clairetoo
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 06:47 PM |
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Odd clutch problem
I had a recurring problem with my cluth while on holiday - I have a good enough setup to go 250 to 300 miles between stops , but the longer I drive
without using the clutch , the less it wants to work (if that makes sense ?)
The pedal (on first press) is `long' - it goes right to the firewall without releasing - but 5 or 6 slow presses and it's back to normal
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I have a 16mm integral master cylinder and a concentric slave cylinder - I changed the fluid (which was black...) , which helped a bit - but 2 days
later I changed it again , and it was black again !
No leaks , no air in the system - and no clue as to what is wrong.................
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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tomgregory2000
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 06:52 PM |
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if it black as you say then the seals are starting to go, time for a rebuild
i only know that as i have just had to rebuild my landy brake mc as it was starting to take a couple pumps of the pedal to get the brakes to work and
the fluid was black
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 06:54 PM |
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Is it getting too hot? Maybe DOT5 would work better?
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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clairetoo
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:03 PM |
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I was wondering if it was heat related - the master cylinder is very close to the engine , and only a couple of inch's from the exhaust .
Odd thing is - use it constantly , and it's fine , so no problems around town , or up and down mountains , but leave it one gear and just drive
and it goes away.................just clears off 
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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r1_pete
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:16 PM |
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What hoses are you using? the OE stuff can start to break down and cause the blacking of the fluid, it also goes soft with heat, and behaves like a
baloon, when you press the clutch.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:19 PM |
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Sounds like at some time some oil contamination has got in the system --- it takes only a tiny ammount even WD40 destroys rubber seals even if it is
wiped off the surfaces.
Fit clean & new seals in the master cylinder, you might get away without doing the slave.
[Edited on 5/9/10 by britishtrident]
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:20 PM |
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Master cylinder rubbers on the way out. Sort it out now or it could fail at any time . Guess how I know!!
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tomgregory2000
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:28 PM |
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to test the seals
start engine
foot on clutch
select a gear
keep foot on clutch pedal and wait and see if it engages the clutch for you
if it does then seals are fecked
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:33 PM |
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Im not an expert in hydraulics by any means, but surely if the oil (fluid) boils, then it would produce a gas, thus causing the effect that you
describe as a result of an "Air" lock?
Personally, i think its heat that has destroyed the fluid after 2 days, which may also have done the seals.
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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clairetoo
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tomgregory2000
to test the seals
start engine
foot on clutch
select a gear
keep foot on clutch pedal and wait and see if it engages the clutch for you
if it does then seals are fecked
The clutch works fine once it has been `pumped up' - right up untill the next long run - and will happily sit at the lights in gear ticking
over............
The hose is braided stainless , so no problem there I hope ?
I could try another master cylinder - the slave cylinder is an engine out job though
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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clairetoo
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 07:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
Im not an expert in hydraulics by any means, but surely if the oil (fluid) boils, then it would produce a gas, thus causing the effect that you
describe as a result of an "Air" lock?
Personally, i think its heat that has destroyed the fluid after 2 days, which may also have done the seals.
I did check the fluid level in the master cylinder at one stop , without pressing the pedal , and the level had risen significantly so you may be on
to something there......
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 5/9/10 at 08:53 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by clairetoo
quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
Im not an expert in hydraulics by any means, but surely if the oil (fluid) boils, then it would produce a gas, thus causing the effect that you
describe as a result of an "Air" lock?
Personally, i think its heat that has destroyed the fluid after 2 days, which may also have done the seals.
I did check the fluid level in the master cylinder at one stop , without pressing the pedal , and the level had risen significantly so you may be on
to something there......
I reckon thats what it is. Boil some up with a camping stove and old jar and see what colour it goes. IT might even be going black by boiling inside
the pipe. With braided hoses, youre not going to see any damage until it leaks. Personally, id change those for copper, steel or even just plain
rubber. Learnt the hard way on this once.
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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Stott
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| posted on 6/9/10 at 06:33 AM |
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I had this problem but without the fluid going black, no discernable loss of fluid but clutch was always shot in the morning but would work in a
fasion when pumped up.
Turned out to be the slave in mine, it was leaking a tiny ammount of fluid out when left for any length of time.
It presented the same symptoms as a M/C fault, I even changed that before I admitted to myself it was box off time.
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iti_uk
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| posted on 6/9/10 at 07:52 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MakeEverything
Is it getting too hot? Maybe DOT5 would work better?
I believe DOT5 + DOT4 = cheese
(assuming Claire is running DOT4 at the moment.)
DOT5.1 is compatible with DOT4. Just a word of warning. 
Chris
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 12/9/10 at 05:43 PM |
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Did you get it sorted Claire?
What was the outcome~?
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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