Anyone help with this clutch prob?

Neil_Sedaka

ok, the other night I'm stopped at the lights, ready to go with the clutch all the way in and the car in gear waiting, waiting, waiting when the clutch pedal suddenly moves about a half an inch or so more to the floor.
When I release it it only comes back half way but the car seems to drive normally. Over the next hour or so, gear selection becomes notchy, then almost impossible, then sometimes fine then notchy then impossible again etc. etc.
Checked the fluid and I don't seem to have a leak as the level hasn't moved.

Took it to a mechanic who said it's the master cylinder. He sourced a new one and installed it, but after installation could not get the clutch working correctly.
Finally rings me and says that that the Slave is leaking and needs to be replaced :mad:
Any thoughts on this? was it the slave all along and has he replaced the master in error? was it either as I had no drop in fluid?
Any ideas?

AMurphy

It could be either, but a good mechanic would be able to determine which in advance.
What make of car is this anyway.

The Hyd. clutch is pretty simple, unlike brakes. So, assuming you have an exposed slave (some are inside the bellhousing), if it leaks it is easy to see, as the dust seal fills up with oil.
If the master leaks, that is pretty easy to detect also, and the oil usually ends up on the carpet around your feet.
However, you would be loosing fluid and you say you were not, now I'm confused....a little, so the next Item I'd have checked would have been the oil level in the box itself.
You also say the pedal only returned 1/2 way when you lifted your foot off... the spring on the clutch should have returned it all the way to the top, oil leak or none. Sure it was not a stuck pedal or broken spring?.

franksm

Slave cyl usually goes before the master does, which is fine as the slaves are cheaper and (usually) easier to work on - they tend to be bolted onto the outside of the gearbox actuating the lever sticking out of the bellhouse.

I have heard that when the slave cyl expires, the master tends to need replaced not long after - that's not my experience though. I replaced the slave on my MX5 at 80,000 miles and the master is still fine, now as 103,000 miles.

Squirrel

It could be something as simple as an un-tentioned cable. Also, you shouldn't sit on the clutch at traffic lights, leave it in neutral. Can we know what car it is?

Neil_Sedaka

Thanks for the replies, car is a Rover 600 (Honda Accord engine and gearbox)
I'm confused too, I don't understand how both master and slave could be "gone" without any loss of fluid.

Neil_Sedaka

And now a new pedal mounting too!!!! anyone else thinking what I'm thinking?
(I'm thinking it was the pedal mount all along)

Ratchet

franksm wrote:

Slave cyl usually goes before the master does, which is fine as the slaves are cheaper and (usually) easier to work on - they tend to be bolted onto the outside of the gearbox actuating the lever sticking out of the bellhouse.

.

i will go with this , did replace few on Honda's

SouperComputer

hmm sounds like you should get a second opinion at the very least!