Bloody typical!! If it's not one sodding thing it's another. I don't need this right now
Just got into the car, foot on clutch and the clutch pedal drops straight to the floor!
Checked the brake fluid reservoir and the puney little thing is empty!
I need help with:
What has caused this?
What do I need to check?
What parts do I need to wack on my credit card?
Is this a on the drive, or garage job?
Bloody typical!! If it's not one sodding thing it's another. I don't need this right now
Just got into the car, foot on clutch and the clutch pedal drops straight to the floor!
Checked the brake fluid reservoir and the puney little thing is empty!
I need help with:
What has caused this?
What do I need to check?
What parts do I need to wack on my credit card?
Is this a on the drive, or garage job?
Aghhhhhh!!!
Thanks in advance.
I dont know if YOU can do this but buy BOTH the slave and the master cylinders, if you dont it will bite your arse in the near future.
Mart.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 3:34 pm
by Contours
More than likely its your slave cylinder that's failed and you will find your clutch fluid under the gearbox. Very doable job like a lot of others on an e30. On my car though I have a separate reservoir for both clutch and brake fluid. Obviously not on yours.
Bloody typical!! If it's not one sodding thing it's another. I don't need this right now
Just got into the car, foot on clutch and the clutch pedal drops straight to the floor!
Checked the brake fluid reservoir and the puney little thing is empty!
I need help with:
What has caused this?
What do I need to check?
What parts do I need to wack on my credit card?
Is this a on the drive, or garage job?
Aghhhhhh!!!
Thanks in advance.
I dont know if YOU can do this but buy BOTH the slave and the master cylinders, if you dont it will bite your arse in the near future.
More than likely its your slave cylinder that's failed and you will find your clutch fluid under the gearbox. Very doable job like a lot of others on an e30. On my car though I have a separate reservoir for both clutch and brake fluid. Obviously not on yours.
I've just looked under and can see fluid under the front of the gear box housing.
How about bleeding the system?
Is this easy?
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:24 pm
by Speedtouch
Sounds like the slave cylinder has developed a leak. Yes, you could try bleeding it, and you may get lucky and be OK for a while.
Bleeding is fairly straightforward - pretty similar to doing a single brake caliper/drum bleed. Even easier if you use a Gunsons Eesibleed or similar.
Okay, so far......
BnB components, slave and master cylinder for £45
There's a wiki page for replacing the slave cylinder, which seems straight forward...ish.
But not one for the master cylinder, which is the behind the pedal....any advice?
Posted my post before seeing this!
Going to replace slave and master cylinder
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:44 pm
by Contours
Master cylinder is more difficult as you have to contort yourself in under the pedal to remove the bolts--better taking out the drivers seat. You don't necessarily have to do both at the same time although it's recommended. You have an immediate slave cylinder problem and your master cylinder may well last for years yet. Here is a YouTube video on the master cylinder--poor camera work but can be followed.
Master cylinder is more difficult as you have to contort yourself in under the pedal to remove the bolts--better taking out the drivers seat. You don't necessarily have to do both at the same time although it's recommended. You have an immediate slave cylinder problem and your master cylinder may well last for years yet. Here is a YouTube video on the master cylinder--poor camera work but can be followed.
Good stuff, thanks.
Going to both as the reservoir is totally empty. And peace of mind too.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 6:53 pm
by steve_k
no need to take the drivers seat out, just push it right back,
also make sure you have a selection of extensions & deep sockets to hand,
& be prepared for a fight with the little plastic elbow that goes into the master from the hose from fluid reservoir as they can get very stuck.
no need to take the drivers seat out, just push it right back,
also make sure you have a selection of extensions & deep sockets to hand,
& be prepared for a fight with the little plastic elbow that goes into the master from the hose from fluid reservoir as they can get very stuck.
no need to take the drivers seat out, just push it right back,
also make sure you have a selection of extensions & deep sockets to hand,
& be prepared for a fight with the little plastic elbow that goes into the master from the hose from fluid reservoir as they can get very stuck.
Thanks. Not looking forward to this job
it's easy enough, just take your time, if you feel yourself getting wound up, step back, have a brew/beer/fag/joint etc then go back to it.
no need to take the drivers seat out, just push it right back,
also make sure you have a selection of extensions & deep sockets to hand,
& be prepared for a fight with the little plastic elbow that goes into the master from the hose from fluid reservoir as they can get very stuck.
Thanks. Not looking forward to this job
it's easy enough, just take your time, if you feel yourself getting wound up, step back, have a brew/beer/fag/joint etc then go back to it.
maybe all 4! Thanks for the tip. I did the front ARB, lollypop and drop links last week, so hopefully this should be okay!?
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:37 pm
by steve_k
if you did them then this is going to be a step up, i see it as each job on any car is a school day.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:47 pm
by Foe
Indeed and thanks for the support
Just thinking out loud.
As the reservoir for the clutch is shared with the brakes, do I also have to bleed the clutch first then brakes?
As the reservoir was totally emptied, due to the leak.
Just thinking out loud.
As the reservoir for the clutch is shared with the brakes, do I also have to bleed the clutch first then brakes?
As the reservoir was totally emptied, due to the leak.
Ta
no worries, as for the shared reservoir? i have no idea as i've never dealt with a shared system sorry.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:58 pm
by Foe
Ah no problem, thanks though.
I'll dig about the internet or wait for someone to come along and advise........ please.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:50 am
by stones
Your car should have a separate clutch reservoir so you shouldn't need to worry about the brakes.
Clutch reservoir is near the battery and can be seen in your last pic in your members' E30s thread and the brake fluid is near the fuse box. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=278004&p=2956127#p2956127
HTH
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 12:11 pm
by biffer
I am another person that has got away with just changing the slave-cyl. ,and not the trickier master one.
I did this several years ago,but i made sure the old fluid was got rid of- am guessing it is manky old fluid sat in there for years that eventually does for the cylinder-internals.
I changde the fluid again soon after doing the job as residual muck still in the system dis-coloured the new fluid.
Your car should have a separate clutch reservoir so you shouldn't need to worry about the brakes.
Clutch reservoir is near the battery and can be seen in your last pic in your members' E30s thread and the brake fluid is near the fuse box. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=278004&p=2956127#p2956127
HTH
Aghhhhhh yes!! Thank you.
I got myself in muddle and got it in my head, that small reservoir was the brake and not the clutch
I am another person that has got away with just changing the slave-cyl. ,and not the trickier master one.
I did this several years ago,but i made sure the old fluid was got rid of- am guessing it is manky old fluid sat in there for years that eventually does for the cylinder-internals.
I changde the fluid again soon after doing the job as residual muck still in the system dis-coloured the new fluid.
I was thinking just changing the slave, but on advice on here, I just don't want to risk it, especially with my current run of luck!
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 3:43 pm
by Moz
I had the same thing recently, turned out to be the clutch slave cylinder but I replaced it and the master as well. I found the cap on the resevoir was also cracked, which may have allowed moisture to be sucked in causing the issue in the first palce so ordered a new one from Cotswolds as a precaution £7 if I recall. I got the parts off autodoc, both Brembo parts and a hose for it too as it was looking worse for wear. 1990 318i with an M40. My very average mechanic did the job, I would have tackled it if I had the time. My brother in law only did the slave and his master failed a few days later, I didn't think it was worth the risk.
I had the same thing recently, turned out to be the clutch slave cylinder but I replaced it and the master as well. I found the cap on the resevoir was also cracked, which may have allowed moisture to be sucked in causing the issue in the first palce so ordered a new one from Cotswolds as a precaution £7 if I recall. I got the parts off autodoc, both Brembo parts and a hose for it too as it was looking worse for wear. 1990 318i with an M40. My very average mechanic did the job, I would have tackled it if I had the time. My brother in law only did the slave and his master failed a few days later, I didn't think it was worth the risk.
Thanks
Absolutely agree! That's why I'm going to replace slave, master, reservoir and the rubber hose from reservoir to master cylinder
I have a half day tomorrow, so will make a start then.
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:23 pm
by paultv
I'm doing exactly the same, but I need another day on replacing the timing gear, cambelt, valve clearances and all that jazz, jus a major service after covering 23000km in 15 months! and trying to get rid of my squeeeeeky belt train issues.
So, I'm going to be tapping you up for valuable experience - as I've never done a clutch master cylinder change -
Did you get a new plastic elbow which plugs into the master then connects to the rubber hose? Knowing my luck it would break or crack or something, so I got one.
Paul
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:33 pm
by Moz
Good point about that elbow, John at Cotswolds was nice enough to remind me about that as it is a one time use sort of part!
I'm doing exactly the same, but I need another day on replacing the timing gear, cambelt, valve clearances and all that jazz, jus a major service after covering 23000km in 15 months! and trying to get rid of my squeeeeeky belt train issues.
So, I'm going to be tapping you up for valuable experience - as I've never done a clutch master cylinder change -
Did you get a new plastic elbow which plugs into the master then connects to the rubber hose? Knowing my luck it would break or crack or something, so I got one.
Paul
No problems Paul, and will be happy to help, with any guidance
I'm now going to order that elbow part!
Glad you mentioned it.
Good point about that elbow, John at Cotswolds was nice enough to remind me about that as it is a one time use sort of part!
Thanks
Good point. What condition was yours in Moz, when it was done?
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 1:24 pm
by Moz
Hi Foe
If you're asking about the elbow, it was not in the worst shape. The slave cylinder on the other hand was shot, the pedal was down to the metal when changing gears and the bite was practically instantaneous. It went from being ok to undriveable in the space of about 300 miles. The tinhg with the elbow is that it degrades over time due to being rubber so can be another source of moisture to cause clutch failure down the line.
Thanks
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:56 pm
by Foe
So slave cylinder out, new one in..... However there's a gap between the cylinder and where it attaches to the gearbox, pic below.
Should there be a gap???
You can just see the silver rod between the gap!
Re: Clutch pedal, no resistance!
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 4:18 pm
by Moz
I never saw it under the car so can't confirm. Did the new part match up to the old one?
maybe all 4! Thanks for the tip. I did the front ARB, lollypop and drop links last week, so hopefully this should be okay!?
