Clutch problem

[j99mud]

Right not quite sure what is going on with my clutch at the moment, its a defender 90 300tdi. the cluth is reaching the biting point when the pedal is bearly off the floor. Occaionally if i pull up at lights or a junction and have it in gear and push the cluth down it wont stop ie the clutch is still engaged with the pedal fully depressed and then the car just judders untill it stalls because however hard i try i cat get it out of gear!

So what do you think the problem here could be? Clutch release bearing?
Thanks James

[vtrdaz]

James - very recently had this problem myself.
The dealer thought it was the clutch slave cylinder at first - this was replaced to no avail.
Master cylinder was renewed next which cured the problem - so it sounds like it may be your master cylinder.
Can you see any leaks anywhere?

Hope this helps mate

Darren

[j99mud]

hmm sorry forgot to mention the master cylinder is new and the slave cylinder is absolutley full and there are no obvious leaks. it is blooming annoying though
Regards James

[vtrdaz]

have you tried bleeding the system? might be worth a go

[j99mud]

no, it might be woth a try. But why would it just start doing it? seems strange, good old landies eh

[vtrdaz]

thats why i'm thinking it could be the master or slave cylinders playing up , but i'm not sure how you can prove /disprove either

[j99mud]

ok quick update on my stupidity levels when i said i changed the master cylinder i lied i changed the brake master cylinder :oops:  however the slave cylinder is definatly full.
however i can still see no sign of any leeks
Regards James

[wing nut]

mine did that just the other day ,new master cylinder cured it ..same symptoms as well :lol:

[vtrdaz]

go for clutch master cylinder mate - might not be leaking externally but it could well be leaking past the seals internally.

[john b]

wingnut,i take it after the quick lot of info you found it ok doing the job?

[defninety]

Have you checked the adjustment of the master cylinder rod in the pedal box?  If you remove the pedal box cover under the clutch fluid reservoir there is an adjustable rod which the pedal is attached to.  
The locking nut can come loose and work its way up the rod.  This gives you the symptom you describe with the bite point right and the end of the pedal travel.  Its a 5 min job to check and adjust.

[wing nut]

six bolts one spring one pipe ,pedal box out, in the vice undo six screws two lock nuts ,two nut and bolts and remove ..buy new master cylinder about 15 quid and reverse process and bleed system .... aprox time 1 hour :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[wing nut]

heres some pictures ,i found it much easier removeing the peddle box as there is a nut and bolt below very difficult to access  :lol:

[Ollie]

If your going to replace the master, then replace the slave at the same time, they always go within a few weeks of each other. Slave's are cheap and easy to replace.

Ollie

[Legionnaire]

I have had problems on both my landies clutches recently and was given the following advise on bleedingv which worked well, I will pass it on even though I am sure I am trying to educate the already initiated.

Dont bother with the pipe on the slave cylinder or the glass jar as in the Haynes manual. Put a spanner on the bleed niple, get somebody to pump the clutch slowly three times and on the last stroke hold it to the floor. Quickly slacken and retighten immediately the bleed nipple, this blasts the air out. Then continue this process. The clutch will eventually lift higher and higher back to normal.

Andrew

[Ollie]

To add to Andrew's execellent advice, add one way valve/tube to bleed nipple and this will prevent any air from sneaking it's way back in, and also keep your drive clean;-)

Ollie

[Rangie3.0LtrDan]

I dont know if defender clutches have the damper, but my problem was the same as yours but on me disco, had to nigh on put me foot through the bulkhead to engage the clutch.  Changed everything in the clutch and the cylinders and it turned out to be this £8 damper, its the bit that actually makes the pressure for the pedal apparently cos it restricts the fluid or something like that!

But as i say i dont know if defenders have them as well :D

[hobbit]

To add to Andrew's execellent advice, add one way valve/tube to bleed nipple and this will prevent any air from sneaking it's way back in, and also keep your drive clean;-)

Ollie

I had a series 3, needed the clutch bleading went under to look for the bleed nipple and saw two pipes and no bleed nipple :?

The previous owner the crafty sod had ran a piece of pipe from where the bleed nipple should have been round the side of the bell housing and I found you could access the new nipple on the end of the pipe from below the passenger floor, which was not held in by all the bolts, so it was a quick release job to lift, very much easier to deal with