into the system. (I'm not suggesting that this is what's really happening; but this is the way it seems to feel to me.)

Now, it may be that this is just the way bugeyes are. If so, fine, but I just don't have enough experience with these little puppies to know. So, I have to throw myself on the mercy of you guys who really know something. Thanks in advance for any comments you may have.

Forgot to mention--the car was recently restored (less than 1000 miles on it) and both the master and slave cylinders were rebuilt at that time.

I think it needs blead well. Restoration or not.

rebleed, go from there..........z

Thanks. I'll do that and let you know what happens. I'm travelling for the next two weeks, so it might be a while before I can get to it.

From what I've read in searching the forums, it seems like the clutch hydraulics are tricky to bleed. Well, we'll give it a shot....

I think the master push rod needs to be adjusted.
If the pedal gets harder after some use, the rod is not letting the fluid return properly in the master.
It may just need a bleeding, if that doesn't do it, check the master push rod or shorten it just a tad.