Clutch stopped working & coolant leaking or clutch fluid

Post by **kefty** » 18 May 2007, 15:48

First problem - I got in my van for the first time in nearly a fortnight and the clutch pedal has no pressure behind it. SWo when I press the pedal down there is zero resistance. The fluid reservoir I believe serves the brakes AND clutch, and is very low. Should I just top the level up and pump the pedal? Long term I seem to have a problem as where is the fluid going to, as I topped the fluid up about a month ago, so I guess I have a leak somewhere but its not obvious. Can anyone advise me here?

Second problem - My engine leaks what I think is water from the bottom of the sump. There is still water in the expansion tank behind number plate but this is really worrying me, what could this be as its difficult to trace.

Besides from these problems my van runs sweetly. Its a 86 watercooled DG by the way.

Im bracing myself for how the bad news could be? What do you think?

Post by **R0B** » 18 May 2007, 16:00

1...sounds like either the brake/clutch master cylinder(under the fluid reservoir)or slave cylinder is leaking.or maybe a corroded pipe.

2....i doubt if water is leaking from the bottom of the sump.as it would have to get through the oil.more likely its leaking elseware and running down.is your expansion bottle full.the one behind the number plate is the top up bottle...

Post by **kefty** » 18 May 2007, 16:17

If the clutch slave cylinder was leaking that would explain the clutch pedal losing all pressure, and if I mistook that puddle from under the van as water (hopefully its clutch fluid) - then problem solved?

Post by **kefty** » 22 May 2007, 16:16

OK Guys any advice on how to change clutch slave cylinder then bleeding?

Post by **ermie571** » 23 May 2007, 08:03

We packed ours off to our friendly man who came and picked it up on the back of a flat bed and repaired it for the cost of a set of locks and keys!

He was gonna charge us, but seeing as how he managed to lose the keys while it was in he did it as a freebie....cost us nowt as I had a full set indoors!!!

Post by **kevtherev** » 23 May 2007, 17:33

shepster did this a couple of weeks ago...he renewed the entire braking system from pads discs and drums to master cylinder

PM him

Post by **thegamwellsmythes** » 24 May 2007, 08:47

We had a similar problem with our bus.

No clutch pedal resistance. We were having to drive along topping up the clutch fluid reservoir in the dash binnacle. Good teamwork required with passenger.

Clutch slave cylinder needed replacing. The fluid was pooling under the engine and is quite thin so we weren't sure if it was water oil or clutch fluid.

We got a nice man (Steve Shaw) to sort it for us.

If you are at all mechanically handy it doesn't look like that big a job, it's just that we are mechanical incompetents.

Post by **kefty** » 24 May 2007, 11:15

Thanks Jane & Paul n all
I need to try and find a mechanic to fix this in situ as I cant get my bus to garage up the road. Anyone know a mechanic in South Oxfordshire area? I suspect ramps and/or axle stands will be needed..
Cheers
Keith

Post by **clartsonly** » 30 May 2007, 13:20

I changed my clutch slave cylinder last year it was about £30 from GSF. I also needed to change the plastic clutch pipe as it was seized onto the slave cylinder (some people have the old setup of flexi pipe, bracket and S shaped clutch pipe, others have a simple clear plastic pipe replacing all of this). if it is the slave you should be able to tell by pushing your fingers into the rubber boot if a load of brake fluid comes out that is you problem. also my clutch pipe went recently and that was above the fuel tank as it is difficult to get the underseal up and around there, I used pirtek to make a braded hose to replace it steal pipe there, this was found by someone pressing the clutch pedal after filling the reseviour, and listening for the hiss/squirt.

Post by **skell** » 30 May 2007, 16:14

I've changed one with the van on the ground reaching the slave through the engine bay from above, the bolts that hold the slave to the mounting on the gearbox are a pain to get a spanner on both ends of but it can be done. a liberal application of plus gas several times before you start should help.

First, pinch the clutch flexi pipe with hose clamp, Then with correct size brake pipe spanner (different size from the nuts on the brake lines, undo the clutch pipe union.

Then undo the two bolts holding the slave cylinder to the mounting

Then slave should be free to remove.

Pop replacement in its place, replace the two bolts, screw in the end of the hydraulic line, then remove the hose clamp.

Then bleed the cyclinder, I've tried to do this with a one man bleed kit and failed, but job done in a couple of minutes with an assistant.

The other one I did I could not get the bolts undone in situ, but as I was removing to to remove gearbox I just removed gearbox with it on and removed the slave cylinder with the gearbox on the bench. But if you give it a go and can't get the bolts undone, you'll be no worse off than you are now