Technical Couple of questions from new 100hp owner

[GaryJ79]

Hey guys, just bought a 2007 100HP yesterday for £1300. Only 84k on it. When I bought it the guy said the clutch sometimes sticks to the floor but pops back up with a little kick or with toe underneath. Anyway when driving home about 20 miles it never stuck once but when I got to my town centre it got really bad. I left it an hour when I got home and then went for another 20 mile drive and it stuck a little the whole way and again got quite bad towards the end of the run. I opened the clutch fluid reservoir and the fluid was pretty manky with thick whiteish stuff in it. I drained the reservoir and cleaned it out with a paper towel and filled with fresh Dot3. Have took a few more 20ish mile trips since and thankfully it hasn't stuck once since. Do you guys think this was the problem?? Also it last had a timing belt change 40k miles ago but this was back in 2016. Should I get it booked in for a change ASAP?? Other than the clutch issue I'm very impressed with the wee car. I had a wee Citroen C2 VTS a few years back and it reminds me of it and I loved that wee car. Was a little quicker than the panda but the same amount of fun! Any advice massively appreciated!!

 

[koalar]

Almost certainly

I done 3
Someone else has done 2

She'd loads on the ford Ka forums also

Never need to change any other parts yet.

I normally double check first by spaying some silicon grease and seeing if it improves

 

[koalar]

Cam belt

Yes need doing

 

[GaryJ79]

Thanks for the reply buddy. Do you mean you think thr clutch fluid WAS the issue or do you reckon that the bad fluid is the result of a bad cylinder? Gonna call the mechanic on Monday about the cam belt and will get him to take a look. Might have a craic at doing it myself, doesn't seem too difficult. Managed to get £400 knocked off the cars asking price due to the belt and the clutch issue. Feel like I got a pretty good deal all in all. I live in Northern Ireland too and I read somewhere that there is only around 50 100hp variants in the whole country. Nice to have something ya don't see on the road very often.

 

[koalar]

More than likely just the slave cylinder is sticking

They are often intermittent and random

 

[DaveMcT]

Pedal sticking down "could" be the slave, but its pushed back by the clutch which has a very heavy spring. If the slave was sticking, you'd have the clutch slipping.

It's more likely to have worn seals in the master that are sucking in air on the upstroke. Bleed the system. If it stays good - happy days. If it returns - replace both cylinders. Shop around carefully and you'll get them both for around £100. Keep the original pipe, the cylinders just plug in. Use a bean can and cotton rag to catch the line fluid at the slave end. You will need a suitable soft tube for bleeding. Do no more than five pedal pumps to avoid the reservoir sucking air.

 

[koalar]

Pedal sticking down "could" be the slave, but its pushed back by the clutch which has a very heavy spring. If the slave was sticking, you'd have the clutch slipping.

It's more likely to have worn seals in the master that are sucking in air on the upstroke. Bleed the system. If it stays good - happy days. If it returns - replace both cylinders. Shop around carefully and you'll get them both for around £100. Keep the original pipe, the cylinders just plug in. Use a bean can and cotton rag to catch the line fluid at the slave end. You will need a suitable soft tube for bleeding. Do no more than five pedal pumps to avoid the reservoir sucking air.

It's a common problem with this slave cylinder that effects multi cars

Later punto
Ford Ka mk2
Panda
500

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-ii/307431-clutch-pedal-sticking-squeaking.html?p=3147260
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/337287-clutch-pedal-sticking-definative-answer.html?p=3355459
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/337287-clutch-pedal-sticking-definative-answer.html?p=3356043
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/337287-clutch-pedal-sticking-definative-answer.html?p=4357488


Just a hand full of examples

Google picks up shed loads more fixed by just changing the slave

And she'd loads more on the ford forums

And a few people that changed both master and the slave.

Confirm it as I explained earlier (there will always be an odd exeption)

Change it as per video I posted earlier

10 minutes and your back to 100%

 

[GaryJ79]

Hey guys really appreciate all the feedback. Had a look at the slave and it is pretty gunky with white stuff, however, bleeding and adding new fluid seems to have fixed it for now. Hasn't stuck once in over 100 miles with a lot of town driving. I am calling my mechanic tomorrow to schedule a timing belt change and will get him to take a look at it. For now my first priority is the cam belt change (and water pump) as it is well overdue. From what I read online it seems like a very quick job as far as cam belts go. Apparently an hour and a half to two hours labour so can't see it being too expensive. Might get him to do the slave cylinder aswell if costs are cheapish but may well do it myself. Will also look to fit new discs and pads soon but there's no huge rush on them and it's a job I have done a couple of times before so only parts needed. Think that should be me happy once all those jobs are done. Thanks again guys!

 

[DaveMcT]

For the additional £60, replace the master as well. That's the true cause of pedal sticking down. Squeak is the pedal bushes or the clutch lever bushes in the clutch bell-housing.

 

[GaryJ79]

Hey everybody, still loving the wee Panda but not got fixing anything just yet. Just got a new slave cylinder delivered yesterday from carparts4less. First time using them and not impressed. Took over a week and they still haven't sent me my brake fluid but thankfully I have a few local places I can go grab a litre.
Still not managed to get the timing belt done, one guy quoted me £350 ffs. I have another mechanic who I would generally use coming back to me with a quote on Monday. Surely it being no more than a 2 hour job and the kits being reasonable I shouldn't be paying much more then £250?? Much you guys been paying in general?

 

[GaryJ79]

I live in a small town in Northern Ireland and very few if any mechanics get £75 an hour labour costs here. It's more like £45-50 here if that.

 

[koalar]

I live in a small town in Northern Ireland and very few if any mechanics get £75 an hour labour costs here. It's more like £45-50 here if that.

The book time is 1 hour 45 mins

Which is very fair

It should be done well under that.

But gives a bit of headroom for any problems or warrenty problems

SKF timing belt kit including water pump retail between £50-60 less to the trade

 

[GaryJ79]

I live in a small town in Northern Ireland and very few if any mechanics get £75 an hour labour costs here. It's more like £45-50 here if that

The book time is 1 hour 45 mins

Which is very fair

It should be done well under that.

But gives a bit of headroom for any problems or warrenty problems

SKF timing belt kit including water pump retail between £50-60 less to the trade

You think £350 is a fair price or my thoughts of £250??

 

[koalar]

I live in a small town in Northern Ireland and very few if any mechanics get £75 an hour labour costs here. It's more like £45-50 here if that

You think £350 is a fair price or my thoughts of £250??

10 years ago though

Someone found a independant online (hampshire) that will do cambelt for £160 plus VAT

But it does depend where you live. For example I can get tyres far cheaper in Manchester than Crewe, more competition.

 

[GaryJ79]

Yeah dude I just thought £350 was a lot and he couldn't do it until the 27th May and that was when I called him on Monday. I checked on Click Mechanic and was quoted £227 with a 10% off May deal. I really don't want to overpay but don't want my car F'd either as it is 7 years old but only 40K ISH on it. It was owned by a woman in her late 60s, early 70s for the last 9 years which I find funny. I did an online check on it and the private sale valuation was £3709. Crazy as I managed to get it for £1400. Hadn't even considered a Panda until I seen the 100hp version. Since I've noticed how well they hold their value. Haven't really ripped it too much as the timing belt is scaring me, boo.

Off topic but it covered the black parts in between the windows with a carbon fibre look wrap it for 4-5 quid it looks well nice and defs not tacky. Fancy getting two new fogs as the originals are a bit manky looking. I'd say £40 should do it and 20 minutes of my time.

Cheers for the feedback BTW mate!!

 

[GaryJ79]

The belts 7 years old with 40k on it. The car is 07 with just over 86k.

Brakes (discs/pads) could do with a change but all the parts are pretty prices for it! Least I can do it myself thankfully lol.

 

[GaryJ79]

Ooh BTW, was going to change the slave cylinder today but the how to video I watched the guy used silicone grease in the cylinder rod but the car part shops were shut today by the time I got there. Do I really need this or could I change it tomorrow and add the silicone grease on Monday as I can still get at it OK without removing anything. Thoughts??

 

[koalar]

Ooh BTW, was going to change the slave cylinder today but the how to video I watched the guy used silicone grease in the cylinder rod but the car part shops were shut today by the time I got there. Do I really need this or could I change it tomorrow and add the silicone grease on Monday as I can still get at it OK without removing anything. Thoughts??

It's not important

 

[DaveMcT]

Grease on the push rod just invites dirt getting dragged past the dust seal.

Remove battery and its box. The cable conduits are a pain.
Unbolt the old slave cylinder.
Fit the new slave. Align the push rod and flip off the retaining clips. Avoid cutting as you might need them another time.
Remove the new hydraulic pipe and put away for safe keeping (take care with the split pin retainer they fly and vanish).
Use rag to catch drips and pull the hydraulic pipe split pin from the old cylinder. Pull the pipe and plug it into the new cylinder. Finally, refit the retainer pin.
Bleed the system.
Clean up any drips and replace the battery.

When done, get ready to replace the master as well.

 

[GaryJ79]

Hey mate, didn't bother with and extra lubrication and bled a load of terrible looking fluid after following all steps which I pretty much got on point. The clutch feels much more responsive and I feel it has overall improved the gear changes. Not gonna get too cocky just yet but everything felt great in the 10 mile test run. Plenty of times I felt a slight delay when lifting off but it feels great now. I'm far from a mechanic but I've done a service, brake change front and back discs included and now I've changed a slave cylinder. The Internet is ****ing awesome lol.