Returning from a car show last weekend, clutch dropped in height a bit, went loose, and biting point ended really low- bout an inch from the floor.
Made it home just in 3rd gear all way pretty much.
So- advice was bleed the clutch. Found the master cylinder running from brake fluid reservoir, traced pipe from master to slave on side of gearbox. Topped reservoir up with (new) Dot5.1 a bit as was slightly under minimum. Cracked bleed nipple, pumped clutch down with fluid and bit of air expelled, then tightened nipple up, released clutch pedal. Did that several times.
Now the clutch pedal is light in the complete travel distance , and cant engage gear etc etc. This was after starting engine, so as to prime if needed as per a braking system.
What have i done/ not done?
Or is it a journey to the professionals?
TIA replies.
How much movement are you getting on the clutch actuating arm?
Quote from: Dek on Jul 23, 2024, 10:16 PMHow much movement are you getting on the clutch actuating arm?
Will check that out, but at a guess little as there is no resistance
Do you mean at the slave, or master? The master is certainly rattly and loose.
The clutch bite point should be as far down the pedal stroke as possible, then as your clutch wears over time it will travel up the pedal stroke.
I would advise a full strip of the clutch line, drain all the fluid then check the slave for corrosion in the bore (reducing stroke) then rebuild accordingly.
I redid my clutch line a couple of years back and wow what a difference. It went from night and day in regards to the lightness and bite. And the fluid that came out was disgracefully dirty
Certainly don't wish to be teaching you to suck eggs but I noticed that you've used DOT 5.1.... Can you confirm that the original fluid is 5.1 as I believe that older DOT 4 & DOT 5.1 are not compatible. If that's the case, it's possibly gone for the rubber seals in the master & slave, making everything spongy?
Quote from: DrewB on Jul 24, 2024, 12:08 PMCertainly don't wish to be teaching you to suck eggs but I noticed that you've used DOT 5.1.... Can you confirm that the original fluid is 5.1 as I believe that older DOT 4 & DOT 5.1 are not compatible. If that's the case, it's possibly gone for the rubber seals in the master & slave, making everything spongy?
Before adding the Dot5.1 i mixed with the existing, no reaction seemed to occur. Build manual said 4 or 5.1 could be mixed, and 5.0 is the synthetic one that cant be mixed with.
Can only be 3 things IMO. Master cylinder faulty, slave faulty, or a leak. But hey, will find out soon.
Quote from: Dek on Jul 23, 2024, 10:16 PMHow much movement are you getting on the clutch actuating arm?
OK. So the master cylinder actuating arm is moving freely (Up near brake servo)
Nothing seems to be moving at the slave?
I also had fluid expelled at the slave nipple when pumping the clutch, so fluid should be getting down there
Disconnect the input line to the slave and run a long tube and the line into a bottle with some fluid. Raise the bottle above the master and pump the clutch. You should see fluid or bubbles with fluid. This should bleed and see if your master is shifting fluid. Air can get trapped.
Then reconnect and see if you can bleed the system with a line and bottle above the master cylinder level.
If you cannot still bleed take the slave off and bench bleed the slave to see if it bleeds o.k.. Then reinstall and bleed the system as a whole with the bottle and bleed tube above the master cylinder.
I have had issues with bleeding brakes where air is trapped and pushing the pedal only compresses the air.
Thanks all
Problem sorted now
Shall i embarass myself with stating the answer? - but was easy in the end
I also now have purchased a clutch self bleed kit- and dont quite get that either. LOL
We all learn and sometimes the problem is not so obverse. This is why you pay someone a lot of money to use a hammer, as he knows what spot to hit. Another day will always solve the problem a wise man told me.
Gland you resolved your problem.
Quote from: chris27_blue on Jul 29, 2024, 06:51 PMThanks all
Problem sorted now
Shall i embarass myself with stating the answer? - but was easy in the end
I also now have purchased a clutch self bleed kit- and dont quite get that either. LOL
Don't worry these things always get you.
I bought a 'none running' Lotus Elise due to a dead clutch.
I changed the master cylinder and then the slave just to see if that it was that which was bad.
Nope same issue. Fitted a slave cylinder brace it. No better.
New clutch, no better.
It was the bastard adjustment rod on the pedal winding its self in on every pedal operation, to the point you couldn't engage the clutch!
All that time and money and I could have fixed it for free!
(https://i.postimg.cc/D0Mj9ZRf/DEFC9948-F108-4-DBF-A2-F4-498-BE79-C65-A0.jpg)