Technical Clutch Master Cylinder for diesel, source and fitting qs

[Paulln]

My Panda has a leak at the chassis connector. I changed the slave cylinder and pipe. Cut the pipe down to the nearest straight parts and spliced in a new piece of pipe.

I first used the metal compression connectors (the ones advertised on ebay for the 500/Panda/Ka) but I couldn't get them to stop leaking.

I then swapped to the plastic connectors (also on ebay for the 500/Panda/Ka). Good for 20 miles then the connector itself burst.

I'm now looking to change the master so I get a new pipe but it seems £££, like £350+. Febi, Sachs and LUK don't make them. Remember this is a DIESEL car not a petrol! Anyone know of any cheaper sources?

Also it looks really difficult to fit, buried under various bits under the bonnet. Any pro tips for fitment on a diesel?

 

[irc]

I have used the plastic connectors as a temporary* fix on a few occasions without problems. Is it possible your clutch is near end of life, and requires more pressure to push the pedal? I have noticed that probably more than half of the leaking slave cylinders I have come across were on cars with knackered clutches, which probably caused the leak.

(*By temporary, I mean somewhere between "get you home" and "waiting for the part to ship from EU supplier coz there's none in the UK", but probably never more than two or three weeks, but still completely fluid-tight when replaced)

As for cheaper, I've been struggling to find ANY with pipe included over the last 6 months or so, although I'm told things are improving.

 

[DaveMcT]

You can get a bare master cylinder for about £60. I’ve not found a source for replacement seals. See if you can get the pipes from a scrappers.

The Fiat prices for pipe and cylinder pre-filled with fluid are stupid money.

Talk to someone like HEL for replacement pipes. They make braided hoses but must know where to obtain clutch hydraulic pipes.

Edit eBay item 235595565748 looks suitable. But you will need the slave side of the QD coupler.

 

[Paulln]

Thanks for the eBay link, that's actually for a petrol one, the pipework is different on the diesels. No local scrapyards with diesels in sadly! I used one of the online scrap services but that expired last week with no replies.

 

[Terry899]

Thanks for the eBay link, that's actually for a petrol one, the pipework is different on the diesels. No local scrapyards with diesels in sadly! I used one of the online scrap services but that expired last week with no replies.

I used RRR.LT scrap yard link I found on the Internet and found the part I was looking for second hand. It's a Lithuanian website and seems to be connected to yards all over Europe. Hopefully they can help you

 

[koalar]

There's no need to touch the quick connector, waste of time unless it's already leaking






However it's now what it's is and need dealing with


The chassis rails and mechanics are the same as the 500


There's a few extra bits of strengthening on the 500, if they don't get in the way I suspect they should fit, but it's not something I have tried


There's on on eBay at £85 for the 1.3

Maybe you can compare

 

[Paulln]

Sadly that video shows it as a lot lot easier than it is on the diesel. The later diesels have a hard steel intercooler pipe which runs tight across the bolts for the slave cylinder. I eventually managed to get 2 of the 3 bolts holding the pipe on the back of the engine out to slightly tip the pipe out the way. Nightmare.

Mine had failed at the chassis connector.

Cutting the connector out and you end up too close to the bend at the front of the car for any kind of decent joint. I cut it back both sides to a straight part then spliced in a length of matching pipe.

The rest of the pipework is different on the diesel, I'm not sure if this is too!

 

[Terry899]

Sadly that video shows it as a lot lot easier than it is on the diesel. The later diesels have a hard steel intercooler pipe which runs tight across the bolts for the slave cylinder. I eventually managed to get 2 of the 3 bolts holding the pipe on the back of the engine out to slightly tip the pipe out the way. Nightmare.

Mine had failed at the chassis connector.

Cutting the connector out and you end up too close to the bend at the front of the car for any kind of decent joint. I cut it back both sides to a straight part then spliced in a length of matching pipe.

The rest of the pipework is different on the diesel, I'm not sure if this is too!

Ingenuity is the mother of all invention

 

[DaveMcT]

Diesel and petrol Pandas in RHD all use the same clutch hydraulics. I have a Ford Ka master made from cast metal on my diesel it works just fine. The slave is the original. The pipes are untouched but I expect the QD connector will eventually leak D/T corrosion.

Diesels have the fluid reservoir on a longer tube, but the master is the same as the others.

There are repair kits on eBay for the QD connector. Get one with backing sleeves that support the plastic pipe ends.

This type will do the job. It has compression olives and backing sleeves and its stainless. Ideally use anti seize paste on the threads to prevent the galling but it should not need to be silly tight.

Fiat 500 Panda Ford KA Clutch Slave Master Cylinder Pipe Repair Kit Leak Fix | eBay

Fiat 500 Clutch Repair. Another symptom is a squeaky clutch. The loss of fluid in the slave cylinder can cause the slave to make excess noise. Fiat Panda Hatchback (169) 1.1, 1.2, 1.2 4x4, 1.2 LPG and 1.4 models from 2003 onwards.

www.ebay.co.uk