400se Clutch problem
Discussion
Just had a look where you top up the Clutch fluid and it's empty ! I suspect that this may be the cause of my probs. Is this the Master Cylinder ? If anyone answers in time I'm going to nip out and get some Clutch fluid. What should I buy and how far do I fill the resevoir ?
Cheers !
Cheers !
jellyed said: If its enpty it must be leaking ??????
Yeah I agree but it must have been leaking for ages. Is the clutch fluid red ? If so I have had a few red spots on the garage floor after a run for 3 years ! I always thought it was the gearbox leaking. I've topped the gearbox up but never checked the clutch sylinder !! DUH !! SOOOO It must be a very slow leak which means that if I top it up I can forget about it again for at leas the summer ..... I HOPE !!!
>> Edited by nick heppinstall on Saturday 5th April 15:34
Nick,
Red is for the gearbox ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid).
Hydraulic clutch operation takes brake fluid (important: not red!!!).
Probably DOT 4 will be fine, but I stick to DOT 5.1.
Filling it up is probably not a solution.
It is like bleeding the brakes, involving two persons.
Use the bleeding nipple at the clutch slave cylinder.
And get that old stuff out, while the system is properly bled.
Level: Check outside of the reservoir for max (like in Max Power?).
Think bleeding the system properly will cure the problems you are encountering. But this situation could have caused a bit of additional wear on the clutch itself.
Good luck,
Rob
Red is for the gearbox ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid).
Hydraulic clutch operation takes brake fluid (important: not red!!!).
Probably DOT 4 will be fine, but I stick to DOT 5.1.
Filling it up is probably not a solution.
It is like bleeding the brakes, involving two persons.
Use the bleeding nipple at the clutch slave cylinder.
And get that old stuff out, while the system is properly bled.
Level: Check outside of the reservoir for max (like in Max Power?).
Think bleeding the system properly will cure the problems you are encountering. But this situation could have caused a bit of additional wear on the clutch itself.
Good luck,
Rob
350zwelgje said: Nick,
Red is for the gearbox ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid).
Hydraulic clutch operation takes brake fluid (important: not red!!!).
Probably DOT 4 will be fine, but I stick to DOT 5.1.
Filling it up is probably not a solution.
It is like bleeding the brakes, involving two persons.
Use the bleeding nipple at the clutch slave cylinder.
And get that old stuff out, while the system is properly bled.
Level: Check outside of the reservoir for max (like in Max Power?).
Think bleeding the system properly will cure the problems you are encountering. But this situation could have caused a bit of additional wear on the clutch itself.
Good luck,
Rob
Thanks Rob. Just nipped out and bought some Dot 4. Thought about Dot 5 but was not sure it was OK. Well thats cured it ! Phew ! Feels like a differnent car. I've got an easy bleed kit in the garage somewhere so I'll bleed it and refill it Sunday.
Cheers
Nick,
Had the same problem with both my 400 and earlier 350 - despite keeping it topped up it started to disappear at an alarming rate - clutch slave replaced on the 350 and it was fixed - initially thought to be the clutch slave only on the 400 but master also needed replacing - all sorted.
Seamus
Had the same problem with both my 400 and earlier 350 - despite keeping it topped up it started to disappear at an alarming rate - clutch slave replaced on the 350 and it was fixed - initially thought to be the clutch slave only on the 400 but master also needed replacing - all sorted.
Seamus
I use DOT 5 and there is a mark inside the resevoir for the level. But where is it leaking from? Is DOT 5 red? mine aint but the gear box stuff is. Mine went and leaked into the cabin so easy to see the cause.
As for the master cylinder around £70 for my 350 but the pipes are different diameter to my 400.
As for the master cylinder around £70 for my 350 but the pipes are different diameter to my 400.
Nick:
When my master cylinder failed, the piston seal allowed fluid to run down the bulkhead inside the cabin. It didn't really show up as the carpets are black, but the real camouflage was the under-carpet sound insulation. This allowed the fluid to pool on the floor without even making the carpets damp. Worth checking, 'cos otherwise you're just adding to the problem by topping it up. IMHO there has to be a leak, as the fluid couldn't possibly drop that low just by the action of the clutch plate wearing (thus needing the slave cylinder piston to travel further out, taking extra fluid with it).
It could be the slave cylinder leaking, of course, but as you mentioned only a few drops of red fluid on the floor, this seems unlikely.
The gearbox on my car was leaking from the drive flange seal at the rear of the box, so I changed it. There's still a small leak, but it's a combination of worn copper washer on the g'box level plug, and (oddly) the point where the selector shaft enters the gearbox (at the rear, right at the top!).
The master cylinders have been discontinued by Lucas under their original part number: my local Lucas-Girling dealer had to make a few phone calls and eventually found the new number: cost me £100.89 IIRC. Bastards, it was only about £65 a year ago. Worth a quiet phone round the TVR dealers (also the same as a Lotus Esprit, so I'm told) to see if you can get one at the old price.
Regards Ian
When my master cylinder failed, the piston seal allowed fluid to run down the bulkhead inside the cabin. It didn't really show up as the carpets are black, but the real camouflage was the under-carpet sound insulation. This allowed the fluid to pool on the floor without even making the carpets damp. Worth checking, 'cos otherwise you're just adding to the problem by topping it up. IMHO there has to be a leak, as the fluid couldn't possibly drop that low just by the action of the clutch plate wearing (thus needing the slave cylinder piston to travel further out, taking extra fluid with it).
It could be the slave cylinder leaking, of course, but as you mentioned only a few drops of red fluid on the floor, this seems unlikely.
The gearbox on my car was leaking from the drive flange seal at the rear of the box, so I changed it. There's still a small leak, but it's a combination of worn copper washer on the g'box level plug, and (oddly) the point where the selector shaft enters the gearbox (at the rear, right at the top!).
The master cylinders have been discontinued by Lucas under their original part number: my local Lucas-Girling dealer had to make a few phone calls and eventually found the new number: cost me £100.89 IIRC. Bastards, it was only about £65 a year ago. Worth a quiet phone round the TVR dealers (also the same as a Lotus Esprit, so I'm told) to see if you can get one at the old price.
Regards Ian
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