Cerb 4.2 Clutch fluid dissapearing?

[mhickling]

Keep losing my clutch and having to top up the reservoir and bleed the clutch, no fluid appears to leak underneath the car but the fluid must be going somewhere...

any easy way to diagnose this problem?

Also, when it first happened there was a load of black sludge in the reservoir and the fluid came out black (presumably a rubber seal of some form deteriorated and floating about in the fluid)

[jamieduff1981]

If it's dry under the bellhousing, and considering the black fluid in the reservoir, it sounds like your master cylinder seals to me. If you can contort yourself into the footwell and shiny a torch up at the top of the clutch pedal you'll see where the pushrod is attached via a clevis and lock nut. At the other end of the pushrod is a rubber seal. I'll bet you're leaking fluid there.

Here's what my master cylinder looked like when I pulled the rubber seal off the end - the fluid in my reservoir was black also.



If the seals are disintegrating, you'll lose the clutch completely soon and it won't bleed.

The good news is that it's not that expensive and relatively straight forward to change. The bad news is that if your slave cylinder is original, then chances are it's not far behind. I.e. mine blew it's seals the day after I replaced the master cylinder. Others on here have had similar experiences I understand.

[scotty_d]

As above ^ I would think slave cylinder as it is prone to heat damage. But do the Checks first.

[Boatbuoy]

Agree!

[Tanguero]

Black precipitate in the master cylinder isn't necessarily due to the seals failing. Brake fluid in a clean glass jar will develop the same thing over time so its clearly a natural oxidation product at least to some extent.

Check the end of the actuating rod on the master for seepage. If that is dry then it is highly likely to be weeping at the slave unfortunately. I never saw any fluid marks on my drive despite a slave failure.

[Mad Mark]

As all of the above but check under the carpet on drivers side as if it is master cylinder that's where the fluid ends up!

[mhickling]

havent had chance to have a proper gander at it yet, however just today in traffic when you hold your foot on the clutch in any gear, after a short period of time the car starts moving as if your releasing the clutch.....

I'm suspecting its the slave cylinder though to be honest...

[jamieduff1981]

May as well change both. They're both crap!

[jamieduff1981]

May as well change both. They're both crap!

Edited by jamieduff1981 on Wednesday 13th March 19:59