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General clutch pedal problem

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General clutch pedal problem

MickeyBravo

MickeyBravo

Daily Drive 5dr 1.8 Focus
Parked in the garage
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
1,298
Points
308
Location
Blackpool
Hi all,just wondering if any1 has any ideas on whats goin on with my pedal..
1st started happenin few week ago now an is kinda annoyin.What happens (normally when cold) is when i come to a stop (with clutch pedal in) it sticks an stays down BUT it keeps wantin to go.So the way i have to deel with it is to keep foot on break and to stall it.switch off and start up again..Ive just started to bring the pedal back up with my foot so its back to normal BUT it keeps happening everynow and then..
Is the clutch pedal self adjustin or is there a spring behind their an its just the case of it getting stiff (i.e need greasin)?

ideas or help appreciated

Chhers
Mike
 
its usually a slave cylidner leak on the bravo. check your brake fluid, if its dropped then look on top of the gearbox for the telltale wet patch. once the cylinder is dry you completely lose your clutch so keep the fluid topped up until you can replace the clyinder (easy DIY job and only costs £30 at most).
 
jug said:
its usually a slave cylidner leak on the bravo. check your brake fluid, if its dropped then look on top of the gearbox for the telltale wet patch. once the cylinder is dry you completely lose your clutch so keep the fluid topped up until you can replace the clyinder (easy DIY job and only costs £30 at most).
Click to expand...

goto admit its only started since i topped up my break/clucth reservoir.i thoought this may have had something to do with it and tbh i think i may have put too much in,it was below min and its just above max :s
Also think i have a slight leak as ive noticed fluid on the floor.dont think its oil as my car is all bone dry underneath .
 
bravotony said:
had this prob on my hgt few weeks ago ended up bein a split pipe from master cylinder to slave cylinder,
Click to expand...

can i just ask (dont mean to sound dumb) but which 1 is the slave cylinder and master cylinder? i take it the master cylinder is the main one near to the battery?

cus i think ill check that pipe wen its dry for splits as you just posted
 
MickeyBravo said:
goto admit its only started since i topped up my break/clucth reservoir.i thoought this may have had something to do with it and tbh i think i may have put too much in,it was below min and its just above max :s
Also think i have a slight leak as ive noticed fluid on the floor.dont think its oil as my car is all bone dry underneath .
Click to expand...

filling over max isnt a problem. since it was below min to start with, and you've sen fluid on the floor, a slave cylinder leak seems like, or at least a leak in the clutch hydraulics somewhere.

the master cylinder in behind the pedal, the slave cylinder is on top of the gearbox (under the battery).

slave cylinder leaks are a very common problem, so check for a damp patch on top of the gearbox first.
 
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getting really annoyed with my car now,argh! :mad:
noticed oil stains on the floor wen i moved the car this mornin and also on pavement outside my house 9obviously from few days ago that i have not noticed before :confused:)
So wen i Got back,i checked were it was leakin.1st thing was under the bonnet,the break/clutch Resevoir fluid had dropped again below min,so instantly topped it back up..
Got underneath car and noticed it leakin from the box onto the floor..
Im hoping its not from the gearbox thats gone and it is just the clutch slave cylinder or a split in the pipe somewhere as i am only losin oil/fluid from the main reservoir.(Checked the dipstick bout 20 mins later wen car was settled to check engine oil and its still got plenty in)

Does this sound familar to anyone?


Am i best getting a new slave cylinder 1st to reseolve this?

Mike
 
Mickey.

Just to clarify what others are saying. :)

The clutch slave cylinder is a hydraulic ram. when you push down on the clutch pedal it pushes fluid through the pipework and forces out the ram at the other end.
The ram is connected to the clutch lever on the top of the gearbox. The reservoir for the clutch is shared with the brakes, It's what you have been topping up.

A leak in the system causes the pedal to drop as there is not enough pressure to hold it up, or to return it properly.

as the cylinder is mounted on top of the gearbox. Changing it is relatively easy.
removing the battery and battery tray will allow easy access to it. This will also allow you to inspect it.

As you are loosing clutch/brake fluid, plus have visual signs of a leak, plus have clutch peddle issues I think we can safely say that it is the slave cylinder ;)

It will need a new one unless there is a leak in the pipe. (y)
 
MickeyBravo said:
Does this sound familar to anyone?
Click to expand...
very familiar. it happened to my bravo on the way home from work. i lost all clutch control but luckily i still made it home.


MickeyBravo said:
Am i best getting a new slave cylinder 1st to reseolve this?
Click to expand...
yes, but only after you have looked at the slave cylinder to see if it is leaking. its very common, but its stil best to check before you buy one, it will take you 10seconds to check. then you can buy a slave cylinder at your motorfactor. mine cost me £26, and a bottle of super4 dot brake fluid was another £4, so you're looking at a £30 repair.
 
@ Bridges... thanks for all that mate,just not much of a mechanic these days nor had problems like that before.

@ Jug..ive just rang 3 motor factor shops up and dearest one was 30 +vat,cheapest was 25 all in..:)
one thing im not too sure of ,is that are all bravo slave cylinders the same? only due to me having a conversion,i aint a clue if the guy completely removed everythin from the 1.4 spec :confused:

If they are different,am i just best getting the 2l one?

Mike
 
MickeyBravo;1726880one thing im not too sure of said:
there were 6 different types when i bought one. to make sure you get the right one take yours in with you. most important aspect is the position of the bolt holes.
Click to expand...
 
*quick update*

Just wana say thanks for the reply's on tellin me what my problem was and how to solve it and where the slave cylinder actually was..I bought a new one (luckly was right one)..shaun came round at 5,took batt and tray off and old cylinder..and the rubber seal was sliced and looked knackered.which is why i was losin fluid..
Replced with brand new one and all is well :)..well hopefully lol
BUT had a small problem,we cudnt get a 'bite' on the clutch nor could we get the bleed nipple in..so we put it next to the old one and it were bigger,so we used the old one in and it fit perfect an screwed down..we bled it,got the bite and took car for a drive and is back 2 normal :D

can i just say sorry for my dumbness,but like ive said b4,ive not had a fiat b4,only had fords and my cars had adjustable cables..reason for me not knowin what/ where the 'slave cylinder' and 'master cylinder' was..

thanks again for the reply's guys (y)

Mike..

p.s they always say it runs in 3's,so more than likely ill be back askin for help :D ..hope not tho lol
 
MickeyBravo said:
can i just say sorry for my dumbness,but like ive said b4,ive not had a fiat b4,only had fords and my cars had adjustable cables..reason for me not knowin what/ where the 'slave cylinder' and 'master cylinder' was..
Click to expand...

The newer zetec Fords all have hydraulic slave cylinders. They are actually inside the box though so are changed at the same time as the clutch. ;)
But as you say the hydraulic system is very different to a cable.


Anyway. Your question was not dumb in that you asked a question and people who have already worked on this problem or had maybe seen other posts regarding the same issues, were able to help. Much better than having to spend ages working it out for yourself. Although cars work on similar principles there are always differences in the design of components which makes asking on a forum such a good idea. :)

And now you have a working car and have saved loads of £, and you now know how a slave cylinder works and how to change one (y)
 
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bridges said:
And now you have a working car and have saved loads of £, and you now know how a slave cylinder works and how to change one (y)
Click to expand...

i know yer,just seeing how easily he took the old cylinder out,i was like ''is that it'' lol if it eva goes again.(hopefully not) i can do it myself :)

Cheers for the help..

oh i still got bit of a leak,im hopin its just excess fluid thats not actually ran off the box yet (was kinda messy due to my leak)..Had a look at my new cylinder an it looks dry and brand new still..
Car ran quite lumpy this mornin tho an didnt wana tick over,kept popin at low revs (.5k)..im hopin its cus wen we bled the clutch,the fluid squirted out and thats its just got on any wires and just got damp..Oh and ive noticed a split in my intake pipe (just b4 the maf sensor)..which im hoping could also be the problem..Just gona get some black insulation tape and wrap it up for now..

If the split has been there 4 a while and ive just not noticed it,im puzzled as why its runnin bity lumpy an failin to tick over as my car was perfect before we changed the cylinder..:confused:..ah well,ill see how i get on

Mike
 
tape up the intake leak asap as it won't help.

It is probably because the battery was removed that the car is now a little lumpy. I seem to remember a post regarding this.

once your air leak is fixed I think that the ECU will re-learn.
i think having the battery off has gone back to preset settings so the ecu is not compensating as yet..

can anyone confirm this or am I talking out my A***
 
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It is probably because the battery was removed that the car is now a little lumpy.
i didnt no if removing the battery would make a difference tbh

once your air leak is fixed I think that the ECU will re-learn.
i think having the battery off has gone back to preset settings so the ecu is not compensating as yet..
Click to expand...

yer i seem to know what u mean mate.had a funny feeling it could be down to the air leak and that the ecu isnt getting a proper readout etc...
If i memba,i had an air leak on my rst s1 and wasnt boosting nor tickin over proper..but once i sorted it,was back to normal..

Mike
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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MickeyBravo said:
ive noticed a split in my intake pipe (just b4 the maf sensor)..which im hoping could also be the problem..Just gona get some black insulation tape and wrap it up for now..

If the split has been there 4 a while and ive just not noticed it,im puzzled as why its runnin bity lumpy an failin to tick over as my car was perfect before we changed the cylinder..:confused:..ah well,ill see how i get on
Click to expand...
split causes unfiltered air to enter the intake sdo repair asap, but a split before the MAF should not cause any problems.
 
ive maged to tape it up,as tightly and as good as i can and it seems ok now,been in car nippin to places for bout 2 hrs now an its fine,ticks over nicely an pulls as it used to...
wether the air leak has anything to do with it,im not sure but it seems to be ok now ive taped it up
 
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