oil leak - what's it from & how do i stop it?

[jamesandtheopenroad]

Hi
Noticed a little patch of oil under the van today - had a look but I don't know. what this is.



It's above & on the nearside of the gearbox drain plug, so I'm guessing it's gearbox oil. Anyone know for definite & how to stop it?

Thanks.

[axeman]

dose it smell? (the oil that is)

neil

[jamesandtheopenroad]

No, it doesn't. I've had another look @ it and it appears to be coming from a linking arm that goes into the gearbox at the engine end with a couple of tubes coming out of it. I'm guessing this is some kind of gear selector (I'm a novice - can u tell?). There is a rubber grommit on the arm too, which is shiny with oil.

[getunder]

Probably not it but one oil leak to eliminate is that the bottom of the tube the dipstick goes in can corrode at the bottom near the attachment flange and leak.

[monkeyboy]

not sure if it looks like slave cylinder part of the clutch

[Hacksawbob]

if thats what I think it is you may want to get it seen to pronto. It looks to be like the hydraulic clutch arm or Clutch slave cylinder. It gets its supply from the brake fluid reservoir that is in your dash pod. (it pulls up and off from the front windscreen edge) open it ap and take a looky at the level in there. So I would hazard a guess that is brake fluid. your clutch will stop working if you are lucky. If not your brakes will stop working.

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... eplacement

[jamesandtheopenroad]

Ah, bugger. Yeah, call me old fashioned but I'm a fan of being able to stop.

Thanks guys, i'll get it booked in tomorrow. Just so I can get an idea of price, is it a big job to put right?

[T25Convert]

Hi,

Slave cylinder is under £40 from GSF, plus about a tenner for more DOT 4 fluid to bleed the system and top up.

Changing it is easy enough, apart from the pipe union that can be a bit of a pain to undo. I did it in less than two hours on my drive, and I'm no pro mechanic!

Cheers,

Alex

[jamesandtheopenroad]

Rightio - gonna get a new slave cylinder and with a some help from my Pa (who has changed slave cylinders on his Mini) going to do it ourselves.

Quick question - I read on the wiki that the slave cylinder can fail if there are problems at the master cylinder end - is this correct? Would it be provident to change the master cylinder too?

Thanks again peeps, don't know what I'd do without you.
x

[T25Convert]

Hi,

I wouldn't change the master cylinder as a matter of course, unless it is leaking.

Do yourself a favour though and get under there and start spraying your favourite penetrating oil (Plusgas or similar, not WD40) all over the two bolts and most importantly the union where the pipe screws into the slave.

As noted in the wiki the union is prone to round off, so either get a relly good grip on it using vice or similar.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Alex

[Ian Hulley]

Once swapped over top up the fluid reservoir (under the dashpod) open the bleed nipple (7mm ring spanner) and go for a coffee, quite often they self-bleed.

Be VERY carefull getting the hydraulic pipe off the old cylinder.

Ian.

[kevtherev]

very very careful

[jamesandtheopenroad]

Having trouble removing the bolt nearest the engine that holds the slave in place on the bracket - can't get a purchase on it underneath from any angle. Any ideas?

[edoh]

i remember having the same problem -
plus gas - a small 13mm spanner with an adjustable head -
and perserverance eventually shifted it -
have you read through these informative pieces on the wiki?

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... eplacement

http://archive.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic ... c&start=30

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Te ... bolts/nuts

[edoh]

i remember having the same problem -
plus gas - a small 13mm spanner with an adjustable head -
and perserverance eventually shifted it -
have you read through these informative pieces on the wiki?

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ge ... eplacement

http://archive.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic ... c&start=30

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Te ... bolts/nuts