Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar

Glen B · 15th December 2023, 15:11

I don't suppose there's anybody local in Chipping Ongar is there? Just been in area from Mansfield and clutch pedal gone to floor. It was soggy a couple of miles back and gone altogether. I'm in the BP petrol station on the A414 in the centre of town. Had no trouble with clutch until this. I've bought some brake/clutch fluid and removed panel below steering wheel but have no way of getting fluid out of bottle into reservoir. I've called RAC and they reckon it'll be nearly 9pm before they are with me. I have done as much as I can but don't have a way of refilling reservoir to get me home NR Mansfield. Any advice welcome. It went about a mile south but started it in 1st to bump it to get me to this safer place.

macafee2 · 15th December 2023, 15:19

a piece of plastic tube leading from a funnel.
Good luck

macafee2

Glen B · 15th December 2023, 15:54

Unfortunately Macafee, I neglected to bring either a funnel or piece of plastic pipe. If I'd have been at home that's how I would have done it but as there was no sign of clutch trouble until a few miles away from here, I neglected to bring it. I left my tools at home apart from a pozidrive screwdriver and a pair of tweezers my wife left behind in the car.
Has anybody modified their clutch so it can be filled from another place, maybe on the firewall under the bonnet? I have a plastic reservoir but never got round to trying the modification. I would have it filled up and be gone by now with extra bottle of clutch fluid from this petrol station incase the cylinder is leaking so I could stop occasionally and refill to get me home. Never mind, at least I managed to get the car to somewhere lit up, off the road and with food, drinks and toilet.

Lee T · 15th December 2023, 18:16

When you get the car home, do as Ian suggested and get some 5mm clear tubing, also purchase a syringe 50mm min capacity. Between the battery box and engine you will see the bleed nipple for the clutch on top of the gearbox. Open the nipple and attach a suitable length of the tubing to It, then remove the master cylinder cap (under the dash and awkward) place cloth/towel under master and then push fluid through the nipple with the syringe. close nipple and check master level with your finger. Once full replace cap and close nipple after each filling. 10mm and 8mm spanners for the nipple. There is a black rubber seal inside the master cylinder, cut the bottom half of it off. You only need the Top section to seal the cap. This will get you moving again but is only a temporary solution. You may get 3 days or 3 months but you can repeat if you need to. Best of luck.
Lee.

macafee2 · 15th December 2023, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen B

Unfortunately Macafee, I neglected to bring either a funnel or piece of plastic pipe. If I'd have been at home that's how I would have done it but as there was no sign of clutch trouble until a few miles away from here, I neglected to bring it. I left my tools at home apart from a pozidrive screwdriver and a pair of tweezers my wife left behind in the car.
Has anybody modified their clutch so it can be filled from another place, maybe on the firewall under the bonnet? I have a plastic reservoir but never got round to trying the modification. I would have it filled up and be gone by now with extra bottle of clutch fluid from this petrol station incase the cylinder is leaking so I could stop occasionally and refill to get me home. Never mind, at least I managed to get the car to somewhere lit up, off the road and with food, drinks and toilet.

Does the petrol station not sell anything you can use, is there no DIY shop within a "half" ours walk?

Are you in the breakdown service? Once home will you DIY if the salve has failed? It is a big job.

Good luck getting home

macafee2

Glen B · 16th December 2023, 05:36

Just to let you know, as the RAC arrival time seemed to get further away with every text they sent me, around 7pm last night I decided that the traffic should be cleared enough to attempt the 150 miles back home with no clutch pedal. I put it in 1st then used the starter to " bump" the car. I could go up gears but not down. Using the A414 to get to M11 north, A14, A1 and then A6075 back from A1 to where I live. Was really lucky with traffic and only had to turn off engine, put in 1st and use starter to bump start about 6 times on way home. The car is at home on my drive now. The clutch cylinder was a Taz metal one I fitted around 2019 and had been ok until now apart from the noise of the clutch thrust bearing travelling along the metal pipe into the cabin from day one. I've seen that DMGRS are selling a " fit and forget" metal cylinder but it has the metal pipe. Could I take out a section of the metal pipe and replace with a section of plastic pipe to stop the noise travelling or not? DMGRS were selling the original old stock AP plastic cylinders which are supposed to be long lasting but when I looked after I got home around 9.30pm last night I couldn't see them. Maybe I was just tired and didn't look properly. Any thoughts?

Glen B · 16th December 2023, 05:45

So after nearly 15 years of having my 03 75 CDT and going as far as Northumberland, South Wales, Kent and many other places as well as general running about, going to work and back, etc, I can still say that my 75 has always got me back home. That's not bad for a well used car that's 20 years old and has 234, 850 miles on the clock. Bye the way, the RAC patrol rang my mobile around 7.45pm as I was driving up the M11 north to say he had just finished one job and was checking if I still needed him as he would be another half hour or so before he could get to where I was. Although I don't normally use my phone while driving, I pressed the answer button while it was on the passenger seat to accept the call and told him what I'd done, where I was and my plan to get home. He said " that's great news, if you break down on your way you can still call RAC and they'll come to you". Luckily there was no need.

macafee2 · 16th December 2023, 07:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen B

So after nearly 15 years of having my 03 75 CDT and going as far as Northumberland, South Wales, Kent and many other places as well as general running about, going to work and back, etc, I can still say that my 75 has always got me back home. That's not bad for a well used car that's 20 years old and has 234, 850 miles on the clock. Bye the way, the RAC patrol rang my mobile around 7.45pm as I was driving up the M11 north to say he had just finished one job and was checking if I still needed him as he would be another half hour or so before he could get to where I was. Although I don't normally use my phone while driving, I pressed the answer button while it was on the passenger seat to accept the call and told him what I'd done, where I was and my plan to get home. He said " that's great news, if you break down on your way you can still call RAC and they'll come to you". Luckily there was no need.

Brave to drive with no clutch. well done

macafee2

planenut · 16th December 2023, 07:49

Well done Glen, after an identical fault some years back, I too drove a very long distance with no clutch. Improving my gear changes and anticipation the further I travelled.

In my ignorance those days, I thought the clutch cable had broken, until I opened the bonnet.

I found a set of little bottles, one with a syphon plunger, from Poundstretcher. Described as a travel set for liquids on flights. With practice, I found I could decant the desired amount of brake fluid, by feel, into the master cylinder. That sorted my problem, never to occur again.

As mentioned by Lee, there is a seal within the master which one can lift out. I would say, don't overfill, only to a level onto which you can reseat the seal (referred to as a "condom" by some)

So long as nobody on here disagrees, try this, post#4
https://www.mg-rover.org/threads/rov...-advice.89091/

Good luck.

Glen B · 16th December 2023, 09:15

Thanks folks. I'll look out for the small syringes and keep them in the boot. Need to buy and fit a new cylinder now, just deciding which one will be strongest.

15th December 2023, 15:11	#1
Glen B Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Club, 2005 Rover 45, 2000 Rover 25, 1963 Rover 110 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Warsop Posts: 101 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar I don't suppose there's anybody local in Chipping Ongar is there? Just been in area from Mansfield and clutch pedal gone to floor. It was soggy a couple of miles back and gone altogether. I'm in the BP petrol station on the A414 in the centre of town. Had no trouble with clutch until this. I've bought some brake/clutch fluid and removed panel below steering wheel but have no way of getting fluid out of bottle into reservoir. I've called RAC and they reckon it'll be nearly 9pm before they are with me. I have done as much as I can but don't have a way of refilling reservoir to get me home NR Mansfield. Any advice welcome. It went about a mile south but started it in 1st to bump it to get me to this safer place.

15th December 2023, 15:54	#3
Glen B Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Club, 2005 Rover 45, 2000 Rover 25, 1963 Rover 110 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Warsop Posts: 101 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar Unfortunately Macafee, I neglected to bring either a funnel or piece of plastic pipe. If I'd have been at home that's how I would have done it but as there was no sign of clutch trouble until a few miles away from here, I neglected to bring it. I left my tools at home apart from a pozidrive screwdriver and a pair of tweezers my wife left behind in the car. Has anybody modified their clutch so it can be filled from another place, maybe on the firewall under the bonnet? I have a plastic reservoir but never got round to trying the modification. I would have it filled up and be gone by now with extra bottle of clutch fluid from this petrol station incase the cylinder is leaking so I could stop occasionally and refill to get me home. Never mind, at least I managed to get the car to somewhere lit up, off the road and with food, drinks and toilet.

16th December 2023, 05:36	#6
Glen B Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Club, 2005 Rover 45, 2000 Rover 25, 1963 Rover 110 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Warsop Posts: 101 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar Just to let you know, as the RAC arrival time seemed to get further away with every text they sent me, around 7pm last night I decided that the traffic should be cleared enough to attempt the 150 miles back home with no clutch pedal. I put it in 1st then used the starter to " bump" the car. I could go up gears but not down. Using the A414 to get to M11 north, A14, A1 and then A6075 back from A1 to where I live. Was really lucky with traffic and only had to turn off engine, put in 1st and use starter to bump start about 6 times on way home. The car is at home on my drive now. The clutch cylinder was a Taz metal one I fitted around 2019 and had been ok until now apart from the noise of the clutch thrust bearing travelling along the metal pipe into the cabin from day one. I've seen that DMGRS are selling a " fit and forget" metal cylinder but it has the metal pipe. Could I take out a section of the metal pipe and replace with a section of plastic pipe to stop the noise travelling or not? DMGRS were selling the original old stock AP plastic cylinders which are supposed to be long lasting but when I looked after I got home around 9.30pm last night I couldn't see them. Maybe I was just tired and didn't look properly. Any thoughts?

16th December 2023, 05:45	#7
Glen B Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Club, 2005 Rover 45, 2000 Rover 25, 1963 Rover 110 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Warsop Posts: 101 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar So after nearly 15 years of having my 03 75 CDT and going as far as Northumberland, South Wales, Kent and many other places as well as general running about, going to work and back, etc, I can still say that my 75 has always got me back home. That's not bad for a well used car that's 20 years old and has 234, 850 miles on the clock. Bye the way, the RAC patrol rang my mobile around 7.45pm as I was driving up the M11 north to say he had just finished one job and was checking if I still needed him as he would be another half hour or so before he could get to where I was. Although I don't normally use my phone while driving, I pressed the answer button while it was on the passenger seat to accept the call and told him what I'd done, where I was and my plan to get home. He said " that's great news, if you break down on your way you can still call RAC and they'll come to you". Luckily there was no need.

16th December 2023, 07:49	#9
planenut Regional Secretary Rover 1.8T Tourer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Heathrow Posts: 6,955 Thanks: 1,551 Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts	Well done Glen, after an identical fault some years back, I too drove a very long distance with no clutch. Improving my gear changes and anticipation the further I travelled. In my ignorance those days, I thought the clutch cable had broken, until I opened the bonnet. I found a set of little bottles, one with a syphon plunger, from Poundstretcher. Described as a travel set for liquids on flights. With practice, I found I could decant the desired amount of brake fluid, by feel, into the master cylinder. That sorted my problem, never to occur again. As mentioned by Lee, there is a seal within the master which one can lift out. I would say, don't overfill, only to a level onto which you can reseat the seal (referred to as a "condom" by some) So long as nobody on here disagrees, try this, post#4 https://www.mg-rover.org/threads/rov...-advice.89091/ Good luck. Last edited by planenut; 16th December 2023 at 08:07..

15th December 2023, 15:19	#2
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,928 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	a piece of plastic tube leading from a funnel. Good luck macafee2

15th December 2023, 18:16	#4
Lee T Gets stuck in MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Liverpool Posts: 853 Thanks: 180 Thanked 248 Times in 189 Posts	When you get the car home, do as Ian suggested and get some 5mm clear tubing, also purchase a syringe 50mm min capacity. Between the battery box and engine you will see the bleed nipple for the clutch on top of the gearbox. Open the nipple and attach a suitable length of the tubing to It, then remove the master cylinder cap (under the dash and awkward) place cloth/towel under master and then push fluid through the nipple with the syringe. close nipple and check master level with your finger. Once full replace cap and close nipple after each filling. 10mm and 8mm spanners for the nipple. There is a black rubber seal inside the master cylinder, cut the bottom half of it off. You only need the Top section to seal the cap. This will get you moving again but is only a temporary solution. You may get 3 days or 3 months but you can repeat if you need to. Best of luck. Lee. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Last edited by Lee T; 15th December 2023 at 20:20..

16th December 2023, 09:15	#10
Glen B Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon Club, 2005 Rover 45, 2000 Rover 25, 1963 Rover 110 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Warsop Posts: 101 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Clutch gone to floor in Chipping Ongar Thanks folks. I'll look out for the small syringes and keep them in the boot. Need to buy and fit a new cylinder now, just deciding which one will be strongest.