Clutch woes - need some help guys
Discussion
I've just changed the clutch master cylinder seals on me 450 after waiting for 2 weeks for the package to arrive here in sunny Oz! Before that I'd noticed fluid leakage behind the clutch pedal & after taking off the rubber boot.
Anyway, put all back together, bled the system & now no leak from master cylinder but clutch pedal remains v.light/v.little resistance. Have I done something stupid I'm asking myself!! When depressing the clutch pedal & openning the slave nipple I'm getting fluid coming through.
I've now taken off the slave cylinder for a look & am wondering whether I should be changing the seals here too. I can see the Release Arm which seems fairly easy to push/pull.....should this be so?
Any advice much appreciated...
Anyway, put all back together, bled the system & now no leak from master cylinder but clutch pedal remains v.light/v.little resistance. Have I done something stupid I'm asking myself!! When depressing the clutch pedal & openning the slave nipple I'm getting fluid coming through.
I've now taken off the slave cylinder for a look & am wondering whether I should be changing the seals here too. I can see the Release Arm which seems fairly easy to push/pull.....should this be so?
Any advice much appreciated...
Stone the crows mate! Bleedin easy.
The slave holds virtually no fluid when the pushrod has it closed. So to bleed - nipple onto pipe into jam jar. Open nipple (7/8" ring spanner) then give the pedal 3 strokes. Check master level and top up. Then give one more stroke but hold pedal down and jam in place with 2 foot piece of wood between seat and pedal.
Then tighten nipple, remove pipe. job's a good un. Oh, and then remove the piece of wood.
If you still have problems and are losing fluid out of the hole in the bulge of the bellhousing then the pushrod isn't located properly on the slave.
The slave holds virtually no fluid when the pushrod has it closed. So to bleed - nipple onto pipe into jam jar. Open nipple (7/8" ring spanner) then give the pedal 3 strokes. Check master level and top up. Then give one more stroke but hold pedal down and jam in place with 2 foot piece of wood between seat and pedal.
Then tighten nipple, remove pipe. job's a good un. Oh, and then remove the piece of wood.
If you still have problems and are losing fluid out of the hole in the bulge of the bellhousing then the pushrod isn't located properly on the slave.
Thanks all for the replies. I had thought I'd done a fairly good job bleeding the system initially but maybe not! I'll have another go and let you know. On the topic of replacement seals vs new units, the only reason I didn't go for a new slave / master was due to the possible challenge of differing pipe union nut sizes on the new units (is it 3/8" vs 1/4"?).
Echo the bleeding problem with new units but a new slave should bleed no probs, it's a new master that caused problems for me because it woudln't let fluid in under gravity, until it had been used for a few weeks.
I had to reverse bleed it the first time.
Also echo the nut side change but you can get adapters and use the same pipe.
I had to reverse bleed it the first time.
Also echo the nut side change but you can get adapters and use the same pipe.
After 15 years and 70,000 miles of 350i wedge ownership I have to say the clutch has been by far the most unreliable part of the car.
I've had a clutch fork lock due to wear on the pivot, a release bearing slip out of the clutch fork, a new slave cylinder and countless master cylinders. Each new master cylinder seemed to come with a different size coupling so I have changed a few pipes too.
You said the release arm seemed easy to move, do you mean the clutch fork? If so that doesn't sound right. Once the bearing touches the clutch cover you wouldn't have the strength to move it any further.
Have you put the slave cylinder in the right way, the bleed nipple must be at the top otherwise you'll never bleed the system properly.
Danny
I've had a clutch fork lock due to wear on the pivot, a release bearing slip out of the clutch fork, a new slave cylinder and countless master cylinders. Each new master cylinder seemed to come with a different size coupling so I have changed a few pipes too.
You said the release arm seemed easy to move, do you mean the clutch fork? If so that doesn't sound right. Once the bearing touches the clutch cover you wouldn't have the strength to move it any further.
Have you put the slave cylinder in the right way, the bleed nipple must be at the top otherwise you'll never bleed the system properly.
Danny
To expand on Danny's comment - you can move it in until there's only about 1/4" poking out of the bellhousing. This is the easy bit (don't be tempted to pull on the pushrod though!)
However once it gets there then it should go rock hard and there's no way you can push it in further by hand. (Don't do what I did either and put a G clamp on it - when it pings off - which it will do - you have to start again from the beginning!)
However once it gets there then it should go rock hard and there's no way you can push it in further by hand. (Don't do what I did either and put a G clamp on it - when it pings off - which it will do - you have to start again from the beginning!)
must be the warm weather, i`m having clutch probs now,it seems to loose fluid, but where does it go??I just bled it again i`ll see what happens tomorrow.
I took the rubber boot off the master in the foot well and while it a bit mucky it appears not to be leaking.....no fluid in the bell housing but reservoir empty,WTF!and its not been used for a few weeks due to the wheel referb..........if there is a leak and its not obvious where should i start? master or slave.......it says in the bible the master is TVR specific is this the case or can I use the part no (64676310) on the casting and get one here in OZ? Slave part no 74660035..
Cheers
Adam
I took the rubber boot off the master in the foot well and while it a bit mucky it appears not to be leaking.....no fluid in the bell housing but reservoir empty,WTF!and its not been used for a few weeks due to the wheel referb..........if there is a leak and its not obvious where should i start? master or slave.......it says in the bible the master is TVR specific is this the case or can I use the part no (64676310) on the casting and get one here in OZ? Slave part no 74660035..
Cheers
Adam
Check the pipe - sometimes they rub on stuff and if it has rubbed all the way through it might leak?
Also mine snapped the flared end and peed all the fluid out once or twice before it finally went completely. As the fluid comes out of the nut holding the pipe in, it can disappear without trace.
Also mine snapped the flared end and peed all the fluid out once or twice before it finally went completely. As the fluid comes out of the nut holding the pipe in, it can disappear without trace.
Hey Adam. My reservoir was empty when I checked it one day...took off the master rubber boot & noticed mine was a bit messy also. Slight leak behinf the clutch pedal. When I checked the the larger master piston seal it was worn flat, no flare & obviously contributing to loss of hydrulics. I only replaced the master seals (SP2102) rather than replace unit. Cheers Clive
Adam, I got my master seal kit (SP2102) from Merlin MotorSport in UK but took about 2 weeks to arrive in Oz. If you do use Merlin I would pay extra for faster shipment. You can get the Girling Master unit you mentioned from a place in NSW for $140 + shipment....you may as well get it direct from UK for £60ish. Clive
hueb said:
Adam, I got my master seal kit (SP2102) from Merlin MotorSport in UK but took about 2 weeks to arrive in Oz. If you do use Merlin I would pay extra for faster shipment. You can get the Girling Master unit you mentioned from a place in NSW for $140 + shipment....you may as well get it direct from UK for £60ish. Clive
Hi Clive Cheers for that
Not sure it the master as it as dry as a chip all round, bit mucky behind boot but no fluid I'm more inclined to think its the slave?????? Where in NSW? The British spares import place??
Adam
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