Technical Clutch issues

[Steve78]

Hi all... have a clutch issue i hope someone can advise on. Was driving my stilo dynamic deisel a few days ago. Stuck in traffic and clutch pedal suddenly became very stiff, stayed that way for a about an hour while still stop start in traffic then went very loose. Since then i have to press the pedal right down to the firewall to get any resiatance and struggling to engage gears... mostly the pedal springs back up but simetimes just stays on the floor... rac diagnosed either master or slave cylinder... any ideas of costs involved here? Baring in mind that he said the slave cylinder is internal, will need the gearbox removing to fix and garage would probably insist on replacing clutch at same time... he threw out a figure of 400 to 500.

Appreciate any info or advice. Steve

 

[Abarth L]

Hi Steve
In my experience when the slave cylinder goes it is designed to leak oil, so you should loose hydraulic oil and see it leaking underneath the gearbox.
1. Check your hydraulic oil level.
2. Leak under gearbox.

But I don't think it is your slave cylinder it will work or not at all, so you will have no pressure resistance unless it is a slow leak.

When your pressure plate goes it can be the reason.
Also when chamging the clutch you will need to change the flywheel and best to change the slave cylinder and seal behind slave cylinder while it is open.
Hopefully it is Master Cylinder, much easier to recon.

 

[Ralf S.]

What's the mileage? A JTD clutch is usually good for 6 figure mileage but the slave cylinder can't quite keep up.

You need to buy a new clutch and a new slave cylinder since it's going to be one of those and it makes no sense to spend money taking it all apart and then not change both items. Labour is going to be the biggest expense.. a clutch and slave kit is probably less than £150 for a Valeo kit, if you shop around.

Your stiff gears is because the clutch is not releasing properly. I suspect (given your symptoms) that your problem is the clutch plate rather than the slave. If the plate fingers have worn through so that some of them have fallen off, then the slave may be partially stuck in there rather than just pressing against them.

The flywheel is probably re-usable but the output shaft oil seal might be leaking, depending on its age. Have a look under the engine where the clutch bell-housing joins the engine casing. If you have a drop of watery/oil forming on the little square "foot" thing then scrape some off and have a sniff of it.

If it smells like brake fluid and your reservoir is lower than usual (top it up with DOT4) then it's from the slave cylinder. If it smells like engine oil, then it's probably from the output shaft oil seal. I would invest in a new seal and get it fitted at the same time as the clutch. I think they just push-fit in, so there's no significant extra dismantling... just the flywheel to take off.

£400 - £450 seems a likely price for the whole lot, assuming you buy the parts rather than leaving it to the garage to get whatever their local motor factor can get hold of.


Ralf S.