Empty clutch reservoir
Discussion
Clutch started feeling a little soft. Battled my way to discover the reservoir was completely empty 
There was some black rubber in the reservoir which I have cleaned out. I topped it up and the clutch feels much better. I'll run it for a day or two and see if the level falls.
The question is, was it always empty or is it leaking, if so from where?
There was some black rubber in the reservoir which I have cleaned out. I topped it up and the clutch feels much better. I'll run it for a day or two and see if the level falls.
The question is, was it always empty or is it leaking, if so from where?
Covered in lots of clutch threads.
Look under you pedals in the cabin. See any leaks? If do Master cylinder gone.
Look under the clutch bell housing under the car. Any fluid? If so the slave cylinder has gone.
Either way it will fail soon. The rubber O-rings degrade with time and exposure to the fluid. Plan to fix it sooner rather than later.
Mine did this, failed completely 500 miles later. Luckily it was as I was pulling onto my drive!
Look under you pedals in the cabin. See any leaks? If do Master cylinder gone.
Look under the clutch bell housing under the car. Any fluid? If so the slave cylinder has gone.
Either way it will fail soon. The rubber O-rings degrade with time and exposure to the fluid. Plan to fix it sooner rather than later.
Mine did this, failed completely 500 miles later. Luckily it was as I was pulling onto my drive!
Just swapped mine for a new one, £50 tvr power, It feels great now and made me realise that the gearbox is not notchy, just poor master cyl. worth every penny. I my be wrong but I also felt that if I just bleed it, the black rubber residue may contaminate the slave cyl. didn't want that. I ended up boring a hole in my inner wing to give me access for a long socket extension to reach the lower bolt on the cyl. then put the right size rubber bung in it afterwards. hope this helps.
baztvr said:
Just swapped mine for a new one, £50 tvr power, It feels great now and made me realise that the gearbox is not notchy, just poor master cyl. worth every penny. I my be wrong but I also felt that if I just bleed it, the black rubber residue may contaminate the slave cyl. didn't want that. I ended up boring a hole in my inner wing to give me access for a long socket extension to reach the lower bolt on the cyl. then put the right size rubber bung in it afterwards. hope this helps.
Good tip. I have mine to do and a hole would help gain access. A bit of mastic around the bung before fitting might be wise too.had a look at mine last night and the reservoir had bits in it which i presume are from a seal somewhere.
top bolt easy to access but the bottom bolt is "uptight outta sight"
looks like its seat out, upside down in the footwell and order a new one.
are there differing versions of these with different length push rods or something?
top bolt easy to access but the bottom bolt is "uptight outta sight"
looks like its seat out, upside down in the footwell and order a new one.
are there differing versions of these with different length push rods or something?
It could just be a very minor seepage. I lost the clutch on mine a few thousand miles ago with the same problem and I filled it up and bled it and have had no trouble since. I wouldn't go dipping into your wallet yet, fill it up and check it in a week, if it has gone down at all then it merits some investigation. The slave cylinder rather than the master cylinder generally seems to be the more common leaker.
the problem i had with mine was that the pedal would slowly depress to the floor but no press the clutch.
i found this out as i drive with my foot slighlty resting on the clutch (taking the slack our of the pedal sort of thing) and one day i could feel the pedal slowly moving down.
now ive bought new seals for the slave cylinder and the bell housing was as dry as a bone so i know it wasnt that at fault so the only thing it can be is fluid passing the master cylinder piston seal.
if i just let off the clutch and press is again the pedal is back to normal, so i guess when the master piston returns to normal position the fluid squees back past into the chamber. it only happens if i get lazy and rest my foot on it so the fluid can slowly seep through but it doesnt on a normal clutch press.
It not that bad so i will bleed the system and live with it for now i think as i want the car back on the road asap.
what clutch fluid is recomended?
i found this out as i drive with my foot slighlty resting on the clutch (taking the slack our of the pedal sort of thing) and one day i could feel the pedal slowly moving down.
now ive bought new seals for the slave cylinder and the bell housing was as dry as a bone so i know it wasnt that at fault so the only thing it can be is fluid passing the master cylinder piston seal.
if i just let off the clutch and press is again the pedal is back to normal, so i guess when the master piston returns to normal position the fluid squees back past into the chamber. it only happens if i get lazy and rest my foot on it so the fluid can slowly seep through but it doesnt on a normal clutch press.
It not that bad so i will bleed the system and live with it for now i think as i want the car back on the road asap.
what clutch fluid is recomended?
I did that with my slave. It went in France coming back from Le Mans. Got back filled it up and bled it out and it was fine for a year.
Then 3 days before I was due to go again it went completely! You can risk it for a few hundred miles but I'd get ready to do it.
It's no fun not having a clutch and being a long way from home.
Then 3 days before I was due to go again it went completely! You can risk it for a few hundred miles but I'd get ready to do it.
It's no fun not having a clutch and being a long way from home.
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