Odd clutch problem

[LuckyX2]

So my car has been sitting for a while and ever since I got it last year the clutch was very finicky so I decided to replace the master clutch cylinder during my car's down time. Well I got it on today and bled it but here's the strange part...

When I put it in reverse, the clutch works beautifully, so much smoother than before and I now have a wide range at which the clutch slowly catches as opposed to how I used to move it an inch off the floor and it would hook up completely. But when I put it in first, it's even worse than how it was before. I can't even drive it because the clutch grabs so quickly and with such a small pedal motion that the car just dies.

How can the clutch work great in reverse and then act like an on/off switch in first?

Any suggestion would be appreciated. I'd like to get this pos road worthy before I leave for college tomorrow...

[kungPOWadobo]

That is a strange problem, how good did you bleed the master cylinder? Maybe the slave is going out? I noticed that when my slave was going bad. I would move the clutch pedal half an inch and it would engage.

[kungPOWadobo]

As for the reverse, I'm not quite sure. My problem was every gear including reverse. Hope everything works out for you.

[Dattebayo]

Have you tried adjusting the pedal height? Checking how much play you have in the pedal?
You're gonna have to look at the disc to get a real idea. It sucks, but you can't do anything without actually checking stuff first.

[LuckyX2]

I bled the cylinder very well, even got one of those vacuum powered bleeders on it. As for checking the disk, are you suggesting that I remove the trans and watch what the clutch is doing as someone presses the pedal? I really can't imagine that it's something wrong with the clutch, if it was, wouldn't it have that problem in all gears? I put a short shifter in too over the down time, that's a pretty simple install but is it possible I screwed something up there? Could it be putting it in a different gear when I put it in first? That would sure make it hard to start...
As for the pedal adjustments, I set the connection rod length so that the pedal is fully up right when the rod is fully extended, so that's set up fine. Oh and the slave cylinder should be fine, the guy I bought it from last year put in a new nismo unit.

[LuckyX2]

I'd like to get this fixed in time for spring so I'm reviving this thread.

My car has been sitting since this thread was started. The only thing I've done since then is remove the clutch damper.
Now with the clutch damper gone it's a lot stiffer and has a more direct feel but the original problem still persists; reverse moves beautifully but I can't get it going in first at all.

Any suggestions here guys? I think I'm going to go ahead and replace the fluids next and see if that helps some.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Bleed using two people, not a vacuum bleeber. Maybe replace the slave. Bleed and bleed, adjust the rod, and break it in properly.

[LuckyX2]

I bled using two people when the damper was removed. I also have a cheap slave waiting to go in but I'm doubting that's it because for one, wouldn't it affect first and reverse equally the same if the slave was the problem? And two, the slave currently on there is a more durable nismo unit with very few miles on it.

As for adjusting the rod and breaking it in, do you mean the rod connecting the master cylinder to the clutch pedal? if so that's fine, it's set so that when the cylinder is fully extended, the pedal is fully upright.
Lastly, how should I break it in when I can't even drive it out of where it's parked? Sit and press it in and out for a bit?

[OutToWinPAHC]

Bleed the hell out of it, and yeah the rod adjustment, you replaced the master, so it may have to be adjusted. I had to adjust mine a bit to get it right.