300TDI Clutch problem...

Hi folks,

I searched the archive but didn't find anything 100% relevant.

Yesterday the clutch pedal went on the Disco, straight to the floor and stayed there etc. It could be pulled back up but there was no pressure in the system.

There was fluid in the reservoir, if a bit low and black (my bad), so I bleed and replaced fluid using a Gunson Easi Bleed but now the pedal is locked solid.

Any ideas? Is this a common / regular fault etc?

Thanks, Russ

remove slave cylinder ,you will probably find release arm has a hole with pivot poking through ftc2957hd is modified replacement

Bugger! If the release arm has gone it'll be gearbox off to replace it, even if the part is cheap it's a helluva job to do on the side of the road

there's a thread on here telling you how to replace the clutch. I would recomend you look at it. Same happened to me going through Garstang ford. Found it was the pivot pin gone through the fork.
It was a bit of a struggle but I managed to remove the gearbox back enough to replace it. I had to weld a piece of steel on the back of mine as I didn't get time to wait for a heavy duty one.
Had a price of £600 to replace the clutch. It ended up costing me a day and £12 for a normal fork. The clutch had been replaced just before I bought the car back in Jan. So if I'd have let the garage do it. they would have probably charged me for a new one and just put in the light fork.
It is worth doing yourself if you can. You can buy the hd forks of the bay. Only £12 ish.
Good luck with it.

This is what landy's are about. getting your hands dirty.

Oh and the reason it has now locked solid is because the push rod off the slave cylinder has come away from the fork and got lodged. This also happened to me twice. Once when the clutch went and again as I put it back together. had to buy a new push rod and pushrod retaining clip. I would but at least two of these because there not that strong. but once everything is in and tightened up then the clip doesn't do much. It's just for aligning the rod with the fork. Bought both items, rod and 3 clips from Landrover it didn't come to a tenner. So cheap fix.

Thanks John, I'll pull off the slave cylinder to be sure, but it does sound as if that's whats happended. Luckily a cheap fix and I'll order the pushrod and clips along with the arm.

Not too afraid of getting my hands dirty, I've already done the head, but I've never done a clutch / gearbox on a 4x4. I'll check out previous threads advice and am sure I'll work it out

Disco 94,

I did my clutch the other month - first time on a disco.

It is not difficult and there is a thread on here that is good. The only things that I would add are;

Grab yourself some long threaded bar, I used threaded bar and nuts from B&Q, then cut these to about 9 inches. Put three in the bottom holes as you remove the bolts from the bell housing. I found this invaluable when mounting the gearbox back as it is very f**king heavy and I was on my own. You can easily use the bolts to wind it in as well

Secondly do not replace the top bell housing bolt, it is a pain in the arse and next time you change the clutch you will have to unbolt the gearbox support again. at least know I only have to unbolt and pull the box back. Easy

It took me on my own 2 days of steady work. Mounted the car on 4 axle stands so had plebty of room.

Next time I could do it in a day easily.

Good luck

Oh and another thing!!!! When fitting the pushrod to the clutch fork, USE A TIE WRAP to secure it, it is easy to have this f**ker fall out when replacing the slave cylinder and this tie wrap will prevent it.

Thanks GreenHornet, but what a pain, would've been nice if I just bleed it out and was back on the road!

If I'm replacing the arm, I'm considering changing the entire clutch while I'm at it. Island 4x4 do a kit including the HD arm and a push rod clip but no pushrod, unless I've misread it, only £60 too:

Clutch Kit Tdi (3-piece) & Fork Britpart DA5551 KIT Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order.

What's the opinion, a no brainer to replace the lot, or 'if it's no broke don't fix it' and just replace the arm? Plus anything else I may need, other than the studding bar mentioned previously?

Cheers, Russ

If your changing the whole clutch wich is a good odea then you need to make sure there is enough space to work. This I can see being a bit more difficult.
Green hornet I wish id have thought about tho's threaded bars. Ahhhhhh. what a great idea.
Yes once the top bolts are out then leave them out I did. Be much easier when removing gearbox or engine next time.
The push rod came off mine after i put everything back. the little plastic clip had broke. So the push rod dropped again and lodged the pedal solid. So tie raps with a new locating clip Is also a great Idea. I forgot to say I used PTFE. Worked second time i put bell housing back.
I also had trouble with the master cylinder. Pedal hit the floor with a spring. Pull it up the sprung to the top. If you get this Master is ok Dont let anyone tell you different. It just needs bleeding. Put the clutch pedal to the floor. Then place your finger over the end of the pipe while some lifts the pedal. Release the finger off the pipe while they press the pedal. I was baffled with this for an hour. everyone telling me the slave is fooked. It seams a backward way of bleeding it but it does work. Then as the fluid reaches the slave do the opposite as for brakes. Anyway good luck. Check out my pics to see what the clutch fork has done and the new one that i welded.

Disco-94 said:

Clutch Kit Tdi (3-piece) & Fork Britpart DA5551 KIT Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order.

Cheers, Russ

Click to expand...

hmm, Britpart? For something as awkward to change as a clutch, I would stump up a couple of quid extra and get a quality unit in there, AP, Borg & beck etc

Hmmm, I think I agree with you Dave. I used a new Britpart head recently, which was ok, but for the sake of the extra £20, a Borg and Beck is probably worth the extra, it's a job I won't be planning on doing twice with any luck! But other than a broken fork, there's nothing wrong with the clutch so I'll check the service history to see how recently the clutch was changed...

Hi Disco 94

here are a couple of pics of what you will probably find once you have parted the engine from the gearbox.

this happend to my mates a few months ago and was replaced with a new clutch kit and h/d clutch fork good look as you will need it

Disco-94 said:

Thanks GreenHornet, but what a pain, would've been nice if I just bleed it out and was back on the road!

If I'm replacing the arm, I'm considering changing the entire clutch while I'm at it. Island 4x4 do a kit including the HD arm and a push rod clip but no pushrod, unless I've misread it, only £60 too:

Clutch Kit Tdi (3-piece) & Fork Britpart DA5551 KIT Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order.

What's the opinion, a no brainer to replace the lot, or 'if it's no broke don't fix it' and just replace the arm? Plus anything else I may need, other than the studding bar mentioned previously?

Cheers, Russ

Click to expand...

I had the conversation not so long ago about HD clutches, I ended up buying a britpart one. I fitted a britpart one a year ago and it did it's job well, I do a fair bit of towing and offroading and it gets some stick, the only thing that killed it was when I had a noise coming from the engine under boost (sounded like the exhaust manifold leaking) anyway, I checked it by putting it under some load while stationary, 3000rpm, 3rd gear with my foot on the brake while my mate stuck his head under the bonnet..... that didn't do it much good, then I lost 4th gear and 3rd to 5th with a trailer doesn't help it.

If you are going for a britpart one, might I suggest this DA5551KIT 200/300Tdi CLUTCH KIT WITH HD | shop | www.lrseries.com | L. R. Series
HD clutch, HD fork and cast bearing rather than plastic.