Clutch fluid..

[Jhonno]

.. Or lack of.. Leaking slave seals?

Went out to the car, when I parked it up, it felt fine, went to back off the drive.. No pedal. Check the reservoir. No fluid. Just some black sludge in the bottom of the cylinder. Is the black sludge what you'd normally find after the system has emptied itself? Car has FTVRSH, so hoping the fresh fluid at service time hasn't been neglected.

Sludge removed. Fresh fluid, bled through nicely, no issues. Clutch back and (maybe in my head) felt better than it did before. It's only time though I guess.

[ukkid35]

I got a couple more weeks use out of mine before it started leaking out quicker than I could top it up.

[Jhonno]

That is kind of what I am expecting. I guess the question is.. Do I just do the whole clutch and go with the RP slave whilst I am there..

[ukkid35]

Jhonno said:

That is kind of what I am expecting. I guess the question is.. Do I just do the whole clutch and go with the RP slave whilst I am there..

I replaced the seals first time, second time I put the RP Slave in. They hadn't actually started leaking, it was the clutch that needed replacing second time round.

[Mr Cerbera]

Jhonno said:

.. No fluid.

Just some black sludge in the bottom of the cylinder. Is the black sludge what you'd normally find after the system has emptied itself?

I believe that the black sludge that builds up in the Master Cyclinder reservoir is from seal beakdown (I can't decide if it's Master/Slave or both). For the Reservoir to drop to zero sounds like a very quick leak so a major seal breakdown. I know that examining the Reservoir level is a pain in the Butt but (sic !) I think it is essential to check the progress of deterioration.

A set of Master Cylinder seals is the quickest/cheapest first step.

Slave seals are a major pain in the aforementioned artichoke but are cheap and just require tenacity at the job.

I cocked mine up last time and bought the RP Slave before discovering that three fingers had, in fact, broken.

Jhonno said:

Sludge removed. Fresh fluid, bled through nicely, no issues

Phw ! Looks like that it was just neglect then.

[Jhonno]

I will be checking it over the coming weeks.. However I filled it, bled it through and it was spot on after!

Preparing myself for the worst though.

Not sure whether to go RP, or reading round, get some new seals in a different material that wont be so keen to breakdown!

[Mr Cerbera]

Jhonno said:

I will be checking it over the coming weeks.. However I filled it, bled it through and it was spot on after!

Preparing myself for the worst though.

Not sure whether to go RP, or reading round, get some new seals in a different material that wont be so keen to breakdown!

I wish you luck in your sarch for different seal meterial. I have heard that Viton are original suppliers. Perhaps they can help.

I had a great feel with my original clutch and trhe same is true now that I am using the RP one. I believe that the double seal design is mechanically better though.

Best of.... whatever

[v8chimmy]

Jhonno said:

.. Or lack of.. Leaking slave seals?

Went out to the car, when I parked it up, it felt fine, went to back off the drive.. No pedal. Check the reservoir. No fluid. Just some black sludge in the bottom of the cylinder. Is the black sludge what you'd normally find after the system has emptied itself? Car has FTVRSH, so hoping the fresh fluid at service time hasn't been neglected.

Sludge removed. Fresh fluid, bled through nicely, no issues. Clutch back and (maybe in my head) felt better than it did before. It's only time though I guess.

The exact same thing happened to mine, whilst I was in France. Filled reservoir, which lasted all day and about 100 miles,
Went to change gear going round a corner and then peddle to the floor. Topped up again, which lasted about 10 miles, went again, filled again and lasted 2 miles, decided it was time to call,the recovery. Only took them two weeks to get the car back to the UK. You're on borrowed time in my opinion!

[Jhonno]

I am under no illusion it is going to fail very soon.. Just going to look into my options. I know the double seal RP design is mechanically better/more stable, but it seems the issue is seal breakdown not mechanical failure of the original..

[billy no brakes]

Jhonno said:

.. Or lack of.. Leaking slave seals?

Went out to the car, when I parked it up, it felt fine, went to back off the drive.. No pedal. Check the reservoir. No fluid. Just some black sludge in the bottom of the cylinder. Is the black sludge what you'd normally find after the system has emptied itself? Car has FTVRSH, so hoping the fresh fluid at service time hasn't been neglected.

Sludge removed. Fresh fluid, bled through nicely, no issues. Clutch back and (maybe in my head) felt better than it did before. It's only time though I guess.

This has happened to me twice now as I have had the Cerb 14 years so if there was no fluid it means it is leaking somewhere and you can bet its the slave cylinder, did you see any fluid on the carpets or at the back of the master cylinder if you did then it would be the master cylinder if not then its the slave cylinder and the leaking fluid is in the bell husing thats is why you can,t see any, you can get a pressure test done and that will tell you where its leaking, personally I would not bother with just replacing the o rings as 9 times out of ten the slave cylinder will be scored and will need replacing anyway, if you want to you can take the slave cylinder out and have a look and then order a new one, and if I was you I would not keep driving the car or it will let you down when its raining and in the dark, good luck

Hope that helps

[esso]

.....fluid on the drivers carpet....master cylinder seals...fairly easy job...£70 for master cylinder....fluid under the car...slave cylinder seals....gearbox/bellhousing out...PITA.....new slave & seals..check flywheel & clutch....expensive!

[Jhonno]

Thinking out loud..

Viton seals say they don't do well with oils at high temps..

Is there any reason why you couldn't machine a 2nd seal groove into a standard slave piston? Also.. Would a wider seal not assist stability and maybe help it's ability to deal with the temps..

[billy no brakes]

what you have said has been discussed before and no it will not work, do a search and check out julian64 we have looked at all alternatives but your stuck with what you have got and its a case of some last for years and some for months

[Jhonno]

I've found and read this thread amongst many others..

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=6&...

Not managed to find anything to say options such as mime were looked at..

Have you got a link?

[Jhonno]

Right kids.. We can confirm it is the slave shot.. No fluid in the footwell, no pedal once again. Bugger.

Nevermind! Best crack on getting it all apart..

So.. OEM or RP.

Can anyone link the previous discussions of slaves where ideas were discussed/dismissed? Struggling to find them..

[billy no brakes]

You can start here
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Why not just get the slave out and have a look at it if it is scored then you will need a new one anyway, if its not then you can make your own mind up and either just put news seals on or buy a whole new slave cylinder

[scotty_d]

Mr Cerbera said:

I wish you luck in your sarch for different seal meterial. I have heard that Viton are original suppliers. Perhaps they can help.

I had a great feel with my original clutch and trhe same is true now that I am using the RP one. I believe that the double seal design is mechanically better though.

Best of.... whatever

I will be doing the seals in mine, my father can source seals for anything through his work (Hydraulic and drive shaft specialists) So should be able to get seals in any size in most materials. Sounds like they break down through heat soak? Maybe a bakelite or Ceramic seal kit is required. When the time comes i will report back my findings and results what works best.

Mine has been weeping for 2 years but i flush it through every year maybe this is why it seems to be holding on lol.

[Jhonno]

Does anyone know the OEM seals dims?

[Jhonno]

billy no brakes said:

You can start here
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Why not just get the slave out and have a look at it if it is scored then you will need a new one anyway, if its not then you can make your own mind up and either just put news seals on or buy a whole new slave cylinder

Yeah I have read that one.. It doesn't discuss tried 'alternative' options like alternative seals/machining.

[Jhonno]

Are the Master cylinders alloy bodied?