td4 clutch hydraulic problems. goes bad week later each time its bled

im getting desperate for some help with my TD4 Clutch hydraulics.

the problem started this year when my biting point became very low, and selecting a gear was almost impossible...

quick inspection revealed the master cylinder to be leaking into the footwell

so fitted a new cylinder and bled which was real quick and easy and solved the problem. clutch and gearbox felt perfect... "like new" but after just over a week the clutch starts to drop off, biting point get lower until I have to do something about it. so re bleed the hydraulics and its perfect again. until just over a week later when it all happens again....

I cannot see any obvious leaks with the new master cylinder. in the hydraulics from master cylinder/ master to slave cylinder join/ bleed nipple.

is it possible that the new plastic hydraulic master cylinder is duff? is it possible that the seals in the cylinder can "burp" and let in air?

I am bleeding the system properly.

if the slave cylinder was leaking surely the clutch would slip? (tows big caravan fine)

it is the original clutch @ 116k but the mechanics seem perfect. I cant warrant a new clutch when it seems to be a hydraulic fault. (perfect after each bleed)

hope you guys can help my hippo become less of a head ache!

why would a leaking slave allow clutch slip ? it would show in fluid loss and often air in fluid

the fluid reservoir its still brimming...

I assumed a leaking slave would cause clutch slip after a couple of guys at work had their slaves leak causing clutch slip.

if I do have to renew slave im happy to do this, but you can understand how im reluctant to do this, if this isn't the cause/fault.

one thing I notice... is the "Plunger shaft" on the M/C seems to have a fair bit of travel before it hits hydraulic actuation... perhaps extending the shaft length could be a solution.

i wouldnt want to remove box to change slave unless certain

The clutch can slip if the slave has failed badly enough to leak a lot of fluid that contaminates the clutch disc. You would have nothing left in the master cylinder.

Air must be getting in somewhere. Only places it can get in are the piston in the master cylinder, if its drawing air in through the pushrod seal. The join between the master cylinder and the plastic pipe. This is a push-fit with a rubber washer and a split pin to hold it together. The quick release connector, the bleed screw or the seals where input or bleed line join the slave cylinder, or the slave cylinder main seal.
You will have to check all these joins (the accessible ones anyway) for signs of weeping.
Then your options are to try another master cylinder and if thats still no good, change the slave cylinder.

After the ball-ache I had (and duncanpage had too) with non-functioning aftermarket parts that leaked from the off, I would suggest you get genuine Landrover parts.

thanks for the input Dave. ill go over those areas again and check. i'm wondering it it would be the join in the hose. I may pop the join and check the seals.

cheers

jamesmartin said:

why would a leaking slave allow clutch slip ? it would show in fluid loss and often air in fluid

Click to expand...

to conclude this thread, I just wanted to say that "jamesmartin" was correct in pointing in the direction of the slave cylinder. I looked under the freelander gearbox to find hydraulic fluid around the open holes at the bottom of the bearbox flange


....time to fit a new clutch...

Ive bought a Unipart 3 peace clutch kit... hope its premium quality.

:amen: