Gear change just got a bit crunchy

[pandkh]

Hi

From out of nowhere I've suddenly been finding it hard to change gear, particularly the low gears. Worse when the engine is running, which my old mechanic Larry told me meant that it was an indication of a clutch problem. I suspected that the clutch wasn't being operated enough. I wondered if the clutch and brake reservoir needed topping up, so I pulled the cover off, only to find that the lid of the reservoir wasn't on. I mean that centre cap where the level switch fits to. It must have been knocked out of the cap at some point and was just floating free.

The last time the instrument cover came off was when the towbar was fitted, 6 months ago. And I presume it wasn't him, since he was just wiring up a switch into the dash. Which means it could have been off for ages.

If the fluid has absorbed water, then would that make the clutch less effective?

Either way, I think I need to get the brake fluid changed, just wondering if that could be the likely cause of dodgy gear change, and so would fix that in the process.

I had the gear linkage renewed about 9 months ago, and I quickly eyeballed it and it all looks in good condition still.

[kevtherev]

The fluid should be changed every two years anyway, I suspect it hasn't.

Does the van creep when in gear and clutch depressed?
Bleeding the clutch is very easy
top the reservoir up and undo the slave bleed nipple, it will self bleed.
If that does not cure it, then the slave may well be calling it a day.

[Dazco]

Mine had been getting harder to put in gear recently , I've pumped new fluid through and bled the whole system . Slight improvement , but I've decided to replace the Slave and flexi just to be on the safe side. Doesn't look a big job (arrrrrrr those words again )
Daz

[AdrianC]

I wondered if the clutch and brake reservoir needed topping up, so I pulled the cover off, only to find that the lid of the reservoir wasn't on. I mean that centre cap where the level switch fits to. It must have been knocked out of the cap at some point and was just floating free.

The last time the instrument cover came off was when the towbar was fitted, 6 months ago. And I presume it wasn't him, since he was just wiring up a switch into the dash. Which means it could have been off for ages.

If the fluid has absorbed water, then would that make the clutch less effective?

The cap isn't an airtight seal anyway - there's a breather hole in it to allow pressure to equalise as the level rises and falls in use, and especially as it falls if you get a leak.

As Kev says - change the fluid every two years, brake and clutch. Whatever the vehicle, if it uses DOT (normal) brake fluid, that's a necessity.

Water in the fluid won't cause the clutch to not work as well - water's just as incompressible as brake fluid - but it will cause corrosion in the master and slave cylinders and in the brake calipers and wheel cylinders. It will also boil at a far lower temperature than the fluid should, turning into steam, which IS compressible - meaning you need to pump the brakes for them to do anything just when you most need them, heading down the side of a mountain pass in hot weather...