Losing Clutch Fluid

[Gilly91]

Hi,

I was struggling to change gears recently and I discovered the clutch fluid was empty so I filled it, tried to get as many air bubbles out of it without bleeding it, and then it drove normally. It was fine for a few weeks, then I drove it again and one day and it had gone from working fine to not even disengaging, so I limped home and have filled it again but am now topping it up every few days.

I checked for leaks on the fluid line and around the master and slave cylinder but couldn't see anything. My car has always (3 years almost) leaked a bit of oil from in front of the gear box (I thought it was a rear main seal but the mechanic said otherwise when he put a new gear box in it. He said it was coming from above somewhere? Can't remember where he said though). But never lost clutch fluid until now.

Anyway, is there anywhere common I should be looking for this leak? Could this be a part of the oil around the front of the gear box?

Thanks for your help!

Gilly

 

[Wombles]

Did you pull the rubber back on the slave cylinder?

 

[Big-Al]

+1 for slave cylinder leak

 

[Maxmadmat]

Yep as above the boot can hold fluid, careful pulling the boot back they like to squirt... If you have had a wet road or gone though a decent puddle external signs of the leak if any could have washed away.
Brake/clutch fluid being hydroscopic assorbs water this sits in the lowest point of the system corroding the internals, this is why it is good pratice to change fluid every year or 2.

 

[fatboyvk]

could also be master cylinder and leaking inside the car

 

[Gilly91]

Cheers guys, no I didn't pull the rubber boot back but I will when I get home thisarvo!

Just to be clear, the slave cylinder is the one up near the reservoir on the driver's side firewall?

Thanks!

 

[Big-Al]

No that's the master cylinder. Slave cylinder is the clutch end.

 

[Gilly91]

Removing clutch master cylinder

Alright so how do you get the clutch master cylinder out past the brake booster?? I have been struggling with it for ages now and any help is much needed.

 

[pendles]

on your clutch pedal on the inside there will be a boot like the slave cylinder, pull it back and see if there is a leak. any wetness there means a leak. it should be try or have a bit of grease in there. if it's not leaking check the slave cylinder boot and that will be the leak.
replace both of them at the same time

 

[Gilly91]

I found a thread which clearly describes how to take the master cylinder out, this saved me a lot of hassle and I'd even suggest it becoming a "How-To" thread.

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au...3-1997/161116-clutch-master-cylinder-pin.html