Clutch pedal hits the floor!!!

[bigjeeze]

I dorve my Gal to work as usual parked up all fine. I went out at lunchtime to take a drive and the cluch pedal hits the floor like it is spring loaded. I can bring it up again with my foot but as soon as you touch it it goes straight back down again.  I am waiting for the breakdown guy to arrive but in the meant time any ideas? I am assuming fluid loss but have no idea what has happened.   I replaced the Master cylinder about 60k miles ago with the rest of the clutch.  Ay ideas???

[Chrispb]

Hi BJ have you lost any fluid from the reservoir?

[bigjeeze]

I think so - I topped up the resovoir - but so far from what I can see I havewn't got any fluid around the bell housing - but I will take the tray off tonight and look properly. I am drading the signs of a knackered slave cylinder!!

[Chrispb]

Don't forget the master cylinder, could be leaking back into the car soaking into the carpet etc.

[bigjeeze]

I have taken the tray off and lo it's got a shedload of fluid in it and not in the cylinder where it should be. Looks like the gearbox will have to come off. Bugger!!!!

[Mirez]

Meh, that's not what you want to find

If you're taking the box off yourself, any chance of some photo's along the way?

[bigjeeze]

Yep I'll be doing it ove this weekend. I'm hoping only to replace the concetric slave cylinder as it appeared to lose all the fluid in one hit - Plus I replaced the entire clutch including DMF only 60k miles ago.  As the car has now 199K it can't last for too much longer without some serious work so I 'll just get it back on the road with a view to replacing it later this year.
It is so galling to have to remove the gearbox for a Ã,£40 part. But such is life.

I'll ty to remember to take pics and let you know how I get on.  My one real worry is the sheer weight of the gearbox and that I will have to do this in the drive because the Gal won't fit in my garage!

[gregers]

years back i had to change a clutch on my renault 18 turbo on the drive,goog god the box was heavy,in the end we used 2 trolley jacks.

[bigjeeze]

I have removed the gearbox and the slave is buggered. Easy so far. However I forgot to remove one connector and now I have some broken wires that need  repairing - I don't think I can get to them with the box in position so I will have to wait until they are fixed. ( Its a speed sensor that sits on top of the box with a flexible heat protector. I can't work out how to get the pins out so that I can solder it together. any ideas? It has 3 wires two of which have broken at the root of the  plug so I can't join them. Talk about frustrating!

[Mirez]

To remove the pins you need to prise out the rubber bits where the wires go and then use a micro driver (or the special tool) to depress the latch's on the pin itself - it'll slide out then however I'd probably go and chop the plug of a scrappy car, then solder into the wiring loom of your own as it's much easier, especially when working in confined spaces!

[bigjeeze]

Thanks Mirez but a soldering iron and some shrink wrap did the trick.  I now need to re fit the ge3arbox - I just can't lift it on my own and it's too awkward to balance it on a jack - so I'll enlist my sons and some rope and see what I can do.  It's a few years since I did it last and I just don't have the strength anymore - plus I now have a pacemaker so have to be a little careful!

[bigjeeze]

Well I have at last installed my gearbox with a replacement slave cylinder. It works!! However, just like the last time I find that there is not much movement before the drive takes up. I think this is because I can't bleed the clutch properly.  I don't understand the design of this -  The bleed nipple is behind the slave in effect so how does it get rid of the air in the slave?  I have tried a pressure bleeder and I have a pedal but I am not totally happy with it. I think it needs a vacuum bleeder rather than a pressure one.  Any ideas?

[Chrispb]

Have you tried it this way!!
You will need someone in the car while your under the bonnet.

Connect bleed tube with some fluid in a bottle with bleed screw still closed.

Pump the clutch pedal quickly about five times, on the last press keep the pedal down hard, now open bleed valve observe fluid/air flowing into bottle, close valve and repeat several times keeping reservoir topped up.