dodgy clutch wants to drive on itself

Post Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:28 pm

can anyone help me im having trouble with the clutch on my 325 cab, when i got my foot on the clutch waiting in traffic after a few seconds the clutch will start biteing even though its on the floor making the car dangerous to drive cos its sending me into the back of the car in front

so i have to keep my foot on the brake until it stalls.There is no fluid loss so i was thinking it must be needing a new slave cylinder but i dont want to book it in and get ripped off so any help will be much appreciated thanx rik.

Post Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:53 pm

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that sounds like 'clutch drag'.
Not very good!
Happens when the friction faces can't fully separate.
Can be caused by:
Internal fluid leak in master or slave cylinder (leaking past the seals in a worn cylinder bore), (best case, as no need to take clutch out!)

Bent clutch lever arm

Oil contamination on friction surfaces (sticking parts together)

Buckled friction plate

Friction plate seized on input shaft splines

Partially seized spigot bearing.

Post Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:55 pm

mine did the same as you describe, It was the seal in the master cylinder

HTH

john

Post Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:14 pm

does the clutch pedal feel spoungie sometimes and is it difficult to change gear sometimes to, i had the same symptons as you and it was the master cylinder, master cylinder 23 quid gsf and 35 to get fitted in garage had mine done last week,

Post Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:24 pm

in my experience, it's likely to be the clutch slave cylinder. are you losing fluid?

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:56 am

would second that its one of the cylinders, slave or master, the symptoms drift boy mentions would (might) be there all the time, as he says its only when sat with the clutch in after time the clutch starts to bite, classic symptoms of fliud leaking past one of the cylinder seals.

mrlee

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:20 am

i thought as much thanx for your help guys sounds like bit of a common problem

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:44 am

rikster this happened to me and it is a very common prob.
easy job to fix,a bit fiddly but thats always the case.

the slave cylinder normally goes first (located on the passenger side of the gear box) so get a new part (dont mess around with seconed hand cause the seals are too important) and change that.

the main problem is because the new seals on the slave cylinder will be so much stronger than the old master cylinder........the master cylinder will fail within a week.

happened to me and found out its a common prob.

so dont waste time having the car off the road twice and get them both done. or it may be best to do the slave check it works and then change the master?

bassically to save you bleeding the system twice, change both at once. (master cylinder is located in the front foot well).

parts are cheap.Ã‚£40-Ã‚£50 in total.

hope that wasnt waffle and will help.

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:48 am

Common problem with these and bloody annoying. I would second what Ric has said get both cylinders done at once.

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:00 am

ric325i wrote:rikster this happened to me and it is a very common prob.
easy job to fix,a bit fiddly but thats always the case.

the slave cylinder normally goes first (located on the passenger side of the gear box) so get a new part (dont mess around with seconed hand cause the seals are too important) and change that.

the main problem is because the new seals on the slave cylinder will be so much stronger than the old master cylinder........the master cylinder will fail within a week.

happened to me and found out its a common prob.

so dont waste time having the car off the road twice and get them both done. or it may be best to do the slave check it works and then change the master?

bassically to save you bleeding the system twice, change both at once. (master cylinder is located in the front foot well).

parts are cheap.Ã‚£40-Ã‚£50 in total.

hope that wasnt waffle and will help.

Ditto! I was lucky in that the garage didnt charge me an arm and a leg cos i had the slave done one week and the master about 10 days later!

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:19 am

ive got some of these symptoms are the slave and master cylinders easy to change

Post Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:40 pm

Hi rikster, I had the same prob with ma 335 and it turned out to be the hydraulic hose that attaches to the slave cylinder. Heat and pressure weaken hose through time and this causes it to swell or stretch.
Good luck

Post Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:33 pm

i have this exact problem and have had it since i bought the car but have sorta got used to it

i asked garages and specialists and all they said is could be master could be slave but no1 was willing to say so never got it done.

i might just replace both now

will be wierd to drive it and not having to ram it into nuetral so i can lift the clutch right back up again