Clutch Bleeding Woes
 

I am stranded at work with a suspected failed slave. I don't fancy attempting ignition off/on shenanigans trying to drive home as there are umpteen junctions to negotiate before I get on the A12.

I will pop out to the local factors at lunchtime, buy some fluid, an oil can with a flexi spout, a bleed hosewith valve and a pair of spanners. Might get me out of bother until at least I can get the car back to the MG Rover Repair Centre on Monday.

The query is - does anyone know the size of the bleed nipple nut and the adjacent nut? 9 and 13mm springs to mind but I didn't want to buy the wrong sizes.

These concentric slave cylinders must rate as one of the worst component designs - ever.

Just got myself a set of spanners, some fluid, a bleed tube and a flexi plastic oil can. Might just get me out of bother (I hope).

good luck

macafee2

Thanks; it is times like these I feel that I should have gone for an autobox model...

Master top-up
 

When this happened to me, I filled the master and with a couple of pumps of the clutch peddle I had enough clutch pressure to drive the car 5 miles

Maybe worth trying

Also drilled a small hole in the top of the master cap and inserted a piece of plastic tubing for temporary topping up while waiting for the spares to arrive

(always have clutch fluid in the boot now)

Royster

Is this the method you're using to top up the clutch system ?? ----

No, I topped up the canister above the master using an oil can with a flexi spout.

I bled it in the office car park last night. For the first time bleeding the clutch, I couldn't get a proper pedal feel. I suspect the slave is 'ronnied'.

I did notice the bleed pipe moved around rather more than I thought it should!?!

Kevin of the MG Rover Repair Centre has contacted LUK, who will replace the slave cylinder FOC, but they won't reimburse his labour costs. LUK has told him that they have modified their Repset due to the high rates of failure, but they won't tell him what modifications they have made!

My sympathies are with Kevin, as this is effectively a 'love job' for him so I will contribute towards some of his labour costs (which are very reasonable). Due to the unreliability of the CSCs, Kevin tells me this is the last R75 clutch he is doing, which is perfectly understandable.

Kevin replaced the clutch in April, so it has lasted 8 months (around 4-5K miles).

That’s a step forwards having Luk admitting a fault, can you get pictures of the new slave cylinder from all angles to see if there are any external differences.

Hi Trikey,

I will ask Kevin; I'm sure he too would be interested to see if there are any modifications or if this is just hot air from the LUK representative.

Perhaps the 'modification' means two blobs of precious grease on the bearing race as opposed to 1/2 blob or a dry bearing in an attempt to prevent the unit overheating?