Clutch Pedal appears to be "dribbling"!

[TravellingChick]

Halfway thru a fortnight in Cornwall & Devon a very small trickle of what might be DOT4 started to intermittantly appear in the driver's footwell.

Looks like it's coming from the clutch pedal rather than the brake pedal. DOT4 resevoir is not low or even dropping - it's that small of a trickle.

Over the course of a few days it will start with a drop that will gradually trickle down the slope behind the pedals. Then there will be nothing for several days.

There's an oblong metal object attached to the clutch pedal - is this the master cylinder? It might be a weak seal here, does that mean a full replacement?

TIA

Sarah

[Aidan]

unless the feed line to the clutch master is leaking then yes it'll be the master cylinder, pretty easy to fit new and change fluid at same time, good idea to change the brakes fluid too

[Gunslinger]

The master cylinder is fitted directly under the reservoir Sarah. Not sure on yours but on mine it looks after the brakes and clutch so you need to get it sorted as it will only get worse

[ermie571]

Can back up Aidan here....the clutch master isn't too bad to change at all.
Only raised a few quid in the swear box when hubby did his!!

Em
xx

[TravellingChick]

Okay, cool. Thanks peeps

Will get the Haynes Manual out tonight and have a look under the resevoir for the master cylinder.

Stu, same for me in that's it clutch and brakes from same resevoir.

Thanks again

S


Ps: Em I suspect there may be more than a few swear words from me!!!

[Nicola&Tony]

Aren't there two separate master cylinders? Brake master cylinder is underneath the reservoir as others have said. Clutch master cylinder is down by the pedals. This is what our clutch master looked like when it started leaking:




Tony

[fairwynds]

Hi Sarah
I recently had whole dash out (re heater blower) so if you need any pics of 'what lies beneath' just shout....
Im guessing that the job can be done with renoving the dash, maybe just the main 'pod' off, but what a fiddly one..!
If dash must be removed its not too bad to do, its the heater box thats usually a pain (two of four fittings always rusted in due to great design by the Germans!)
Hope you are well...
J x

[TravellingChick]

Hi Tony

Yep that's exactly what mine looks like. I must say I can't see the match with what GS&F and JK have pictured on their websites!

Hi Jon

Am hoping it won't be too bad of a job! Mind you, as the rust is ever increasing I'm really going to have to pull the whole interior out at some point!

All well with me thanks hope same for you.
S

[Gunslinger]

Aren't there two separate master cylinders? Brake master cylinder is underneath the reservoir as others have said. Clutch master cylinder is down by the pedals. This is what our clutch master looked like when it started leaking:




Tony

Aar you may be right Tony. 2 cylinders served by the one reservoir? My theory is right in so much as if your reservoir is drained you lose brake and clutch though?

[TravellingChick]

Eventually Stu! My clutch slave cylinder went last august and I was okay on the 3 miles or so to get to the garage!

That is deffo where mine is weeping from.

Wonder how tricky it'll be to replace lol

[Gunslinger]

Wonder how tricky it'll be to replace lol

No idea as obviously I didnt even know it was there LOL

[TravellingChick]

Wonder how tricky it'll be to replace lol

No idea as obviously I didnt even know it was there LOL

Cheers mate

[Red Westie]

From memory...VW used the one resevoir to serve the two master cylinders as others have stated, the clutch master cylinder takes it's feed from the side of the resevoir and i think I'm correct in saying it's take off point on the housing is high enough as to not starve the brake master cylinder if all fluid is lost to that level...fail safe so to speak.

Martin

[jamesc76]

From memory...VW used the one resevoir to serve the two master cylinders as others have stated, the clutch master cylinder takes it's feed from the side of the resevoir and i think I'm correct in saying it's take off point on the housing is high enough as to not starve the brake master cylinder if all fluid is lost to that level...fail safe so to speak.

Martin

Correct!

[pedro]

Easy to replace. A bugger to bleed.