Need Help Urgent - Clutch Question

[amcordo]

My clutch is not engaging when I depress it. It worked alright today, though towards the end of the day I noticed that it was getting so that I had to push it in further than usual. Now it won't engage at all.

I noticed that there was liquid on the pedal - it's been slowly leaking I think.

I'm parking in a place where I have to move my car tonight - can someone tell me what to do to fix it? Even a quick fix would be fine - just tell me what liquid to get and if I need to bleed the clutch or something then how. Thanks!!

72 SIII seperate clutch fluid and brake fluid reservoirs.

[graniterover]

Dump brake fluid in the master.

Then bleed it down by the clutch.

If you're in a rush to get it out of there, this should take about 15 minutes. You'll need someone to pump the clutch when you bleed it though.

I know I'm going to get killed for saying this, but I'd just start it in gear and drive it home with no clutch if the bleeding didn't work right away.

It's about 15 minutes of work and might get you going

My clutch is not engaging when I depress it. It worked alright today, though towards the end of the day I noticed that it was getting so that I had to push it in further than usual. Now it won't engage at all.

I noticed that there was liquid on the pedal - it's been slowly leaking I think.

I'm parking in a place where I have to move my car tonight - can someone tell me what to do to fix it? Even a quick fix would be fine - just tell me what liquid to get and if I need to bleed the clutch or something then how. Thanks!!

72 SIII seperate clutch fluid and brake fluid reservoirs.

[amcordo]

Thanks! Life saver! I just need to move it to a safe haven so I can find the leak on my own time...

question: does it have to be DOT3? Or can I use DOT4? Also, where is the bleed nipple? Haynes manual leaves me guessing...


Dump brake fluid in the master.

Then bleed it down by the clutch.

If you're in a rush to get it out of there, this should take about 15 minutes. You'll need someone to pump the clutch when you bleed it though.

I know I'm going to get killed for saying this, but I'd just start it in gear and drive it home with no clutch if the bleeding didn't work right away.

It's about 15 minutes of work and might get you going

[amcordo]

Wahoo! Back up and running. Thanks!

[weatherm]

dot 3

sounds like your master cylinder... fluid on the pedal and floorboard points to this

[amcordo]

I imagine you're correct since the stuff showed up on the top of the pedal arm. Is there anything I can check (i.e. anything that can/should be tightened or something) before I go about removing the whole front fender, etc. to get to the master cylinder? I didn't know if there's anything that can be accessed right above the pedal that I should try before I go all out. I want to make sure I'm going about this the most intelligent way I can.

Thanks for your help!


dot 3

sounds like your master cylinder... fluid on the pedal and floorboard points to this

[Les Parker]

You could try clamping the jump hose with a pair of vice grips (using a chunk of rubber or suitable cloth to protect the rubber hose). This should stop the flow to the slave cylinder and thus the pedal should be rock hard.
If the master is failing, the pedal will slowly go to the floor under foot pressure.
My suggestion would be to put a new Proline master cylinder in. The master can be taken out through the drivers wheel arch, if the pipes are disconnected on the master, unbolt the 6 bolts for the pedal assy, remove the LH splash shield and LH wheel assy and the whole master cylinder and pedal assy should come out through the wheel arch.
Some prefer this way, others prefer to take the whole LH wing/inner wing off.
Hope this helps.