*Resolved* Clutch not fully disengaging

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:42 pm

Okay, so the story behind this is that around 6 months ago I bled the clutch system on my 320.

After a lot of messing around I ended up managing to get it bled. I noticed at the time that the biting point was basically on the floor, as soon as you even THOUGHT about lifting your foot the clutch was engaged.

It worked perfectly fine,since bleeding the car has not been driven regularly but it has been driven hard on multiple occasions and there were never any issues.

Yesterday I went to move the car and noticed it would not go into gear whilst running (it shifts perfectly when the engine is not running)

I ended up starting it in gear with the clutch depressed and the car would slowly pull away. I could hold the car on the footbrake and the revs were not affected so I believe the clutch is only JUST still engaged with the pedal depressed, but engaged nonetheless.

there are no visible leaks, and the level of fluid in the resovoir has not dropped.

Before I go and mess around trying to bleed the damn thing again, is it likely i have a bad slave/master?

apologies for the wall of text, hopefully I have properly articulated the situation.

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:48 pm

Perhaps your clutch release bearing is worn out, i.e., down to the metal.

If the hydraulic system is properly bled, then it should work OK; get someone to operate the pedal while you observe underneath the car to see if the slave cylinder is working in and out over a sufficient length of travel.

You could also try adjusting the pedal - there's an eccentric bush that can be turned to adjust the pedal height.

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:51 pm

A new master and slave will do the trick inexpensive and easy to do

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:53 pm

Speedtouch wrote: You could also try adjusting the pedal - there's an eccentric bush that can be turned to adjust the pedal height.

but that won't be down to wear and tear so why adjust it ?

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 4:09 pm

I put a new release bearing on around the same time as bleeding it originally so I can't imagine it's an issue with that. Going to order new slave and master, had thought that one or both may be the culprit!
Cheers for the help

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:07 pm

e30topless wrote:
Speedtouch wrote: You could also try adjusting the pedal - there's an eccentric bush that can be turned to adjust the pedal height.
but that won't be down to wear and tear so why adjust it ?

I was just suggesting a way around the problem.

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:17 pm

Not at all sure this is a hydraulic problem. If it was, I'd expect that when you've engaged first gear, and the car starts to creep, after several seconds more the drive would get more 'solid' as the clutch gradually engaged itself, and the car would become impossible to stop without stalling.
If this doesn't happen, it could well be worn parts inside the bell housing.

Post Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:54 pm

You may well be right Brian,
but for the price of a slave and master which are probably toast anyway it's a great place to start !

Post Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:14 am

Tom_e30 wrote:I put a new release bearing on around the same time as bleeding it originally so I can't imagine it's an issue with that. Going to order new slave and master, had thought that one or both may be the culprit!
Cheers for the help

You renewed just the release bearing, and not the whole clutch?
Did you check the clutch while it was apart?

Post Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:16 am

e30topless wrote:You may well be right Brian,
but for the price of a slave and master which are probably toast anyway it's a great place to start !

Won't hurt to replace them, and will probably improve things at a minimum, but it'll only be a temporary reprieve if the clutch parts are that bad.

Post Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:54 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
Tom_e30 wrote:I put a new release bearing on around the same time as bleeding it originally so I can't imagine it's an issue with that. Going to order new slave and master, had thought that one or both may be the culprit!
Cheers for the help
You renewed just the release bearing, and not the whole clutch?
Did you check the clutch while it was apart?

Yeah, bought an engine that had a clutch installed, in the interest of time I didn't check but I new that it was all working fine in the car it came out of.

Was hoping it wouldn't come back to bite me on the ass haha. Anyway I have a new clutch and master now, will see if that does the trick, if not i will just have to pull the gearbox and have a look I suppose!

Thanks again

Post Sat Jan 03, 2015 5:54 pm

This thing bit my arse when I built my kit-car along time ago. I searched and replaced the clutch , bearing , plate the whole bundle and still the same.

Until............. I replaced the spigot bearing

£1.00 plus vat !!!

Have a think about what could happen if this was not as it should be, the input shaft would move up and down only a small amount but how much would the clutch plate move 75-80mm away??
More than enough to interfere and make you think the only obvious parts of the clutch assembly are gone.

Just a thought.

Do you know for definite if this bearing OK ??

Mart.

Post Sun Jan 04, 2015 6:36 pm

Did the master and slave today and it slides into gear nicely again

Thanks all for the input

Post Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:23 pm

Always good to hear "fixed" after a car issue ....