Clutch issue: spongey and leak underneath

[T25_Baloo]

Afternoon. Went down yesterday to jump in the van and give it a run as it’s not been started in the best part of a week and I noticed straight away the clutch felt really soft. The brake pedal feels normal. You can put it in gear with engine off but when you start it the clutch is still really soft but you can’t engage any gear?

I tried pumping it a lot but no good. I checked the level of the fluid reservoir in the dash and it did look a little low, although it’s on a hill so obviously won’t be a perfect gage. I topped it up a little to get the level over the pipe that exits the reservoir.

Still no good.

Did some reading on the forum and google etc. This led me check underneath for leaks which highlighted the possible problem. The slave cylinder appears to be leaking out of the bottom and there’s fluid on the road. Not tonnes but leak none the less. The top of the slave cylinder is dry by the looks of it.

Does it seem a simple swap of the slave cylinder? If so I wonder why this happened now?

I’m looking at slave cylinder on just kampers and there’s a £40 difference between the JK one and the Bosch one. Does anyone know if there’s any point spending the extra on the Bosch one if that is the problem?

Thanks in advance for any help especially it being Christmas!


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[T25_Baloo]

Some pictures








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[Aidan]

when did you last change your brake fluid, when did the slave cylinder last get changed ? Brake fluid is hydroscopic, steel and water = rust

Brickwerks sell the best of the cheap ones for £12.40, I don't know if the Bosch boxed one is any better, Bosch are not an oem supplier of brake parts, so probably a very similar quality of part in a better (maybe) box at a premium price.

Bosch has become a 'brand' rather than a manufacturer in recent times trading on the original brand quality name whilst at the same time no longer manufacturing in Germany or re-manufacturing the parts they did make back in the 80s and 90s (like alternators and starter motors, ECUs, air flow meters etc..) and reducing support and parts availability to independent specialists who did rebuild those parts

[jrt]

I have had a BW one on for a few years without any mither apart from a split rubber boot. As for replacing it just give all the nuts and bolts a good brush and spray with plus gas. I had to take mine off with the copper pipe attached and undo it in the vice on the bench but it’s fairly straightforward.
David.

[Mocki]

If you don’t want to do the job again in 12months give JK a miss .
It’s a fairly easy job , order the replacement and then spend a few mins spraying the pipe junction and nuts with plusgas penetrating oil a couple of times before you do the job the second nut on the slave is a bugger to get to , unless someone has had the forethought to weld the nuts to the bracket ( makes the job much easier next time)
Assuming you can get the old one off without breaking the pipe, reinstalling is easy and bleeding is simple
Infact , once fitted , fill the res up to the max line, undo the bleed nipple and go have a bacon butty* and a brew for a hour and when you get back it’ll be pretty much bled by gravity

*non meat butties are available if you so wish

[T25_Baloo]

Thanks chaps. All good info.

That’s a new word I’ve learnt! ‘Hydroscopic’.

I don’t think the brake fluid has been changed in the 3 and a half years I’ve owned it. Don’t remember seeing it in the older paperwork either. The same goes for the slave cylinder.

Do you think I’ll be able to get at the old one in the street? The best I can probably do is roll the van downhill slightly onto the curb and onto my levelling ramps to give me abit of clearance to get underneath.


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[T25_Baloo]

Pressed reply abit quick there!

I’ll try and buy one of the brick werks ones in the meantime

Cheers


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[davidoft1]

hygroscopic, not hydroscopic folks

[T25_Baloo]

That’s two new words! Cheers David


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[Mocki]

Pretty sure you can do it all from the top , unless you have pipe issues .

[Aidan]

hygroscopic, not hydroscopic folks

my bad

[davidoft1]

hygroscopic, not hydroscopic folks

my bad

It’s a funny, you would expect it to be hydro but the clever olden days folks decided not

[Dazco]

It is an easy job , even easier if you can lift the van and get easy access to it from underneath.
I carry a spare now ( bought 2 cheap ones from BW ) ooops , I was to eager with the add to basket button.

[Titus A Duxass]

hygroscopic, not hydroscopic folks

my bad

It’s a funny, you would expect it to be hydro but the clever olden days folks decided not

1660s, from hygro- "wet, moist; moisture" 
 

[T25_Baloo]

It is an easy job , even easier if you can lift the van and get easy access to it from underneath.
I carry a spare now ( bought 2 cheap ones from BW ) ooops , I was to eager with the add to basket button.

Good to know mate cheers. Just waiting on delivery and I’ll have a look


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