Clutch problem... sticking / leaking slave cylinder?

r44flyer · 21st February 2024, 12:05

Hello all...

Had to have the car recovered to a garage after the clutch pedal went to the floor and the car stalled coming to a stop. Pedal lifted and was then spongy but enough to get the car started and rolled out of the way to await recovery.

Garage have changed the fluid and bled the clutch and can find no fault, and no leak from the slave/bellhousing area. It appears to be working fine and they were reluctant to start a £500+ job for me if it wasn't obviously knackered.

I cannot think of anything it could be other than a dodgy slave. What do we think? It's not more than 30k miles old, but that's by the by. If it even has a slight leak that the garage have missed I presume it's only going to happen again fairly soon, which I'm sure will be 4am on the way to work! I will bite the bullet and pay the money if concensus says it hasn't been somehow solved by a fluid swap/bleed.

Advice appreciated!

Rogue · 21st February 2024, 12:43

I had the same issue as you 5 years ago and my local garage topped up the fluid and bled the system as there was also no leak apparent at the clutch end. They got a load of black goop out for want of a better term when bleeding but since then the clutch has been fine, however it is generally the first sign of a slave problem.

YHT · 21st February 2024, 17:51

Mmmmh! Have been having clutch probs these past couple of year. Bled the clutch atc and it seemed fine; put load on the clutch peddle overnight by jamming a broom between clutch peddle with it depressed and the drivers seat. Was still pressurised in the morning. Put a sheet of newspaper under the clutch housing to see if there was a leak but initially the paper was clean. BUT when i started the engine and reversed the pedal went to the floor again. Think it must have been that the slave cylinder was on its way out but slight unevenness of the clutch release springs caused it to wobble when under working load and made it leak. Ended up taking the gearbox out and doing the whole clutch. God luch with a slave cylinder swap.

r44flyer · 21st February 2024, 18:36

That's very interesting. I went to collect the car today and they managed to drive it all of 15ft out of the bay before depressing the clutch to the floor and it staying there. Pushed it back in to find a puddle of black fluid, presumably from the bellhousing drain (undertray was off). So they still have it, slave (and perhaps clutch) now scheduled.

Ducati750cc · 21st February 2024, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by r44flyer

Hello all...

Had to have the car recovered to a garage after the clutch pedal went to the floor and the car stalled coming to a stop. Pedal lifted and was then spongy but enough to get the car started and rolled out of the way to await recovery.

Garage have changed the fluid and bled the clutch and can find no fault, and no leak from the slave/bellhousing area. It appears to be working fine and they were reluctant to start a £500+ job for me if it wasn't obviously knackered.

I cannot think of anything it could be other than a dodgy slave. What do we think? It's not more than 30k miles old, but that's by the by. If it even has a slight leak that the garage have missed I presume it's only going to happen again fairly soon, which I'm sure will be 4am on the way to work! I will bite the bullet and pay the money if concensus says it hasn't been somehow solved by a fluid swap/bleed.

Advice appreciated!

Nice to see a garage that tries to look after the customers wallet by not getting the parts cannon out if they are unsure.

r44flyer · 23rd February 2024, 18:43

Well, after their initial effort they are going ahead with clutch, slave and master... for £840. I'm having my pants pulled down. But it's stuck in there now, it was too big a job for my usual mobile mechanic, and they won't entertain using my own parts

21st February 2024, 12:05	#1
r44flyer Loves to post MG ZT-T CDTi 135+ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Birmingham Posts: 467 Thanks: 5 Thanked 22 Times in 20 Posts	Clutch problem... sticking / leaking slave cylinder? Hello all... Had to have the car recovered to a garage after the clutch pedal went to the floor and the car stalled coming to a stop. Pedal lifted and was then spongy but enough to get the car started and rolled out of the way to await recovery. Garage have changed the fluid and bled the clutch and can find no fault, and no leak from the slave/bellhousing area. It appears to be working fine and they were reluctant to start a £500+ job for me if it wasn't obviously knackered. I cannot think of anything it could be other than a dodgy slave. What do we think? It's not more than 30k miles old, but that's by the by. If it even has a slight leak that the garage have missed I presume it's only going to happen again fairly soon, which I'm sure will be 4am on the way to work! I will bite the bullet and pay the money if concensus says it hasn't been somehow solved by a fluid swap/bleed. Advice appreciated!

21st February 2024, 12:43	#2
Rogue I really should get out more....... 75 CDT SE 160 Saloon Join Date: May 2017 Location: Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich Posts: 2,683 Thanks: 1,386 Thanked 1,096 Times in 774 Posts	I had the same issue as you 5 years ago and my local garage topped up the fluid and bled the system as there was also no leak apparent at the clutch end. They got a load of black goop out for want of a better term when bleeding but since then the clutch has been fine, however it is generally the first sign of a slave problem. __________________ Glutton for punishment --- Previously ... 2.6 SD1 x 2, 3.5 SD1, 820S, 820Si x2, 216 Gsi, 220T saloon, 414, 45 1.4 x2 and now a Cowley 75 CDT

21st February 2024, 17:51	#3
YHT Loves to post Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: suffolk Posts: 286 Thanks: 46 Thanked 25 Times in 23 Posts	Mmmmh! Have been having clutch probs these past couple of year. Bled the clutch atc and it seemed fine; put load on the clutch peddle overnight by jamming a broom between clutch peddle with it depressed and the drivers seat. Was still pressurised in the morning. Put a sheet of newspaper under the clutch housing to see if there was a leak but initially the paper was clean. BUT when i started the engine and reversed the pedal went to the floor again. Think it must have been that the slave cylinder was on its way out but slight unevenness of the clutch release springs caused it to wobble when under working load and made it leak. Ended up taking the gearbox out and doing the whole clutch. God luch with a slave cylinder swap.

21st February 2024, 18:36	#4
r44flyer Loves to post MG ZT-T CDTi 135+ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Birmingham Posts: 467 Thanks: 5 Thanked 22 Times in 20 Posts	That's very interesting. I went to collect the car today and they managed to drive it all of 15ft out of the bay before depressing the clutch to the floor and it staying there. Pushed it back in to find a puddle of black fluid, presumably from the bellhousing drain (undertray was off). So they still have it, slave (and perhaps clutch) now scheduled.

23rd February 2024, 18:43	#6
r44flyer Loves to post MG ZT-T CDTi 135+ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Birmingham Posts: 467 Thanks: 5 Thanked 22 Times in 20 Posts	Well, after their initial effort they are going ahead with clutch, slave and master... for £840. I'm having my pants pulled down. But it's stuck in there now, it was too big a job for my usual mobile mechanic, and they won't entertain using my own parts