No pressure on Clutch Pedal

[joyful]

Was driving ok last week.

Just went to start up and there was no pressure resistance on the clutch pedal!! Is there some sort of linkage problem (where is the cable) or would it be some fluid/cylinder issue?

[CovKid]

year, air, water model? Who knows, need a crystal ball here.

[kevtherev]

slave cylinder failure
master cylinder failure
no fluid

check fluid level
check slave operation

[Oldiebut goodie]

year, air, water model? Who knows, need a crystal ball here.

Wasn't the signature there when you posted?:

"T25 1987 Devon Hightop. 1.9 petrol water cooled"

[CovKid]

Sorry, didn't have my reading glasses on

[joyful]

Found the resevoir under the dash. Level was low, just below the grey pipe on the side to the slave cylinder so it must be leaking and air getting in.

Problem now is tracing where the problem is. Slave cylinder, pipe work, master cylinder?

Is there any reasonable way of trying to locate the problem.

[Ralf85]

You should see a fluid leak somewhere. Either from one of the cylinders or from a pipe.

[joyful]

You should see a fluid leak somewhere. Either from one of the cylinders or from a pipe.

I will have a look for leaks, the van has been standing a week before I found there was no clutch pressure, then checked and the fluid in the resevoir was lower than the outlet pipe!

Some sort of bit of stickness at the bottom of the master cylinder with fluff/dirt attached (I presume that is the one behind the steering column), but not too much. Slave cylinder seems to be pretty inaccesible when van is in the street from what I read.

As it has been working fine, I guess just a slow leak (as oppposed to catastophic failure) so topping up the resevoir and bleeding would sort the problem in the short term ?? until I save up for master cylinder change.

So do you have to bleed from the slave cylinder in the rear, or is their also a bleed nipple on the master cylinder.

On the wiki tips i read that you get access to the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder by jacking up adn removing the RH rear wheel. Is this the best way of access (not via the engine bay from the top?)






Read these notes from an old post:

OK - I don't really agree that stripping down the master before inspecting the rest of the system for leaks or bleeding was best advice.

Anyway bleed it first as you need to get rid of the air that we know is in the system from when you removed the master. As long as the bleed nipple is not seized it should just be a case of loosening it off with a clear tube connected to collect the old fluid into a jamjar or similar. Make sure reservoir is topped up to above the take off point for the clutch and slowly let the fluid dribble out until clean fluid is seen without air bubbles. No need to pump pedal as it will flow under gravity. Then nip up the bleed nipple.

Try the pedal now. If there is still no resistance take off LHS rear wheel and see if you can see the clutch lever and make sure the ball on the end is engaged with the pushrod at the bottom of the slave cylinder. If possible watch the lever while someone presses on the clutch pedal. Report back with how much it is moving. Also see if you can move the clutch lever down by hand. My first thoughts are that you have a leak somewhere but I have heard of the clutch forks breaking inside the bellhousing which means that nothing will engage when the lever is pressed down and I'd expect you could then easily move the lever by hand.

[ghost123uk]

The slave cylinder is quite easy to see with the engine lid off. It is in the centre, on top of the bellhousing (just forward of the front edge of the engine bay) on a bracket. It should be easy to see if it is leaking. It is not an uncommon failure and not to dear or hard to sort.

Found the resevoir under the dash.

With respect, when did you last check your fluid level (in the tank under the speedo cowl) ?
You should check it once a month as it is also the tank for your brakes

[joyful]

I have looked at a picture and it seems that slave cylinder is on the left side of gear box, so you nned to jack up and remove the left had rear wheel to access for bleeding ??? Not the RH as listed on the wiki tips

[joyful]

The slave cylinder is quite easy to see with the engine lid off. It is in the centre, on top of the bellhousing (just forward of the front edge of the engine bay) on a bracket. It should be easy to see if it is leaking. It is not an uncommon failure and not to dear or hard to sort.

Found the resevoir under the dash.

With respect, when did you last check your fluid level (in the tank under the speedo cowl) ?
You should check it once a month as it is also the tank for your brakes

You are right, I have never checked the fluid, had no idea where the resevoir was until I lost the clutch.

I have just read the clutch bleed wiki and it says remove RH rear wheel to access for bleeding. Then a picture elsewhere of the gearbox seems to show slave cylinder on the left side? Which side do i access.

[ghost123uk]

It's slightly to the left of centre, but you can see it easily when looking from the top.

[ghost123uk]

Here is a pic of someone on here's engine bay. You can see it right at the very top and bit to the left in the pic, just under that shiny black corrugated pipe with the blue wire on it. The bolt you can see (looks a bit white in the pic) is one of it's mounting bolts. (the other is harder to get to)

[joyful]

Here is a pic of someone on here's engine bay. You can see it right at the very top and bit to the left in the pic, just under that shiny black corrugated pipe with the blue wire on it. The bolt you can see (looks a bit white in the pic) is one of it's mounting bolts. (the other is harder to get to)

Ok, I see it, Thank you. To bleed the slave cylinder the wiki still says access is from underneath, presumably by removing LH rear wheel? Or can you bleed via the engine bay?

[kevtherev]

It will bleed itself as long as the reservoir is full.
The slave cylinder is bled from the top.

Just crack open the bleed nipple...let the fluid run out and keep the reservoir topped up