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is the clutch/brake fluid res low? That means you lost fluid and usually indicates either the clutch slave or the clutch line. If fluid is ok skip to clutch master below. the clutch line usually leaks in the flexible hose portion of the line, the line is comprised of three sections, a threaded end that screws into the clutch master and this end is solid tube, a crimp fitting that attaches a flexible hose that runs from the wheelwell to engine, another crimp fitting that attaches the flexible hose to another solid hose and that solid hose has a threaded fitting that screws into the clutch slave cylinder.
add clutch fluid.
You could take a clean cloth and run it over the flexible hose and see how dirty it is, it will be dirty, and then get a helper to try and pump the clutch pedal over and over. and see if you see any fluid leaking from the hose. Ask your helper if the pedal gets stiffer or feels the same? You most likely will not see any fluid leak on the line but needed to check.
check fluid. If it's going down you are in the right area, goto Clutch Slave. If, however the helper said the pedal is getting firmer and you didn't need to add fluid it could be the clutch master. Repeat the above test to see if it leaks. Be sure.
Clutch slave: The clutch slave usually leaks fluid as it quits doing it's job, you should have to add fluid because it is leaking, you usually will see a pool of fluid under the car, usually near the cross bar under the engine, sometimes it will pool in the transmission in a shelf under the clutch and you won't notice it as it may discharge that pooling on the road. Replacing the clutch slave requires removal (almost always) of the clutch pressure place and disk. this usually means do the entire clutch as it's just as much work and you don't want to do this again for about 80,000 miles or so, right?
Clutch Master: The clutch master can often be rebuilt with a $10 kit that has replacement rubber wipers. You can do this from the pedal area, I like to remove the drivers seat to keep from wrecking my back. If you have ever had a bicycle pump that began to fail and took it apart, you will have seen a rubber or leather disk that sealed the cylinder of the pump and forced air out the hose, as that disk wore out the air would seep around the disk and not out the hose. This is basically what is happening in the clutch master, the fluid is not getting pushed down the line and instead is seeping around the disk. This is why you don't need to add fluid as it is not leaking out of the system, just past a worn piston in the cylinder. The rebuild kit replaces those wearing parts.
To recap: If you are loosing fluid it's either the slave or the line, slave is usually the issue. If you are not loosing fluid, and when sitting at a light in gear with clutch to the floor... the engine engages while your pedal is still at the floor (and usually followed by stalling the engine and swearing...), OR you are having issues getting into a gear with the engine running, OR you can pump the clutch several times and it "feels normal, for a bit" it's the clutch master telling you it's time.
Do a search on the site or checkout the many great sites on procedures to to the R & R on whatever one it is.
Lastly, many times, not always, renewing either the master or the slave will result in the other item failing in short order (weeks or months). so, be ready that if you do the master the slave *might* fail in a few months. Perhaps it's the near new pressure from one over powering the not near new seals of the other.
NOTE: the resivour for the clutch fluid is *also* the resivour for the breaks. There is a "fence" inside the unit to keep leaking clutch fluid from making the brakes not work. make sure you fill to capacity.
Enjoy!
, Sun, 6 Jul 2008 14:33:05
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