Clutch pedal (& a leak from somewhere!!)

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 22 Mar 2008, 08:26

I'm not going to change the slave just yet. I'll change the master and bleed the hydraulics and see if these make any difference to the original problem. I like to work along the "change one thing at a time, then you know what effect it had" principle (assuming that there's plenty of time available to do this of course!)

A couple of questions though: how much brake / clutch fluid am I likely to get through when bleeding, if I get a 1L bottle is that likely to be enough? Will I need to bleed the brakes as well?

Tony

Post by **Mocki** » 22 Mar 2008, 10:43

1 litre will be more than enough, and no it will not affect your brakes......

when you have completed the work, and are ready to bleed, fill the res, carefully, coz the fluid eats dash pod components, then remove the bleed nipple completely, and wait untill the fluid seeps out, then put it back and proceed to bleed, it shouldnt take more than 3 or 4 cycles to complete this way, because gravity did most of the work......

Post by **lloyd** » 22 Mar 2008, 11:01

Might be a good time to change brake fluid.

Changing every couple of years greatly increases life expectancy of brake system. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, then it rusts pipes and cylinders causing them to fail.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 23 Mar 2008, 15:30

Nicola&Tony wrote:I'm not going to change the slave just yet.

Update: me and my big mouth!

I made the above statement before I'd realised that the bleed nipple for the clutch is on the slave cylinder and before I'd looked under the van to locate the slave . . . and discover just how flippin rusty it is!

So back to the planning and spending stage . . . slave cylinder ordered! In for a penny, in for £££'s. Worth it in the long run though, hopefully!

Tony

Post by **edoh** » 23 Mar 2008, 19:25

i'm pleased you decided to go for changing both - dont know if its part of van mythology but quite a few sites i visited suggested changing both master n slave as - one tended to go - soon after the other was changed-my slave was also completely rusted through - -

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Mar 2008, 07:59

Had the afternoon off work yesterday and managed to get the master and slave off and the new ones fitted. It took me about 5 hours but it was a bliddy fiddly, messy job!! Very happy to have got it done though!

I think I'll have to have a word with Mr. Haynes 'cos he lists this as a 'two spanner' job, same as changing the alternator drivebelt and there's no way these jobs are in the same league, imho!

Many thanks for all the help, info and advice that made it possible for me to get the job done!

Tony

Post by **Rozzo** » 29 Mar 2008, 08:21

well done tony,,, did it cure your problem?

Post by **lhd** » 29 Mar 2008, 08:46

Its a pain doing up them slave cylinder nuts whilst holding the bolts still isn't it.

Next time I will do as Mocki says and weld them in there.

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 29 Mar 2008, 12:32

lhd wrote:Its a pain doing up them slave cylinder nuts whilst holding the bolts still isn't it.
Next time I will do as Mocki says and weld them in there.

I had thought of a pair of circlips to at least hold the bolts in place .... rivnuts are easier if the box is out of course

Ian.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Mar 2008, 17:05

Rozzo wrote: ,,, did it cure your problem?

Not sure yet, I need to take it for a longer run and spend some time stuck in a long queue of traffic using the clutch a lot, that's when the creaking and stiffness usually starts. I've got a small water leak (no laughing please Rozzo!

) that looks like it's getting worse, so I'm gonna try and fix that during the next couple of days before I go for a longer run.

Tony

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 29 Mar 2008, 17:08

lhd wrote:Its a pain doing up them slave cylinder nuts whilst holding the bolts still isn't it.

I don't think my brain has all the necessary wiring that's needed to operate two spanners at the same time!

Tony