Clutch issues on 4.5 any ideas

Clutch issues on 4.5 any ideas

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a1rak

Original Poster:

555 posts

184 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
quotequote all
I have a peculiar clutch problem on my 2001 4.5 Cerbera.

It has perfectly good clutch pedal from cold, no issues until you get stuck in heavy traffic for an extended period. Then the clutch pedal will randomly just go straight to the floor, pump it again and you get a good clutch pedal back.

You then might get another 5 or 10 good operations followed by 3 or 4 doggy ones but 2 presses of the pedal seems to operate the clutch. There is no fluid leakage, even after 2 or 3 hrs driving the master cylinder is full to the brim.

It has a relatively (2K) new clutch and pressure plate, a race proved slave cylinder and I have inspected carefully the braided pipe from the bulkhead to the gearbox and this appears to be in good condition and is not near the exhaust manifolds.

Any ideas, this one has got be baffled!! I was sure it was going to be the braided pipe but it looks fine so any suggestions.

ukkid35

6,191 posts

174 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
quotequote all
Sounds like master cylinder seals to me, same happened with my other car, cured by replacing the seals.

Jhonno

5,788 posts

142 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
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Have you got high quality fluid in there? Such as Castrol SRF?

gruffalo

7,532 posts

227 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
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ukkid35 said:
Sounds like master cylinder seals to me, same happened with my other car, cured by replacing the seals.
I am with Paul, master cylinder is probably not long for this world.


Byker28i

60,240 posts

218 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
quotequote all
I had this just after I got the car. Two hours on London traffic for the London Thunder protest with a hot engine and my foot went to the floor on the clutch. Pumping it got some clutch back so we bailed and started driving the car home. As the engine cooled the clutch came back to normal.

I flushed the whole of the clutch system with a couple of litres of fresh fluid through and then used a third to replenish the system and never had problems again for several years until the fingers went. I think the clutch fluid must had been old/contaminated.

Thunderroad

202 posts

123 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
quotequote all
I would also check the routing of the armoured flixible pipe which connects the master to the slave. If a cable tie has snapped it could be resting against the exhaust manifold, this would cause the fluid to boil when hot and make the hydraulics go spongey.
If that is ok Next step change fluid.
If problem stiil exists then new master cylinder. As said allready.

ukkid35

6,191 posts

174 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
quotequote all
Thunderroad said:
I would also check the routing of the armoured flixible pipe which connects the master to the slave. If a cable tie has snapped it could be resting against the exhaust manifold, this would cause the fluid to boil when hot and make the hydraulics go spongey.
Good call, but I think it's more likely to rest against the sump. When that happens then after a while, when things get really hot the inner pipe melts and you loose all fluid instantly. Not fun in heavy traffic on the E40 in the middle of June.


a1rak

Original Poster:

555 posts

184 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies. Any ideas what the master cylinder is from or is it a TVR part only.

a1rak

Original Poster:

555 posts

184 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies. Any ideas what the master cylinder is from or is it a TVR part only.

Revvit

333 posts

120 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
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Landrover part.

If you search TVR Cerbera on eBay there will be some in amongst the results.

Juddder

845 posts

185 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
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The alt parts list is also a good reference for information like this if you haven't come across it yet

http://www.alexjudd.com/cerbera/parts/

Clutch Master Cylinder

Genric to quite a few vehicles however landrover series three etc etc fits, you just need an adaptor to step up to 7/16 unf for copper pipe and also change the push rod off old cylinder. stock o/e cylinder £30.00 or cheaper (and avoid the brit parts one as apparently they are not much good)

Juddder

845 posts

185 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
quotequote all
The alt parts list is also a good reference for information like this if you haven't come across it yet

http://www.alexjudd.com/cerbera/parts/

Clutch Master Cylinder

Genric to quite a few vehicles however landrover series three etc etc fits, you just need an adaptor to step up to 7/16 unf for copper pipe and also change the push rod off old cylinder. stock o/e cylinder £30.00 or cheaper (and avoid the brit parts one as apparently they are not much good)

pmessling

2,285 posts

204 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
quotequote all
Can get a willwood one for £37 from demon tweeks.