General Clutch hydralics

[The Panda Nut]

I didnt report on changing the clutch hydralics. The pedal stuck down and although all seemed ok after prodding, I changed the master and slave cylinders. I bought LUK master with new reservoir and pipes, an a blueprint slave.

The slave was the cause of the problem and was clearly sticking. Its a plastic thing....

The job was very simple. I broke the new reservoir trying to get the cap off so had to put the old one back. I left the pipes in place and reused them as removal looked like a job for a multi jointed octopus. It took about 1 hour to do and I was two weeks post major abdominal surgery, so anyone could do it.

Parts were £121.00 from Motor parts direct so not the cheapest, but available immdeiately and post free as I collected them This firm are consistently a pleasure to deal with too.

 

[DaveMcT]

The pedal sticking down is caused by air sucked into the system by leaking master cylinder seals. A sticky slave cylinder will affect the release bearing so should be replaced but it does not cause the stuck pedal problem.

 

[There all puntos]

The pedal sticking down is caused by air sucked into the system by leaking master cylinder seals. A sticky slave cylinder will affect the release bearing so should be replaced but it does not cause the stuck pedal problem.

I had a similar problem on my MK1 Punto, I replaced the slave cylinder (as the rubbers had rotted away and started to leak) and then the pipe (was leaking too). Thought that was the end of my sticking clutch/ release problems. But the real culprit was the point the clutch pivots at the top of the bellhousing. It caused the slave to burst the bank's (did a great job of cleansing my engine bay and gearbox) as I used to push it straight down, sometimes it would jam on. But the pedal would come back up, sometimes very slowly.

My brother in law, cured it by telling me to get the wife to push the clutch pedal, and me watching what it was doing, in the engine bay.

Turned out nothing, the slave and the fluid circuit were fine, but the point where the fulcrum lever was, it never moved much, or sometimes very slowly. So he told me to clean around it, then put some penetration fluid on it, leave it for a day and then fill it with some oil, and see what happened.

And Bobs your auntie it released it.

He told me that on most cars when either you or your nominated spanner twirller replace a clutch (Fiat mostly) no one ever takes the clutch release mechanism apart and greases it. Only takes ten minutes to do.

Hence my problem, he works mostly (or did) at the St Rollox Royal Mail's Garage division in Glasgow.

And always took the pivot apart and greased it. Even when it had a grease nipple, like on Hgv's.

 

[DaveMcT]

I've just replaced a Panda clutch. The release lever pivot bearing is a self lubricating bush. If it's worn it has to be replaced. If you want to get the operating lever out of the bell-housing, the top bush will have to be broken out. Thankfully they are cheap to replace

 

[JuanFry]

Same here and I am tired of it.