Help Needed - Knackered Clutch?

[4x4_Gav]

Evening All,

So after 2 long days of green laning with the club I have only just got home at 21:44, this was because my clutch decided to break and I had to call the RAC.

Here is the full story, I need help before I decide to put it in the local garage and probably cost me a small fortune.

Yesterday when we first started green laning we all pulled up and had a quick chin wag, when it came to move off again I couldnt get the car in gear.

So, we had a quick look and we found that my clutch pedal was about 1/4 way up of the full return it should of had, a quick mess around with Ian's fingers and it released, at this point we noticed that my clutch fluid was 3/4 empty << make note.

All went fine from there but throughout yesterday and today I have had to help the clutch return all the way up from time to time with my foot as it didnt come on its own.

So, today, green laning done, went to pick up stuff from my mums where we had stayed, went to McDonalds and in the drive through it started to play up again, this time with the clutch fully pressed down in gear it was still trying to drive itself??

Parked up and realised that ALL the clutch fluid had now dissapeard (from the indicator reservoir at least). My clutch pedal was now "floppy" << thats the only way I can describe it.

We put more fluid in from the Shell Garage but this made no difference so called RAC out.

He turned up and within about 5 mins had fixed it, he tightened a bold near the reservoir and all of a sudden my clutch was back stiff again.

Started driving home, and it went again. Luckily I managed to keep it in second gear and didnt stop, so crippled it home.

SO, what the frig could be wrong with the old girl and is it likely to be costly?

The only thing I cannot add to this at present is if there is any fluid in the reservoir at the moment as I cannot see, I will need to check this in the morning.

I have 1 week before I need her on the road again. Answers on a postcard please

Gav

 

[R1cho]

well sounds to me like a fluid leak somewhere, i bet when you check that resevoir it will be empty again, if it is i would say best bet would be to do a pressure test and see where the leak is

 

[spudd]

well not clutch itself then so either master cylinder,slave flexi or the poxy damper pipe corroded.if its the master cylinder i have one here you can have foc

 

[4x4_Gav]

well not clutch itself then so either master cylinder,slave flexi or the poxy damper pipe corroded.if its the master cylinder i have one here you can have foc

Very generous mate, sounds like I will need to take it to the garage then to at least get them to fault find as I dont have the know how or tools to do it (as those on the green laning in the last couple days will know LOL) Its a shame to end such an awesome weekend with gloom

 

[R1cho]

well not clutch itself then so either master cylinder,slave flexi or the poxy damper pipe corroded.if its the master cylinder i have one here you can have foc

yesterday when it started playing up i did think it was the clutch on its way out, but then we discovered the low fluid level so obviously not that, as you said it probly the damper pipe corroded, so his fluid is just going

 

[geoffdown]

Evening All,

So after 2 long days of green laning with the club I have only just got home at 21:44, this was because my clutch decided to break and I had to call the RAC.

Here is the full story, I need help before I decide to put it in the local garage and probably cost me a small fortune.

Yesterday when we first started green laning we all pulled up and had a quick chin wag, when it came to move off again I couldnt get the car in gear.

So, we had a quick look and we found that my clutch pedal was about 1/4 way up of the full return it should of had, a quick mess around with Ian's fingers and it released, at this point we noticed that my clutch fluid was 3/4 empty << make note.

All went fine from there but throughout yesterday and today I have had to help the clutch return all the way up from time to time with my foot as it didnt come on its own.

So, today, green laning done, went to pick up stuff from my mums where we had stayed, went to McDonalds and in the drive through it started to play up again, this time with the clutch fully pressed down in gear it was still trying to drive itself??

Parked up and realised that ALL the clutch fluid had now dissapeard (from the indicator reservoir at least). My clutch pedal was now "floppy" << thats the only way I can describe it.

We put more fluid in from the Shell Garage but this made no difference so called RAC out.

He turned up and within about 5 mins had fixed it, he tightened a bold near the reservoir and all of a sudden my clutch was back stiff again.

Started driving home, and it went again. Luckily I managed to keep it in second gear and didnt stop, so crippled it home.

SO, what the frig could be wrong with the old girl and is it likely to be costly?

The only thing I cannot add to this at present is if there is any fluid in the reservoir at the moment as I cannot see, I will need to check this in the morning.

I have 1 week before I need her on the road again. Answers on a postcard please

Gav

sounds to me it could be the flex clutch pipe got mine cost £20 or so easy repair hope that is whats wrong with urs

 

[spudd]

any of those are an easy fix.just follow down master to slave, flexi to an aly block from block pipe to rear wheel arch.

 

[makeitfit]

You can bin that poxy clutch pipe to the back anyway. Just undo it from the T piece and put a blank in it. Flexi pipes are known to fail inside :thumbs

 

[4x4_Gav]

ok, think I found the cause, now I need help with the solution, topped up the fluid again this morning, it was half gone again, started giving the clutch some welly i.e. pumping it for a bit then selecting gears and going forwards backwards. Checked fluid and it had gone down a tiny bit again, checked underneath and well, see below for yourself. Whats there and what could be leaking, and is this clutch related or something else leaking too? lol

Its literally dripping where you can see on this picture, incase its not clear this is dripping from near my rear drivers side axle.

 

[makeitfit]

Simple fix mate, just bin the whole pipe that goes to the back. There's a T piece under the floor near your left foot is. Blank it off, job done

 

[4x4_Gav]

OK, without looking lol - is it simple to blank off i.e. is everything already there to do it (if that makes sense) or am I going to have to make a bodge job of it myself?

Also, what does it do, why is it there and what does it effect by not being there?

 

[laurieash]

Clutch

Hi Gav checked mine over this morning after the weekend offroading yes no fluid in clutch master cylinder, checked mine has been blanked to the back no leaks that i could see so head under the foot well looking at the pedals no leaks? hand up to feel master cylinder found the leak were the piston goes into master cylinder:clap so smiling that i found the leak but not smiling as i have to get a master cylinder. any one got one. also on inspection i have split in the center Exhaust box just on the seam, it wont weld a bit thin.so middle box exhaust needed also. Laurie Ash.

sorry back to yours i beleve that you undo the pipe that goies to the rear put a ballbearing in the hole and put the pipe back on so that stops the feed to the rear so leak cured:clap

 

[laurieash]

Reading back through the thred Spudd is the master cyilinder still going begging will pay postage and beer tokens pm me Laurie.

 

[4x4_Gav]

Hmm does feel a bit greasy above my clutch pedal, maybe 2 leaks? lol

I have booked it into my local garage in the morning, I feel a bit out of my depth on this one

 

[laurieash]

Hmm does feel a bit greasy above my clutch pedal, maybe 2 leaks? lol

I have booked it into my local garage in the morning, I feel a bit out of my depth on this one

yes it will be greasy up there thats just for pedals, its Fluid that your looking for.

 

[mowerman]

The clutch has a second pipe that runs to the rear of the car above the rear axle on the drivers side???? it is a 'damper pipe' to stop noise I assume :nenau:nenau... it feeds from the joining block on the transmission tunnel (underneath the car next to clutch arm) where the flexible pipe goes to the slave cylinder on the gearbox (the bit wot pushes the clutch in/out).. I have seen a couple of 'fixes' like putting a small ball bearing in the screw fixing to block the pipe, also some people have just put a bolt in? (would need to be a really good fluid tight fit) or I suppose you could just cut it and somehow seal it (was thinking of just cutting it and bending it over on itself and squashing it flat?)... as long as the fluid dont come out afterwards jobs a goodun :clap:clap

 

[4x4_Gav]

I would really love to play with it lol, the Mrs wont let me though as this is our main car and I need it for work.

So I think I will chuck her in the Garage tomorrow and also get them to do a much needed full service on it too..

Gav

 

[rustic]

I suppose you could just cut it and somehow seal it (was thinking of just cutting it and bending it over on itself and squashing it flat?)... as long as the fluid dont come out afterwards jobs a goodun :clap:clap

Ok for the clutch, as the pressure is quite low, not something you would consider on the brake pipes though.
Common sense I know, but for those not in the know, worth mentioning. :thumb2

 

[makeitfit]

we've had brake lines burst off road before now :augie On one occasion "extreme4x4" got the rest of the day driving after the judicious use of a mole grip

 

[4x4_Gav]

we've had brake lines burst off road before now :augie On one occasion "extreme4x4" got the rest of the day driving after the judicious use of a mole grip

ROFL, I get the feeling my issue was there before the offroading as the second we did the first hill is when it went and my fluid was already at half, so my suspicion is that it is something I have previously missed. But SHOULD be fixed after today.

I have confused some people at Paddocks when I mentioned that it has clutch fluid going down a flexi to the back, they were like no.. cant be... really...? You sure its not brakes??.... really? lol

T2 FTW.