# Confused about air in clutch fluid line **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 14, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350 "2019-07-14T02:40:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Chall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Chall](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Laszlo_Chall)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/1 "2019-07-14T02:40:50Z")
2000 Pontiac Trans Am. The other day I had to get my car towed because it wouldn’t go into gear, I figured there was air in the clutch fluid line and when I peeked under the hood the fluid was very low and black. I added some and used a mityvac to bleed it (you have to drop the transmission to get to the slave cylinder in a T56, pain in the ass) so now it drives. I took it for a test run and it was going fine, I did a pretty hard pull and once I got to 5th gear the pedal went limp again, but after I let it sit for a second it became firm. My fluid was definitely lower than before, but I couldn’t find any leaks. I added some fluid, tested it again, and I had no issues with the pedal. Is it 100% guaranteed that when the pedal went numb and the fluid was low, some fluid leaked out? Or is it possible that there was air in the system that got pushed out, causing the fluid to appear lower? I’m no physics major, please help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/2 "2019-07-14T03:01:51Z")
Go under the dash, drivers side, and pull the carpet away from the firewall to see if hydraulic fluid is leaking from the clutch master cylinder rear seal. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Chall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Chall](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Laszlo_Chall)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/3 "2019-07-14T03:13:04Z")
I checked that, it’s dry as a bone. I’m almost sure it’s the slave cylinder, just because there’s nothing else it really could be. I think the leaked brake fluid has just pooled up in the transmission since there’s nowhere for it to go. One of the seals is a little wet but I’m not sure it’s brake fluid. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/4 "2019-07-14T03:21:16Z")
There’s no such thing as a 2000 PontiacTrans AM [https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/pontiac](https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/pontiac) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Chall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Chall](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Laszlo_Chall)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/5 "2019-07-14T03:22:41Z")
pontiac firebird, trans am trim ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/6 "2019-07-14T03:31:05Z")
Okay. I see. The slave cylinder is inside the bell housing. The slave may be leaking. Because clutch dust can absorb a lot of fluid. But the only way to know is, remove the transmission. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Chall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Chall](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Laszlo_Chall)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/7 "2019-07-14T03:34:45Z")
Right, I figured that’s what it is. But what I want to know, do you think it’s possible when I tested it and the pedal went soft and the fluid level dropped that I pushed some air out of the lines? Or is it probably just more leaking? I tested it a second time with no pedal issues or fluid level drop. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/8 "2019-07-14T03:36:35Z")
Fluid level drop points to an external leak. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/confused-about-air-in-clutch-fluid-line/144350/9 "2019-07-14T12:23:57Z")
Yes, there is: > **[GM F platform](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_F_platform#Fourth_Generation%2C_1993%25E2%2580%25932002)** > > The F platform, or F-body, was General Motors' small rear-wheel drive automobile platform from 1967 until 2002. It was based partially on the GM X platform, which was used for compact applications instead of the sporting intent of the F-Body. The only two vehicles to have been built using the F-Body platform are the Chevrolet Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird. The fourth character in the Vehicle Identification Number for an F-body car is "F", on Fourth Generation vehicles. Earlier Camaros and Fireb... 4th Gen F body built from 1993 to 2002. Reviewed by Motor Trend > **[Road Test: 2000 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 - MotorTrend](https://www.motortrend.com/cars/pontiac/firebird/2000/2000-pontiac-firebird-trans-am-ws6/)** > > A musclecar, by definition, is a powerful and sporty vehicle that must be able to spin its tires at will. The Firebird Trans Am is capable of laying down twin black streaks of rubber several hundred feet long.