What are the symptoms.....
Discussion
...of my clutch coming to the end of its useful life?
I've only ever driven my own Cerb so I have no other Cerbs to compare with. Getting first gear has always been a little difficult but it seems to be getting worse. I'm not sure if that's because I haven't driven it very often during the winter months and only have my very very smooth Lex gearbox to compare it to.
Seems that I have to really press hard on the pedal to get first gear. All the others are fine. Car is a 98 4.5 with 17.5K on the clock and is on the original clutch I think!
I'd be grateful of any thoughts.....
I've only ever driven my own Cerb so I have no other Cerbs to compare with. Getting first gear has always been a little difficult but it seems to be getting worse. I'm not sure if that's because I haven't driven it very often during the winter months and only have my very very smooth Lex gearbox to compare it to.
Seems that I have to really press hard on the pedal to get first gear. All the others are fine. Car is a 98 4.5 with 17.5K on the clock and is on the original clutch I think!
I'd be grateful of any thoughts.....
Not sure that this will be any help for you - but my first gear starting get difficult and the clutch did go, but this was in a very short space of time. It was okay in the morning, then started being troublesome, by the afternoon, that was it. Still managed to drive the car home, but it wasn't pleasant. New clutch and it's all gorgeous again! 
Doesn't really sound the same as your situation does it......
Doesn't really sound the same as your situation does it......
No need for it to be the whole clutch at the end of it's life, check the fluid in the reservoir, if low or none then top up and bleed first. If it goes down again after that then you are likely losing fluid due to failing seals in either master or slave (check for black floaty bits in the fluid as well as that is another sign). Slave seal replacement is still pretty hefty if it turns out to be that. Does the pedal feel normal or do you have any deadness at the beginning of the travel?
4 things can go wrong with the clutch.
1. The fingers can break - mecchanical failure, design fault and luck of the draw.
2. The seals in the master Cylinder can fail - Often caused by the car not being used for long periods of time (and I mean for months, not just a few weeks). Check the fluid, if there is a black residue in it and NO signs of fluid leaking from under the car but there is fluid dripping up in the Drivers footwell, then the chances are the Master cylinder seals have gone.
3. The seals in the Slave cylinder fail - same as above, but the opposite, ie there are signs of fluid leaking from under the car, but none in the drivers footwell, then chances are its the Slave cylinder.
4. The clutch plates wear out - Normal wear and tear, if its been driven hard, raced away from the lights on every occasion, then it wears out quicker. If the clutch fluid is nice and clean, but does need topping up, then the plates have worn, top it up and keep going until you feel it needs replacing, when gears are hard to obtain, a bit of crunching etc etc. You may already have reached this point.
1. The fingers can break - mecchanical failure, design fault and luck of the draw.
2. The seals in the master Cylinder can fail - Often caused by the car not being used for long periods of time (and I mean for months, not just a few weeks). Check the fluid, if there is a black residue in it and NO signs of fluid leaking from under the car but there is fluid dripping up in the Drivers footwell, then the chances are the Master cylinder seals have gone.
3. The seals in the Slave cylinder fail - same as above, but the opposite, ie there are signs of fluid leaking from under the car, but none in the drivers footwell, then chances are its the Slave cylinder.
4. The clutch plates wear out - Normal wear and tear, if its been driven hard, raced away from the lights on every occasion, then it wears out quicker. If the clutch fluid is nice and clean, but does need topping up, then the plates have worn, top it up and keep going until you feel it needs replacing, when gears are hard to obtain, a bit of crunching etc etc. You may already have reached this point.
Edited by jensena on Sunday 1st April 14:32
1.Remove body panel that goes around windscreen scuttle (two allen screws.)Take off flexable washer jet pipes.
2.Just under the windscreen on the drivers side at the back of the engine bay,there is a small diameter long flexable braided pipe with a bleed nipple on the end.This is attached to the bellhousing,this is the bleedpipe.
3.You need to access the master cylinder,this is under the black fibreglass radiused cover on the back of drivers side inner wing.This is held on with two small screws & silicon.you need to remove the silicon very carefully.
4.Bleed as you would do any normal clutch.undoing bleed nipple & topping up master cylinder,make sure that your not loosing fluid under the car,if you do the slave cylinder seals have gone,make sure that your not loosing fluid in the drivers footwell,if so the master cylinder seals have gone.If your not taking the car on a track DOT 4 clutch fluid is ok.
5.Make sure you re-silicon the black cover when re-fitting.
6.GOOD LUCK !!!
2.Just under the windscreen on the drivers side at the back of the engine bay,there is a small diameter long flexable braided pipe with a bleed nipple on the end.This is attached to the bellhousing,this is the bleedpipe.
3.You need to access the master cylinder,this is under the black fibreglass radiused cover on the back of drivers side inner wing.This is held on with two small screws & silicon.you need to remove the silicon very carefully.
4.Bleed as you would do any normal clutch.undoing bleed nipple & topping up master cylinder,make sure that your not loosing fluid under the car,if you do the slave cylinder seals have gone,make sure that your not loosing fluid in the drivers footwell,if so the master cylinder seals have gone.If your not taking the car on a track DOT 4 clutch fluid is ok.
5.Make sure you re-silicon the black cover when re-fitting.
6.GOOD LUCK !!!
Edited by ESSO on Sunday 1st April 12:21
Edited by ESSO on Sunday 1st April 12:23
Edited by ESSO on Sunday 1st April 12:23
Just to add...
When my clutch went, I noticed that on starting if it was in first gear and you had the clutch pressed in it would shunt forwards very slightly and would slowly ease forwards at the lights. I had severe problems getting first and it clunked into second and third with fifth graunching 3 out of 5 times.
Bleed your clutch as above first and good luck with it...
MB
When my clutch went, I noticed that on starting if it was in first gear and you had the clutch pressed in it would shunt forwards very slightly and would slowly ease forwards at the lights. I had severe problems getting first and it clunked into second and third with fifth graunching 3 out of 5 times.
Bleed your clutch as above first and good luck with it...
MB
marcus1970 said:
Just to add...
When my clutch went, I noticed that on starting if it was in first gear and you had the clutch pressed in it would shunt forwards very slightly and would slowly ease forwards at the lights. I had severe problems getting first and it clunked into second and third with fifth graunching 3 out of 5 times.
Bleed your clutch as above first and good luck with it...
MB
When my clutch went, I noticed that on starting if it was in first gear and you had the clutch pressed in it would shunt forwards very slightly and would slowly ease forwards at the lights. I had severe problems getting first and it clunked into second and third with fifth graunching 3 out of 5 times.
Bleed your clutch as above first and good luck with it...
MB
The other thing to also try is the adjustment on the travel on the clutch pedal,when i fitted my new clutch i could not get 3rd/4th/5th gear without adjusting the clutch pedal travel.
Edited by ESSO on Sunday 1st April 12:34
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