Clutch Problems- please advise.

[dictys]

Clutch pedal is dead. coming to a stop and pressed clutch pedal, straight to floor, would not come out of gear. Slow down and force car into netural.

Each time tried to select a gear with clutch pedal depressed no joy. eventually force car into 1st and drive home (20 miles.

Any takers what my next step should be?

[paul c]

Have had the same.Does the clutch pedal have no resistance any more too?,was very limp on mine which was a give away that she needed a new slave/master cylinder.After limping her home,my breakdown company would only take her to my chosen specialist if i got her OUTSIDE of a ten mile radius of my home...

[adrianmugridge]

It will most likely be the slave cylinder seals. Have a look in the master cylinder ( it's in the front, bolted to the bulk head. Unscrew the cap ( it will be very tight ) and have a look. The fluid level should almost be to the top. If your slave seals have gone there will be no fluid in the master cylinder.

Have a look on my site, under GT3 then maintenance. There's a bit of a write up about it.

Adrian
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk

[dictys]

Thanks for the replies,

I've checked clutch levels and seals all ok, clutch pedal vibrating like hell.

I suspect I now need a new clutch, O well these things happen. Will book it in the next week or so.

Till then I'll have to be content cleaning the leather, bodywork etc.

[lotusguy]

dictys said:

Thanks for the replies, I've checked clutch levels and seals all ok, clutch pedal vibrating like hell. I suspect I now need a new clutch, O well these things happen. Will book it in the next week or so. Till then I'll have to be content cleaning the leather, bodywork etc.

Hi,

How did you eliminate the possibility of the seals? Did you have someone watch the clutch fork to see if it moves when you depress the clutch pedal? If your seals fail, you will not necessarily lose any fluid, the piston in either the Master or the Slave will simply move through the fluid instead of driving it, consequently, no leaks or drop in fluid level. I think there's a good possiblity that the clutch is gone away as you say, but if so, this would not affect the action of the clutch hydraulics and certainly would not give you a vibrating clutch pedal as there is no direct mechanical link between the two. A vibrating pedal is more a sign of something amiss with the hydraulics. Have an assistant depress the clutch pedal while you watch the clutch fork from either the ground or in the boot. If the clutch fork moves, it's likely to be the clutch plate, pressure plate, throwout bearing or broken clutch fork (These have been known to fail), if it doesn't move, the cause is more likely a failed Master or Slave Cylinder. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

[superdave]

Same thing happened to me about 3-4 weeks ago, a day before Stoneleigh. It turned out to be the master cylinder spring had snapped and the spring had locked the cylinder into the downward postion. My pedal wouldn't depress and was just flapping around. It was fixed an hour later about £40 plus an hours labour. I was fortunate as my Lotus Engineer didn't charge me for all the plugs I've been given them. I don't need to mention their name this time.
They have some Wilwood master cylinders in stock at the same price as the Lucas ones. If you need their number then e-mail me off-line.


Cheers,



Dave Walters

[dictys]

I'm off to Russia tonight, but when I get back I'll get underneath and check for movement on the clutch fork.

As I understand it, if this moves then it will be a broken clutch otherwise something to do with the slave or master cylinders?

I've booked it in for a new clutch (around £450 inc tax & labour) but if I can fix it at home then I rather do this.

[Lasse]

This sounds as a "exploded" clutch friction plate. It did on my S3 several years ago and there was so much debris under the clutch spring housing that the clutch jammed totally.
If there is oil in the clutch system, no leaks, and the clutch fork (sticking into the clutch housing) isn't moving when the pedal is depressed (and you need force to do so), it is probably the friction plate.
When the plate gets old an thin from wear it can "explode" if RPM is high enough.

Best Regards /Lasse

[dictys]

Lasse said:

This sounds as a "exploded" clutch

A combination of above and failure of the Master Cylinder seals I'm told. Garage will have the car back to me by the weekend!! WooHoo!

Rgds
Dictys