Help/advice/Experience required
Help/advice/Experience required
Author
Discussion

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Drove the Cerb to work this morning ('96 4.2) and noticed straight away that the Clutch pedal felt different. Worked out that the top of the action is now just spring, and the weight of the hydrualics doesn't seem to start until about halfway down the normal pedal action.

The gears just about work, but I think the clutch is dragging slightly, and making Reverse a noisey experience to engage at the moment.

I have yet to check the clutch fluid level (I hope that topping that up might work), but does anyone here have any idea what it might be?

If it was just topping up the clutch fluid that would be great, since it doesn't require a garage to do the work!!

The pedal seems to have gone from Fine, to not working properly, but it doesn't seem to be getting any worse at the moment?

Any advise would be gratefully received!

Steve

tbloke99

236 posts

282 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
I had the same problem bout a month ago. The clutch was dragging. It seemed to happen suddenly with no prior warning. The clutch fluid resevoir is pretty hard to get at itself as you have to take the cover plate off by slicing through the sealant and the bottom screw is hard to get at.
Had to get a new clutch fitted along with flywheel master and slave pistons.
Hopefully yours will only be a small loss of fluid. Try checking behind the pedal for leakage.
Best of luck

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Thanks TBloke.

If there was leakage behind the pedal, does this point to a leaky master cylinder? I guess this is a Bad Thing.

No leakage would be better....I would guess?

Steve

MikeyT

17,676 posts

292 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Email Pinkney or see his thread of a few weeks ago. He had the same problem I think. Master cylinder I think it was.

Edited to say, have seen your profile pic and that Cerb is a GORGEOUS colour!

>> Edited by MikeyT on Thursday 31st October 10:58

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Thanks MikeyT. I am very pleased with the colour of the car. I remember admiring it a number of years ago, and thinking that I would like the car in that Colour.

Prowler Purple. Except the paint is on a proper car (rather than a Plymouth).

I hope it isn't the Master Cylinder, (sounds expensive) but there you go.....

Steve

squirrelz

1,186 posts

292 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
I think master cylinder was about 60 notes on my 4.0 chim. Alternatively you can get the existing one overhauled I think (new seals etc).

-- oh and get it looked at quickly, because mine went from that, to not being able to change gear at all, in about 15 minutes of driving.

>> Edited by squirrelz on Thursday 31st October 12:46

joospeed

4,473 posts

299 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
On this evidence, it sounds like fluid loss. Look in the driver footwell at the master cylinder and if it is dripping then breathe a sigh of relief, because this is by far the cheapest problem to repair.

If it is dry, then check how deep your pockets are because this points to it being the slave cylinder and this is a 6-7 hour job at best.

I see you're in Warwickshire, so you're not too far away from me if you want me to have a look. Give me a call on 01246 456660 if you want a chat.

Joolz

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Cheers Joolz. I'll call you when you get off the 'Net.

Steve

VYT

585 posts

283 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Joolz

Had a similar problem on my Chimeara one time and that turned out to be the lever arm. Can the same thing happen on a Cerbera?

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all
Joolz isn't really back. I called him, and apparently he dictated to someone else signed on as him, so that some questions could be answered.

What a sound bloke

I am not sure he will answer for a bit!

Steve

joospeed

4,473 posts

299 months

Thursday 31st October 2002
quotequote all

What a sound bloke



But behind every sound bloke there's an even sounder woman (reading all the PH messages and phoning through the ones she thinks I'll be interested in - now that's training!)


I am not sure he will answer for a bit!



Don't you believe it!

Joolz (by proxy)

madasahatter

Original Poster:

374 posts

288 months

Friday 1st November 2002
quotequote all
Thanks Corinne.

I have a feeling that I should have bought you a drink the other day at the meeting, and I was right.

Hope you are well.

Speak soon.

Steve

octane junkie

244 posts

289 months

Monday 4th November 2002
quotequote all
My advice would be to replace both master and slave together. Not a cheap solution but it does avoid things like having to leave the car in Rotterdam for 2 weeks, the day after having had a full service and replacement master seals fitted......

trooper1212

9,457 posts

273 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
madasahatter said:
Drove the Cerb to work this morning ('96 4.2) and noticed straight away that the Clutch pedal felt different. Worked out that the top of the action is now just spring, and the weight of the hydrualics doesn't seem to start until about halfway down the normal pedal action.

The gears just about work, but I think the clutch is dragging slightly, and making Reverse a noisey experience to engage at the moment.


Just thought I'd drag up this old thread as my Cerb was the same this morning, but by the time I got to work the clutch was back to normal...

I'll pop to halfords this lunchtime to get some clutch fluid and try and check it out tonight, but why would if be dodgy to start with, but get back to normal within half an hour?

trooper1212

9,457 posts

273 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
Just popped to Halfords to pick up some clutch fluid ready for tonights incursion in to the engine bay, and my clutch is perfectly fine still. All very confusing.

olly

2,174 posts

305 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
Not trying to scare you Trooper, but ours did the same thing just before the slave cylinder went.... Got back to car, cluthc pedal was really bad - a few pumps later, and clutch was working fine again. Drove 25ish miles, all working fine, left car for 30 mins, went to start car & clutch pedal went straight to the floor.... Turned out to be the slave cylinder had gone & we had no fluid left in the system !

It could well be something different on your car, but check the fluid, if it's low, start checking it regularly & check the master cylinder for leaks....

trooper1212

9,457 posts

273 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
I'll be checking the fluid tonight and seeing what's what.

I wouldn't be too worried if the Golf was working ok, but having 2 broken cars in the household is going to be a little troublesome...

trooper1212

9,457 posts

273 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
ok, so I've driven home and the clutch is still working fine, the master cylinder was about half full and the lid was black and sludgy.
I've topped it up, but does the black sludge indicate seals breaking down?

andy4200

5,103 posts

294 months

Thursday 27th November 2003
quotequote all
Don't know about the sludge but when my slave cylinder went you could see a lot of black particles from the seals in the fluid.
There was no warning at all, left the house in the morning, 200 miles later I put my foot to the floor and called the AA.
When it was fixed they put in a darker clutch fluid and now I can't see anything.

octane junkie

244 posts

289 months

Thursday 27th November 2003
quotequote all
trooper1212 said:
ok, so I've driven home and the clutch is still working fine, the master cylinder was about half full and the lid was black and sludgy.
I've topped it up, but does the black sludge indicate seals breaking down?


Exactly what happened to me. Changed the Master, drove it 250 miles and the slave went. Get both done before you're stranded.