Clutch Pedal won't Depress

[Devans]

Whilst driving home from work a couple of nights ago, all of the sudden my clutch pedal wouldn't depress at all except for the free play. I managed to get home by rev matching which is always fun…

Anyone have an idea as to what could have happened?? I have a feeling this one might cost me a bit. Into the credit card debt for this I think.

[dromader driver]

[*]possibly punched the clutch pushrod through the clutch actuating arm. drop the two bolts out of the clutch slave and carefully lift away. Inspect with torch.
[*]other option may be run out of clutch fluid in which case top up to full, give it a few pumps and see if it comes back

[chopper]

[*]possibly punched the clutch pushrod through the clutch actuating arm. drop the two bolts out of the clutch slave and carefully lift away. Inspect with torch.
[*]other option may be run out of clutch fluid in which case top up to full, give it a few pumps and see if it comes back

option 1 unfortunately
option 2 would be a soft pedal to the floor.

[weeds]

[*]possibly punched the clutch pushrod through the clutch actuating arm. drop the two bolts out of the clutch slave and carefully lift away. Inspect with torch.
[*]other option may be run out of clutch fluid in which case top up to full, give it a few pumps and see if it comes back

Ummm I have punched the pushrod through the fork twice and on both occasions I could depress the clutch......

Running out of clutch fluid again you can normally depress the clutch

Umm that's about the extent of my clutch experiences.........

[chopper]

What vehicle is it ?
Td5 and V8 disco have solid fork and 300tdi has the crappy stamped light gauge steel one from what I have seen.

[Blknight.aus]

depends on what you value most in terms of DIY repairs.

cash/parts or manhours

if you're really lucky, hyd hose blockage. cost Maybe $75 dollars and about an hours work

if you're not so lucky the piston has tilted and jammed, cost as little as $19 for a trailer master cylinder from Ebay or a really friendly trailer place and about 3-4 hours work (its a pain to get out if you dont have custom tools)

IF you're really out of luck

1. its the pivot ball broken through the slave cylinder is at full extention and not returning thus preventing the MC from having anything to do but try to push the rod through the back of the bell housing,

2. the bearing carrier has collapsed and is achieving the same result

3. the bearing carrier has been previously replaced by one of the after market ally bearing carriers and its siezed itself to the input tube that the carrier slides on.

4. The push rod is bent and wedged itself

End result for all but the bent push rod is the same, Decide if you need to do more maintenance work on the engine or the box, what gear you have available to do the job and pull either the engine or gear box out to replace the damaged bits



Heres how to check. (remember to top up the brake fluid and return the pedal to the up position (I use an occy strap to the steering wheel) before continuing

Check out the hydraulics.

crack the flex line at the SC. if the pedal wont move its up higher, crack it at the union from the pipe to the flex hose, if it still wont move crack it at the MC, if it still wont move its in the MC.

if it moves once you crack the flex hose at the SC.

pull the SC and place it back on the flex hose/pipe put a bit of rod in there and secure it with a short occy strap or have someone push on it for you and try the clutch if the piston moves normally and the pedal moves normally then you have an issue in the bell housing area, If it doesnt replace the SC. and rememebr theres a reason you should change your clutch fluid with your brake fluid

IF you're lucky its a bent rod that twisted out to the bell housing and got jambed up, no, you're not that lucky I've never seen it and only heard of it once from a source I dont trust.

most likely you've punched the ball through the fork. but in any case if you've gotten this far your pulling something big and heavy away from soemthing else big and heavy.

now In theory you could have pushed the push rod through the fork. This can be field repaired by drilling through the ball of the rod and putting a roll pin in place or pushing a washer up onto the ball and welding it on the SC side of the rod.

with a torch inspect the hole where the SC was, reach in there with a bit of 3mm rod and see if you can wiggle the rod end of the fork up and down, Trust me you'll know the sound and the feel of a pushed through fork mount ball.

IF theres no odd movement in the fork then the carrier is siezed,

Best of luck.

[Devans]

It's a 300tdi. I just recently had the slave cylinder replaced as well as the master cylinder (resleave s/s) about a month ago.

I think I'll be getting it on the RAC tow truck because I don't have the tools or the knowledge to pull my engine apart.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll let you know when I find out what it is.

[Devans]

For anyone who ever has this problem, the clutch bearing had imploded on itself and was a real mess.

Got a whole new clutch kit, installed a reinforced clutch fork and machined the fly wheel.

All up cost me $2150.

[chopper]

Ouch , I'll have to start charging more, or did that include the tow.

[dromader driver]

I the wrong business. Kit is $400 list at repco and a day's work.

Ouch