jonnynoname28

jonnynoname28

Member
Had the car a little over a month and it pulls really well. No sign of slipping in any gear. The other day i noticed the gears were a little notchy but ok. Just done a run to my daughter over 70 mile away and when you gear down at junctions etc it feels like the clutch isn't disengaged properly but only when you go to 1st. It's fine going up the gears thus far and still no slipping. Any thing i should check before i take it to the garage?
 
Sounds like a leak in the hydraulics. Could be master or slave cylinder. Best plan would be to try to bleed the air out to see if it improves. Also look for fluid leaks from where gearbox joins engine and on pipes from master cylinder in engine bay near clutch pedal. That may fix it. If it is the slave then it is a gearbox out job so try to bleed then change the master then big money I am afraid.
 
Check the clutch reservoir and gearbox levels, then get under and lubricate the gear linkage. Otherwise, as above.
 
Where would I find them, without trying to sound a bit thick. Been offered a new clutch for £450 +inc slave cylinder fitted. On my old 1.8 the gears were really stiff and the previous owner replaced a bracket to do with the clutch pedal, I know this isn't the same engine etc but could it be that?
 
I'd say bleeding the hydraulics is the first step. How low is the biting point on the clutch pedal?
When the hydraulics are marginal anyway, then as the plastic pipes expand with under bonnet heat, the biting point drops to the point that the clutch drags.

It sounds like a hydraulics issue, not a clutch assembly issue.
 
So would it be a new clutch and slave cylinder If bleeding doesn't fix it? I know nothing at all about cars. If it's just a top up of dot 4 i can do that if i know where to stick it!!
 
jonnynoname28 said:
So would it be a new clutch and slave cylinder If bleeding doesn't fix it? I know nothing at all about cars. If it's just a top up of dot 4 i can do that if i know where to stick it!!
Click to expand...

The clutch master cylinder is more likely to fail. Low clutch biting point is normally down to air in the pipes, or a faulty master cylinder, or a worn master cylinder push rod ball joint. Basically there's lost movement somewhere in the system.
 
So could I just replace the master cylinder without the replacing the whole thing. Probably not the sharpest when it comes to this stuff.
 
Yes, you buy the master re filled with fluid and with a quick release connector that fits to the pipe which goes into the gearbox. The joint is at the windscreen side of the battery area.
 
Ok thanks. Will start my search tomorrow. Will everything need bleeding after fitting? because if so I may just let the garage do it. Read a few nightmare scenarios about bleeding and I know if it went wrong I'd be stuck
 
If it was a master fault and no air got into the slave then just fit and plug onto pipe with quick release connector. If air has got in take it to a garage for bleeding if you don't want to do it. Saves cash!!
 
Nodge68 said:
But don't buy cheap, as Ebay ones are rubbish. Best find an OE or genuine LR part.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. Mine has a very low bite point. It's not dragging (yet!) but I bled the clutch at the weekend and got some disgusting black fluid out of it. Slave cylinder (or at least, the pipes coming out of the bellhousing) looks new-ish. My sister did have the clutch replaced not long before she gave it to me (in fact, that was the straw that broke the camel's back and made her decide to get rid of it). There's a bit of play at the pedal, which, I guess is the plastic rod end. I was tempted by one of Eurocarparts 50% off deals, which would have made an £80 one £40, but their site didn't say what make. OE ones seem to be stupid money! What generally fails on the cheap ones?
 
A little trick i do with clutches that are hard to bleed, is i depress them over night usually with an old piece of timber of plastic, this can help force any trapped air out.

I did this with Alfa's and a few Discoveries with good success
 
Quick question. My daughter's been rushed in to hospital some 80 miles away. I've not had chance to get this problem sorted out yet due to the holidays. Would it be ok to use the car still?
 
Avocet1 said:
That's interesting. Mine has a very low bite point. It's not dragging (yet!) but I bled the clutch at the weekend and got some disgusting black fluid out of it. Slave cylinder (or at least, the pipes coming out of the bellhousing) looks new-ish. My sister did have the clutch replaced not long before she gave it to me (in fact, that was the straw that broke the camel's back and made her decide to get rid of it). There's a bit of play at the pedal, which, I guess is the plastic rod end. I was tempted by one of Eurocarparts 50% off deals, which would have made an £80 one £40, but their site didn't say what make. OE ones seem to be stupid money! What generally fails on the cheap ones?
Click to expand...

Blackish fluid usually means one of the seals has started to perish, when the clutch was done were any of the hydraulics replaced ?
 
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