Possibly something wrong with clutch??

[Supervinnie40]

Hi guys,

I think I'm being a bit paranoid, but I wonder if my clutch is alright.
The clutch pedal goes down as smooth as butter, but sometimes when I'm at the trafficlights and I wanna put it in first gear (or second) I feel a bit of resistance.

It's kinda hard to explain how something feels, but I feels like you can feel the mechanics shifting, and something is in the way.
Perhaps this is normal for the 75, because some cars just have a very mechanical gear, others have a gear that's so smooth that you hardly know that are in gear... But I just wanted to check.

When the weather gets a bit warmer I want to change the oil in the engine + the filter and at the same time do the gearbox oil.
From this how-to: http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=124816&highlight=transmission+oil

[MrDoodles]

How many miles has the car done, as it could be a shot lower engine mount? :shrug:

[Supervinnie40]

65.000 km.
I read the topic about the engine mount, and I tried to see if the car 'shocks' when I release the clutch and give a bit of extra gas. Nothing shocks, the car just smoothly moves forward.

[MrDoodles]

65.000 km.
I read the topic about the engine mount, and I tried to see if the car 'shocks' when I release the clutch and give a bit of extra gas. Nothing shocks, the car just smoothly moves forward.

The mount shouldn't be shot at that mileage, I have to say that it sounds like the start of either Master or Slave cylinder problems! :(

I wouldn't worry until it gets worse, just start saving for a new clutch! ;)

[Supervinnie40]

What are the master and/or slave cylinder? I'm not familiar with that term...

The weird thing is, it doesn't do it all the time. Only sometimes.
At first I thought I didn't press the clutchpedal far enough those times, but it turned out I pushed it as far as it can go.
Sometimes it does it, sometimes it doesn't...

[stevestrat]

The master is the hydraulic cylinder at the top of the clutch pedal, the slave is the slave cylinder inside the gearbox that operates the clutch.

To access that master cylinder, there are two screws under the driver's side dash, the section below the steering wheel, remove them, the lower dash section pulls off, held on by spring clips. You need to reach up the side of the clutch pedal, you'll feel the master cylinder and reservoir on top of it. If it is leaking you will feel the fluid around it, possibly even see evidence of fluid running down the clutch pedal. The only evidence of a leaking slave cylinder is fluid staining at the join between the gearbox and engine.

[Supervinnie40]

Thanks for the info, I'll double check those things tomorrow. But wouldn't the symptoms always be there with such a fault? Mine are occasional.
I kinda thought that it could have something to do with the engine/gearbox being cold. But then it kinda happened when I drove a long distance.

It's nothing to bad, it's only slightly noticable when it happens. But I just wanna prevent it becoming a problem.

[DMGRS]

Sounds like the clutch system would benefit from being 'bled' - it'll replace the old fluid with fresh, and remove any air that may have made it's way into the system.
Also a good opportunity to check for any leaks. :)

[Supervinnie40]

With bleeding, would you perhaps refer to one of the steps in this guide? http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=124816&highlight=transmission+oil

[Supervinnie40]

Engine mount looks fine to me...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1601270_10152162588809817_552631366_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1601270_10152162588809817_552631366_n.jpg

But the undertray does look a bit oily... :(

[stevestrat]

With bleeding, would you perhaps refer to one of the steps in this guide? http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=124816&highlight=transmission+oilCompletely different! Needs two people to make it easy to do. First find the bleed nipple for the clutch, should be visible if you look down between the engine and air filter box. Stick a clear plastic tube on the end of it, other end of the tube in a container, depress the clutch pedal right down and hold it there, open then close the bleed nipple, you'll see fluid appear in the plastic tube, release the clutch pedal then pump a couple of times to build pressure up again. Repeat the process until you get clean, fresh fluid coming out of the plastic tube. Remember to keep the fluid reservoir at the top of the clutch pedal topped up.

[Supervinnie40]

Thanks Steve, looks like I got a few things to do tomorrow :P.
First will have to buy some clutch fluid, I've only got some 10w40 in the shed....

[stevestrat]

What you need is brake fluid, brake fluid/clutch fluid is the same thing.

I will warn you because of it's location at the top of the clutch pedal adding fluid to the clutch fluid reservoir is a pig of a job and only really possible with a syringe and some rubber tubing.

[Supervinnie40]

Thanks again :D.
I do have those, I've got an inkt refill kit for the printer cartirdges that I never used. That has syringes in it. And I've got some tubes from bleeding the central heating.

[Supervinnie40]

Finally had some time to fix this...

Bought some brake-fluid, had a rubber hose, a syringe and some time.

Removed the cover underneath the steering wheel, the cover above the pedals and the light-switch. Took me 5 minutes of burning fingers to unscrew the cap... (could they have made this any more difficult...?).
Then took off the lid (with it came some rubber thing), filled about 10cc of oil and put the rubber back. When I screwed the lid back on, a little bit of oil dripper out. (thank god for cloths ;) ).

Unfortunately, it didn't make any difference. Changing gear still feels a little bit clunky.
It's not bad, but it not butterly-smooth either.
So I'm starting to think that perhaps the cluthplates are just worn and they need to be changed..?

[stevestrat]

Where was the clutch pedal biting point before you added fluid and where is it after adding fluid? If the level in the reservoir got low enough to allow air into the system it will need to be bled.

PS, I told you getting at the resevoir was a pig of a job!

[Supervinnie40]

I think you mean the point where the car starts to roll?

When I lift my foot I feel something very small after a few cm, but the car doesn't roll. I will need to lift my foot up for roughly 60 to 70% before the car starts to roll.
Adding fluid hardly changed that. At most, it's somewhere between 55 and 65%, but that might just be in my head.

You did tell me :P, but I never thought it would be this annoying...

[Supervinnie40]

Completely different! Needs two people to make it easy to do. First find the bleed nipple for the clutch, should be visible if you look down between the engine and air filter box. Stick a clear plastic tube on the end of it, other end of the tube in a container, depress the clutch pedal right down and hold it there, open then close the bleed nipple, you'll see fluid appear in the plastic tube, release the clutch pedal then pump a couple of times to build pressure up again. Repeat the process until you get clean, fresh fluid coming out of the plastic tube. Remember to keep the fluid reservoir at the top of the clutch pedal topped up.

I just went out to do this a few hours ago.
I didn't know what to look for, but with my limited experience of the engine I guessed I would be able to recognize it when I saw it.....

Guess again :). I looked for it, but can't find it :(.
Can somebody supply me with a photo of the location and perhaps the bleeding nipple itself? I've got the 1.8 (non turbo) engine.

[Supervinnie40]

Actually managed to find the bleeding nipple after all :D (hurray for me :P )

Here is what I did:

- disconnected the battery
- removed the airfilter
- removed the covering above the pedals
- removed the light switch
- asked girlfriend to pump about 7 times and then keep the pedal pressed
- opened up the nipple (oil squirted out)
- closed the nipple
- told GF to release pedal
- then she pumped the pedal again and held it down
- opened the bleeding nipple (oil squirted out)
- closed the nipple
- told GF to release the pedal
- she pumped again for a good 7 times
- opened nipple again (oil squirted out)
- closed nipple again
- she released the pedal
- screwed off the cap to refill the container above the pedal
- took out the rubber thingy
- added about 100cc of oil
- put the rubber thingy back in
- screwed the lid back on

Then I started the car, pumped the pedal about 5 times and then tries to put it in first gear (just to feel how it felt).
No difference.

Did I do something wrong? Or is there something else going on?