Thread: weird feeling clutch

Originally Posted by Ace

Got in the car this morning and the clutch doesnt feel right. It comes back to the top and sits where it normally does but when you put your foot on it to change gears it travels freely for about 50mm until it bites and you change gears. The gear changes are as smooth as before with no crunching or anything like that, is this just a buggered cable?

Which car are you talking about? - Landrovers don't have cables - not any I know of anyway.

On a Landrover it is most likely a problem with the hydraulics (master or slave cylinder), but could be with the mechanical bit - some Defenders seem to have a habit of wearing through the pivot point on the fork, for example.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Which car are you talking about? - Landrovers don't have cables - not any I know of anyway.

On a Landrover it is most likely a problem with the hydraulics (master or slave cylinder), but could be with the mechanical bit - some Defenders seem to have a habit of wearing through the pivot point on the fork, for example.

John

Sorry JD, its the disco and i forgot that they are hydraulic, so where should i be looking first?

Originally Posted by Ace

Sorry JD, its the disco and i forgot that they are hydraulic, so where should i be looking first?

First check whether the fluid is low - if it is, just topping it up is likely to fix it, especially if you bleed it as well (not necessary if its the master cylinder although it will take a bit of use to get rid of the air without bleeding), but this will only be a temporary fix. You need to find out where the fluid is going - if it is the slave cylinder, remove the wading plug if fitted and it will come out there (be dripping out if no plug), diagnose brake fluid by smell. If it is the master cylinder, it will be running down the pedal, although it may not be there yet if it has only just started.

If the fluid is not low, diagnosis is more difficult, although the master cylinder can be faulty without leaking - bleeding the system will usually fix it in this case, and shows it is a hydraulic fault, almost certainly the master cylinder, and again, bleeding it will only be a temporary fix. Also, less likely but check the pipe, hose, and fittings for a leak. If the fluid is not low, and bleeding does not change it, it just about has to be something mechanical. If you are lucky it will be the adjustment on the master cylinder pushrod come loose, otherwise it is probably the release fork - and I am afraid that is a gearbox out job!

But the probability is very high that it is a hydraulic problem - in forty plus years of driving Landrovers, I have only once had a clutch problem that was not hydraulic - and that was on the 2a, with a broken pin in the cross shaft (not on the Disco).

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

First check whether the fluid is low - if it is, just topping it up is likely to fix it, especially if you bleed it as well (not necessary if its the master cylinder although it will take a bit of use to get rid of the air without bleeding), but this will only be a temporary fix. You need to find out where the fluid is going - if it is the slave cylinder, remove the wading plug if fitted and it will come out there (be dripping out if no plug), diagnose brake fluid by smell. If it is the master cylinder, it will be running down the pedal, although it may not be there yet if it has only just started.

If the fluid is not low, diagnosis is more difficult, although the master cylinder can be faulty without leaking - bleeding the system will usually fix it in this case, and shows it is a hydraulic fault, almost certainly the master cylinder, and again, bleeding it will only be a temporary fix. Also, less likely but check the pipe, hose, and fittings for a leak. If the fluid is not low, and bleeding does not change it, it just about has to be something mechanical. If you are lucky it will be the adjustment on the master cylinder pushrod come loose, otherwise it is probably the release fork - and I am afraid that is a gearbox out job!

But the probability is very high that it is a hydraulic problem - in forty plus years of driving Landrovers, I have only once had a clutch problem that was not hydraulic - and that was on the 2a, with a broken pin in the cross shaft (not on the Disco).

John

thanks JD, i am going to take a look this afternoon. Matt

Yep, this is all too familiar to me! I have replaced and/or had rebored, more of each than I can remember. What's the go with them?
A little foot note to remember, last time I had the master replaced I was told it is the "standard trailer break master cylinder" This could be handy knowledge in the outback where you are three days from the nearest L/R dealer.

Matt an easy way to determan this is to do a gravity bleed, open up the bleed nipple on the cylinder on the gearbox and let it bleed while topping it up.

I did mine that way and the clutch came back, it was for me only air in the line, i did a proper bleed and it's been fine ever since and renewed the fluid while at it.

If it doesn't come back then it will be either the master or slave cylinder.

I think on the D1 you can put another master cylinder other than the Landie one to stop this reaccuring, of coarse i could be wrong

Baz.

Stupid me didnt realise it wasnt a cable clutch so i have never checked the fluid. When i checked it the level was non existant, so i topped it up, will need to bleed it when i get a chance but hopeful that is the cause.