Clutch slipping advice

[Distortion]

So the disco must have figured out that it was due to go.

Over the passed week the clutch seems to have nearly failed completely with very little driving which seemed odd to me as I would have thought a slipping clutch would be more gradual

it seems to slip quite badly in all gears and theres a bit of a throbbing sensation through the pedal when depressed. it also feels like the clutch isn't disengaging till the pedal is almost on the floor

I Put the transfercase in neutral and found I was easily able to shift gears through 1st 2nd and 3 without touching the clutch at all.

It looks like the clutch fluid is at the min line but I haven't had a chance to top it up.


Can anyone think of something simple that would cause the above before I jump to getting a mechanic to replace a clutch.

I'm wondering if this could be caused by the clutch pedal adjustment or the fluid needing to be topped up and bled(I would think this would just make it hard to disengage not cause slipping )


Oh and I haven't been driving it I lent it to a house mate while is race car toy was in the shop, I wonder if he's been driving an old disco like that =(

[jboot51]

Doesn't sound too good.
Suggest making sure there is free play on the adjuster in the pedal box and then put new fluid through it.
If there is no free play the master cylinder doesn't release the pressure fully, akin to driving with your foot on the clutch.

Best of luck.

[zealand]

What Engine are we talking about
As jboot51 said check free play on the adjuster in the pedal box and then put new fluid through it
Is there any [or a lot] of oil around the Gearbox bell housing,
Are you putting more oil in the engine and Box than you used to ?
It seems to me by what you written that either the rear main oil seal on the engine or the front input seal on the box could be the cause of all your symptoms,
Once the Clutch is oil impregnated it will give the pedal a strange feeling and sometimes a bad noise as well, And of course it will slip like a son of :B:
How long has it been since the slave Cylinder was replaced.
Good luck ;)

[roverrescue]

From you sig Im guessing this is the 98 tdi disco

This is your answer "It looks like the clutch fluid is at the min line but I haven't had a chance to top it up. "

Clutch fluid does not evaporate. You have a leak. Either master or slave. With fluid level at the min level, insufficient hydraulic pressure to release clutch to change gears. Throbbing feeling due to drag on an insufficiently released clutch.


The only issue is this bit "it seems to slip quite badly in all gears"
How is it slipping in all gears? As in revs go up in high load situations, when normally the engine bog down? That kinda slipping?

You could also have a fork/ release bearing issue.

Check for leaks down the master and in the bell housing as you first port of call.

S

[bee utey]

The diagnostic is the sudden onset of slipping and disengagement near the floor. It sounds like the diaphragm spring in the clutch pressure plate has broken. I've felt that often enough on other cars. New clutch kit time.

[theborderdog]

A couple of things I learnt early on in life never lend your mate's your car......or your Mrs!!!!

[Distortion]

thanks for the replies guys, It's the 98tdi

the little experies i've had with slipping clutchs is you'll see the revs rise faster than the speed in 4th or 5th

at this point change into second and the revs will go to 2.5k before the speed moves 5 kph

What bee utey suggested sounds like the most likely culprit at this point

Regarding the rear main, while it's leaking plenty of oil the drain hole onthe bottem of the bell housing seems dry so I think it's coming out of the sump gasket which it's been doing for years

[roverrescue]

You can fix the rear main whilts putting a clutch through

By sounds it definitiely is lsipping which as suspected points more to internals than hydraulics.

You can pull the slave easily enough and essentially inspect the push rod and check for punch through?

Otherwise its yank the negine or drop the gearbag

S