flatbed but lucky

[ted44]

Hello all, well! I don't count myself as being lucky, but today the clutch went at (least that's the problem area) but things could have been a whole lot worse as we were going up the beach at Bribie Island and at the last minute changed our mind! Phew! I'm not sure what the problem is but I can't select a gear, diff lock in out low or high all I can do is grind them occasionally, We were coming up to a roundabout and I disengaged the clutch to select another gear and it came out ok but would not go back in! There's clutch fluid in the master and no sign of any coming out anywhere! Anyone got any clues? How hard by yourself to change a clutch if that's the case?
Thanks ted

[Greyfox]

Hello all, well! I don't count myself as being lucky, but today the clutch went at (least that's the problem area) but things could have been a whole lot worse as we were going up the beach at Bribie Island and at the last minute changed our mind! Phew! I'm not sure what the problem is but I can't select a gear, diff lock in out low or high all I can do is grind them occasionally, We were coming up to a roundabout and I disengaged the clutch to select another gear and it came out ok but would not go back in! There's clutch fluid in the master and no sign of any coming out anywhere! Anyone got any clues? How hard by yourself to change a clutch if that's the case?
Thanks ted

Had the same issue in my TD5 , it was the slave cylinder, replace that and new clutch fluid, best clutch I have ever had. :cool:

[ted44]

I Thought it could be that, but would you not be able to pump the clutch to get some pressure to get it in gear?

[goingbush]

Didnt it occur to you to turn the engine off, put it in gear and start it in gear then off you go - match speeds between gears by pausing in neutral, not hard to drive without a clutch pedal.

[jboot51]

To replace the clutch it is just as easy to remove the engine rather than the box.
you could do it by yourself, but 2 helpers would be better.
A reconditioned exchange flywheel can be sourced from MR Auto
Throwout bearing, spigot bush and HD fork would also be on my list.


A large shed would also be handy, it is a little warm outside.

[ted44]

No didn't think of that although we were in a safe place as I'd managed to coast in to a service station forecourt! So I just tried that and it does engage so what would you think the problem is, Slave?

[blue_mini]

Sounds like the clutch fork if it still holds fluid.
My slave went and the bellhousing filled full of clutch fluid.
That was tricky driving home from Byron at 2am to avoid traffic.

[snowbound]

For goodness sake don't go pulling engines out or anything before eliminating the easy stuff! My slave went recently didn't see a drop of fluid anywhere. Hydraulics can be funny.

[ted44]

That's the way I'm going to go, I've got a new Master & slave I the garage had them for a while, but didn't want to mess with things when they were ok! Thanks for the imput everyone fingers crossed that its one of these, but if not I had planned to change the clutch. So here goes

[ted44]

Hello, anyone know if you have to take the clutch master and pedal box out together, I'm sure I.ve read somewhere that you can leave the pedal box in, just can't remember where I read this?

[Gillie]

Yes, you have to take the pedal box out. 6 bolts from memory. Make sure you but a rubber gasket around it when refitting as it is a source of water entry.

[Bushie]

Don't know which Defender you have but with a 300 & 200 you can get the master out without removing the pedal box, mind you you need to be a bit of a contortionist. (easier with help)


Martyn

[wrinklearthur]

I removed the master cylinder by it's self and left the pedal box alone.

Using a angle grinder I cut the end out of a super cheep ring spanner leaving just enough gap for a firm push to get the spanner over the push rod, this makes the job way easier than trying to use a open ender inside the confines of the pedal box .
.

[ted44]

Thanks for all the advise.
I changed the master and slave and rubber pipe, bled the system with quite a good tool the power bleeder, basically a pressure bleeder did it in 5 min's, the bleeding that is, but to no avail, the peddle feels good but still the same can't get it to engage a gear can select a gear when turned off and then drive so to be honest I'm a bit lost as to what is causing the problem! surely if the clutch plate had gone then I wouldn't be able to drive like that? is it the selector or what??
Cheers ted

[jboot51]

Broken springs on the clutch plate will let you start in gear and drive ok.
Just wont disengage.


What engine and gearbox combination do you have.

[wrinklearthur]

Don't know which Defender you have but with a 300 & 200 you can get the master out without removing the pedal box, mind you you need to be a bit of a contortionist. (easier with help)

Which engine is it in your Defender?
.

[ted44]

1996 300Tdi Defender110.

[jboot51]

If you need to a hand to do the clutch, drop me a pm. Haven't got much to do for the next week.


Sent from my HTC Velocity 4G using AULRO mobile app

[goingbush]

sounds like you need to pull the box out

you might pick up a tip here http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/151426-clutch-removal-300-tdi-defender.html

[wrinklearthur]

1996 300Tdi Defender110.

Check out Ranga's thread on his clutch failure.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/177064-urgent-mechanic-needed-near-bega.html

To be on the safe side give the input shaft of the gearbox a wiggle as well, pull it back and forwards to check for any end float and move it from side to side and you should find the shaft shouldn't move at all, apart from being able to spin freely in neutral.
.

[ted44]

Well another day another day of head scratching, Anyone have drama like this and how did you overcome it? not sure I want to attempt taking the gear box out myself, not sure I'm up for it, also don't have an engine hoist, and buying one for this job or putting money in to let the experts at MR Autos do it is a bit of a conundrum, the manual says a lot of clutches have problems after being installed by amateurs, how hard to set it up correctly, or A1.
Cheers ted

[jboot51]

There is no real setup as such.
The normal align the clutch plate so the input shaft goes in and adjusting the clutch pedal itself to ensure freeplay.
I've used both methods, box out/motor out.


Removing the box seems easier, but is extremely heavy and awkward, especially in such a confined space.


Engine removal is a little more work, but easier on the human body.


Where abouts in Brisbane are you ?

[wrinklearthur]

If I was forced into a road side repair of the clutch, I wouldn't pull the engine.
It's easier by yourself to remove the gearbox, assuming you have a decent set of tools.
Start by dropping the prop shafts, take the handbrake drum off, undo the four bolts holding the baking plate and swing aside tying it out of the way.

Because of the weight of the combined gearbox and transfer box, it's best to separate the two first, needed is a couple of sockets, 300mm extension bar and handle. There are six fittings to undo around the transfer box and it helps if you make yourself a couple of guides to slide the box back on as this saves the transfer box seal edges, get a couple of long metric bolts with the same thread as the fittings, and after cutting the heads off, put a couple of hacksaw cuts in the end of the shaft wide enough to fit a screwdriver blade into.

The gear box comes out and goes in easier if there are guides made for that also, pull up just enough of the floor to get to the top flywheel housing bolts and undo the gearstick's out of the way, the two clutch slave cylinder bolts can be undone and the slave cylinder can be tied across out of the way.

Two people can then lift the separated parts out and back in again with out too much trouble. It helps if you give your self a bit of room by jacking up the wheels and sitting the vehicle on something sturdy like a couple of sets of heavy duty car ramps, or run the vehicle over a pit or storm water drain.
Don't ever work under a car if it isn't stable.

Let us know if this is the way you go and after getting the gear box out of the way there are a couple of things to look out for.
.

[ted44]

thanks for advise I'm in Redcliffe not far from MR Autos, just been down there and booked the Defender in to have the clutch renewed.

[weeds]

thanks for advise I'm in Redcliffe not far from MR Autos, just been down there and booked the Defender in to have the clutch renewed.

I have had the fork fail twice.....make sure MR out a heavy duty fork in, they convince me not too first time round