today I fixed the hydraulics for the clutch. Bracket for the slave failed last year and took the slave out with it. Welded up the bracket and replaced the non-serviceable master & slave.
Worked fine for ages then the welds failed in the cold weather and gear selection got troublesome.
Rewelding the bracket achieved nothing except letting air into the line via the slave during removal of the bracket.
There was nowhere to get a new master & slave before monday so no chioce but to try and bleed the air despite the system being sealed and "non-seviceable".
So, like this:
1. remove the cap from the reservoir on the master.
2. if the slave is not already out of the bracket, remove it - be super careful not to cant the piston with respect to the cylinder or or will get past.
3. using a quick clamp repeatedly compress & release the piston on the slave. This will drive air back up to the reservoir. When releasing the clamp ensure that the piston stays in line with the cylinder or air will get past again.
4. keep doing step 3 until no more bubbles then carefully reinstall the slave
5. test the pedal - if you don't have back pressure through the full stroke go back to step 2 and repeat.
6. if the problem is solved remember to now top up the reservoir if necessary and replace the reservoir cap.

So this "non-serviceable" clutch hydraulic kit is serviceable.

A couple of other points -
there are traps due to the routing of the hydraulic line - I removed the master & uncliped the line down to where it runs under the fuse box then had someone hold it so the lines were as vertical as possible & this made purging the air easy, but I did this twice - one with the master in the bulkhead and once with it out - both ways worked - the second way the purge was much quicker but the hassle of removing & refitting the master was imense
Finally, that bracket is a piece of sh!t. Even with pieces of 3mm flat stock welded in to prevent it flexing it flops around like its made from bingo wings

Cheers
Simon
 
Last edited:
today I fixed the hydraulics for the clutch. Bracket for the slave failed last year and took the slave out with it. Welded up the bracket and replaced the non-serviceable master & slave.
Worked fine for ages then the welds failed in the cold weather and gear selection got troublesome.
Rewelding the bracket achieved nothing except letting air into the line via the slave during removal of the bracket.
There was nowhere to get a new master & slave before monday so no chioce but to try and bleed the air despite the system being sealed and "non-seviceable".
So, like this:
1. remove the cap from the reservoir on the master.
2. if the slave is not already out of the bracket, remove it - be super careful not to cant the piston with respect to the cylinder or or will get past.
3. using a quick clamp repeatedly compress & release the piston on the slave. This will drive air back up to the reservoir. When releasing the clamp ensure that the piston stays in line with the cylinder or air will get past again.
4. keep doing step 3 until no more bubbles then carefully reinstall the slave
5. test the pedal - if you don't have back pressure through the full stroke go back to step 2 and repeat.
6. if the problem is solved remember to now top up the reservoir if necessary and replace the reservoir cap.

So this "non-serviceable" clutch hydraulic kit is serviceable.

A couple of other points -
there are traps due to the routing of the hydraulic line - I removed the master & uncliped the line down to where it runs under the fuse box then had someone hold it so the lines were as vertical as possible & this made purging the air easy, but I did this twice - one with the master in the bulkhead and once with it out - both ways worked - the second way the purge was much quicker but the hassle of removing & refitting the master was imense
Finally, that bracket is a piece of sh!t. Even with pieces of 3mm flat stock welded in to prevent it flexing it flops around like its made from bingo wings

Cheers
Simon

The assembly can be bleed as you described. It's actually part of the pre-fitment process to full compress the slave piston in, while keeping the MC higher. This process expels any air that has got in while being shipped.

The clutch release lever rusting into the box bush is the normal reason for bracket failure. A couple of drops of oil on the release shaft at every oil change will keep it free.;) You'll need to free the lever off or the bracket problem will simply reoccure. ;)
 
Over the past 10 days or so drove 1200 miles around the UK, starting off when all the snow was doing it’s best. The 15 year old hippo never missed a beat, and provided a confident drive throughout.

Back this weekend to wash all the salt off, and prep for today’s MOT. One minor fault that did occur on the trip was for one of the instrument bulbs to blow, so replaced that yesterday, (without having to do all the steps the Heinz manual suggested - nothing new there! - just 6 screws to get at the rear of the instrument cluster)

Anyway, good news today, as she passes the MOT again, and no advisories. :)
 
...The clutch release lever rusting into the box bush is the normal reason for bracket failure. A couple of drops of oil on the release shaft at every oil change will keep it free.;) You'll need to free the lever off or the bracket problem will simply reoccure. ;)

yep - having welded in bracing on the bracket the hydraulics lasted about 65 miles. All I did was move the problem to the next weak link. This time the slave piston seal blew about a mile from home & I managed to nurse it home some how.

So your diagnosis of binding release lever seems bang on. Do I have to take stuff apart to free it up or is there an insitu cheat?

I gave it some pentrating spray and gear box oil on the bushing & shaft but it's guess work as to weather that has done anything helpful.

Cheers
Simon
 
The way I’ve done this in the past is to be liberal with plusgas or GT85, disconnected the slaveand then manually moved the release arm back and forth unti it moves easily and freely :)
 
This morning I needed to make an early start to get No 3 daughter to a football match. I couldn't use the FBH pre-heater as the tank was under 1/8th of a tank (deliberate maybe). So I simply pressed the HFS button and waited just one minute for it to do it's magic. This is why I rejected any FL1 that wasn't equipped with this very useful addition. I've a few bars out of action, but luckily there on the passenger side.
Screenshot_20180318-100251.png
 
Last edited:
This morning I needed to make an early start to get No 3 daughter to a football match. I couldn't use the FBH pre-heater as the tank is under 1/8th of a tank. So I simply pressed the HFS button and waited just one minute for it to do it's magic. This is why I rejected any FL1 that wasn't equipped with this very useful addition. I'v a few bars out of action, but luckily there on the passenger side.
View attachment 144726
I always loved the heated windscreen on my Fords. :)
 
I have yet to see a Freelander over here listed as having the heated screen. Lots say they have heated seats, but not windscreen. I did see a switch on 1 that looked like it might be for the screen - but not sure what I'm looking for!
 
I got a HFS made for my race MGF: it doesn’t have a heater, and this helps clear the screen a treat: it’s wited via a relay to the now redundant rear heated screen circuit ;)
 
I got a HFS made for my race MGF: it doesn’t have a heater, and this helps clear the screen a treat: it’s wited via a relay to the now redundant rear heated screen circuit ;)
The North American FL1s were heavily optioned. Mine is just an SE but it has the heated front screen and heated seats Mine lives in the garage s I hardly ever use the heated screen but the heated passenger seat is handy when picking p pizza!
I am seriously considering ordering one of the heated screens for my MGF as the existing screen has a bad wiper mark, and once transatlantic shipping is worked in the extra cost for the heated screen isn't much.
 
Rich, if you're ordering one from Ricky Evans, they're generally bought in batches of 5. It might be an idea to get a group buy in Canada and get them all shipped over? Probably even more practical in Canada than it is here in the UK! :)
 
I have been looking at getting one through Rick Bhullar. Apparently there are some left after the last batch was made and he can supply it complete with a harness to wire it up.
The cost of shipping is about the same as the cost of the screen but we are so spread out here that group packing doesn't work.
 

Similar threads