Clutch Problems - Help me Diagnose it

[JensenA]

Just had a phone call from 'Robsco', he doesn't have access to a PC at the moment, so this is on his behalf.......

"Driving to work this morning, stopped at some Traffic lights and couldn't get the car into gear. The clutch pedal went to the floor really easily, but couldn't get any gears. Next time I pressed the clutch pedal, it went down about an inch, and then wouldn't move, it was solid. Kept trying the pedal and eventuall y got the car into gear, pulled over, switched the engine off to let it cool down, and waited for about 15 mins. When I restarted the car everything was fine, straight into gear and finished the journey to work with no further problems"

Any ideas anyone? A new clutch - described on the invoice as 'New clutch pack fitted' was done only 6000 miles ago. My initial reaction over the "pedal was solid" is that the fingers have gone.

All help appreciated.

[Tanguero]

Either the fingers have gone or the master is stuffed. I have known a blown master to sometimes bypass fluid and sometimes jam the pedal solid.

Edited by Tanguero on Monday 25th July 17:09

[robsco]

Hi all, I've got a PC for a little while. Cheers Alan for posting up. That pretty much sums it up really, I did feel a SLIGHT change to the pedal feel a couple of miles before, but it was so slight that it didn't really concern me. It just went all of a sudden at the traffic lights and gave up the ghost. I eventually managed to coax the car away from the lights, complete the right turn and then pull over and stop the car.

One other minor thing I noticed, which may not be related at all, is that the temperature gauge needle started jumping around all over the place right as it happened, which it certainly hasn't done before. Coincidence or some sort of strange connection between the two? Is there any fluid that could leak from the master cylinder area that would cause this?

ETA - Will I get the 40 miles back home tonight is the question?

Edited by robsco on Monday 25th July 13:40

[ukkid35]

robsco said:

ETA - Will I get the 40 miles back home tonight is the question?

I drove back to London from the Nurburgring with no clutch due to a collapsed release bearing (in my other car) so it can be done.

[Tanguero]

robsco said:

ETA - Will I get the 40 miles back home tonight is the question?

Depends how good you are at rev matching...

[eybic]

I had similar in my Celica, sometimes it was ok and other times either wouldn't go in or I couldn't take it out of gear. Turned out to be some of the springs in the clutch decided they should no longer be part of the pressure plate.

[robsco]

Tanguero said:

Depends how good you are at rev matching...

I've become a dab hand at it.

[C3BER]

I doubt the water temp gauge has anything to do with your clutch problem.

[FarmyardPants]

Doesn't sound like the fingers either as they don't repair themselves!

[robsco]

Got home ok guys, and indeed there is moisture in the driver's footwell. How long will it last and what sort of cost am I looking at? Glad its not the fingers anyway.

[C3BER]

If it's clutch fluid in the footwell .... Sore knuckles a few quid and month sorting your back out

Oh and check your fluid level.

Edited by C3BER on Monday 25th July 21:45

[robsco]

I won't be doing it myself Michael, she'll have to go into Selby TVR for the work doing. I wouldn't know where to start, and I don't trust myself.

[C3BER]

At least you can tick this one off as a job sorted and it's not a big one to deal with.

Got my fingers crossed for you as you seem to have had a bad run of sillys. I had all my stupid ones all together and the front discs changed at the same time. In two years since then it's had a clutch and that's it.

[Mr Cerbera]

Master Cylinder'll cost you £70.
Labour will depend on whom you choose to do the job.

[gruffalo]

Mr Cerbera said:

Master Cylinder'll cost you £70.
Labour will depend on whom you choose to do the job.

I believe that a master cyliner from a Series 3 landrover fits, gives a lighter peddle and more feel and costs circa £20 from most motor factors.

[Mr Cerbera]

gruffalo said:

Mr Cerbera said:

Master Cylinder'll cost you £70.
Labour will depend on whom you choose to do the job.

I believe that a master cyliner from a Series 3 landrover fits, gives a lighter peddle and more feel and costs circa £20 from most motor factors.

Wow !! I stand, amended !

[robsco]

Thanks all. Every effort will be made from here on in to get the old girl back to full health ASAP.

[robsco]

Right, there's more to this story than meets the eye... Took the Cerbera into Selby this morning and the clutch fluid level is absolutely full to the brim. Good news. So what about the moisture in the footwell? Well that's not actually clutch fluid, it turns out to be just water getting in from somewhere.

So there's no visible leak anywhere to be seen, and it can't be the fingers if the car has been fine ever since. In summary, I've left no further towards knowing what went wrong... Perhaps one of those great TVR mysteries.

[itiejim]

Bleed the clutch. They often get neglected and, if there's water in the system there's certainly enough heat in the area to boil it which will result in you losing the pedal.

[Tanguero]

Definitely bleed it - but I still think it sounds like a master seal is on the way out. For the cost of changing the master, personally I would do it anyway for peace of mind.