300tdi lost clutch pedal action

[neilly]

Well,

After an enjoyable day on Salisbury Plain with some of the others thanks to Private Penguins organising.

What fun....... went to try and find a localish jet wash to avoid upsetting the neighbours.

Pulled out of the drive first left , went to change gear and thought that clutch pedal feels strange on the up stroke, the clutch pedal did not return to the up position.... but the car was driving forward in second, pressed clutch again it went down a little way to the floor and the drive disengaged as expected. Lifted pedal and the Clutch engaged and drive was given, Pressed pedal again to test and the pedal hit the floor and stayed there, but no clutch action. Drive did not disengage.

Guess I better check what has broken.........

Off to search on here probable issues and start looking. Clutch Slave / etc.

Cheers

 

[blue beasty]

Could be the slave push rod pushed through the clutch arm or the pivot on the arm worn through.

I hope not but sounds a bit like it.

 

[Flossie]

Sounds like classic fork punch through, hopefully not!

 

[Marmaduke]

It's really only likely to be master or slave cylinder or you've punched a hole through the clutch fork, if it's the master or slave cylinder the I'd replace both as they're not particularly expensive but it's a bit more of a ball ache if it's the clutch fork

 

[Marmaduke]

Check your fluid level and colour as well as this can be a good indication as to what condition the system is in

 

[neilly]

OK,

Going to take this step by step, as that is the way i like to work.

Checked fluid , not a lot in there. topped it up, pumped pedal 15 times and the fluid level has dropped about 2/3 thirds of way down in reservoir.
Topped up, pumped again 20 times and has dropped to bottom .
Topped up, pumped 20 times fluid level has stayed the same. but pedal still has no return. just the spring feel on the forward and backwards stroke.

No fluid leaks under the Landie that can be seen.

Cheers

 

[Flossie]

Is your wading plug fitted?

 

[neilly]

Is your wading plug fitted?

Not anymore, first thing I removed before I started anything else.


Cheers

 

[Flossie]

It's got to be disappearing somewhere.
I'd shine a torch up inside the cab and look for wetness there.
Maybe not enough fluid to run out the wading plug yet?

 

[neilly]

Hi Flossie,

Seems to have stopped disappearing ....
Looked in the cab under the mats up by the clutch pedal box, a bit muddy and wet from yesterday but cannot see anything.
Will look at removing the slave and see what I can see there.

Cheers

 

[Flossie]

Fingers crossed it's the slave

 

[neilly]

Fingers crossed it's the slave

Well, Whatever you had crossed worked Flossie...

Slave seal is leaking like a good one when pedal is pressed. Reason it is not coming out of the wade plug hole, My drive is on a heck of a slope, so I reckon it is all at the back of the bell housing. First thing on fitting is going to be turning the motor around and letting is drain........

Hope that is all that is wrong, tbf it does look like this was driven off road with the wading plug not fitted. as the seals on the slave are as ruff as a badgers derriere. I fit the wading plugs all the time and remove at intervals to check for fluid loss.

Lucky that it failed within a few hundred yards of home rahter than a distance.

Cheers

 

[neilly]

Now have to work out which one to get to replace it with,

Not original engine so, cannot use the VIN.

Looks like FTC5072 or FTC5202?

Cheers

 

[sp00k]

When my clutch fork went, it blew the seal on the slave cylinder. Have you already removed the sloave and checked clutch rod operation - be careful not to pull the rod out!

 

[neilly]

Hi @sp00k

Have removed the slave cylinder, it was in a pretty bad way. Did not check the clutch rod operation at the time. Will give it a look at tomorrow.

Cheers

 

[neilly]

OK, Any ideas following this update?
Well as you can see, from the photos, although i was very gentle the rod did not stay in. The clip does look distorted on the retaining clips so I will be ordering a new one. Have seen a cheat somewhere to use a plastic pipe fitting and a piece of tube to help refit the rod clip.

With the camera I could see the release bearing was against the pressure plate.
The other photos I have taken with a camera thru the slave cylinder hole. Looks like the fork has been modified in the past and is OK.

Here is my Question:

The Fork with the rod in place would move forwards and backwards , but the rod fell off before I could measure the stroke. At a guess I would say 30mm stroke .....When the rod was in place the movement was very slack, no spring pressure over the stroke.

BUT, with the rod removed , the fork ( slave rod end) is at the back of the pocket and only appear to have 5mm movement. There is a slight spring return action over this 5mm.


Does this sound correct?
How much should the stroke of the fork be to allow the "working " action of the clutch?



Any Ideas?

Cheers

 

[neilly]

Anyone recognise this, from inside the bell housing? does this look like a release bearing that has come away from the fork?

Can get the fork to move forwards and backwards , but there is no real spring effect on the slave cylinder end of the fork.
I am suspecting now that the release bearing is no longer attached to the fork.

Either way I look at it , I think I am getting the engine out.


Cheers

 

[Flossie]

Any idea of size....It does look a little like the inner sleeve of a thrust bearing..

 

[zeaphod]

BUT, with the rod removed , the fork ( slave rod end) is at the back of the pocket and only appear to have 5mm movement. There is a slight spring return action over this 5mm.

If I have understood this correctly, it sounds like you have lost the thrust bearing.

 

[neilly]

Any idea of size....It does look a little like the inner sleeve of a thrust bearing..

Hi Flossie,

Sorry no, Right PITA getting the camera in there and getting a view of something. Agree, does look like something has come amiss with the bearing.
I was under the Landie for ages, trying to get a view with the camera so i could move the fork arm back and forth and see if the bearing was moving. Unfortunately I could not.
Ordered an engine hoist, going to get it out over then next week.

Cheers