Clutch related issues

Hello all,
had a clutch related issue with my series 3 petrol swb that happened quite quickly. Drove it and parked it up with no noticeable issues one day (clutch related anyway), two days later when i next used it i noticed the clutch was a lot lighter on depressing it, and once fully depressed would engage quicker than normal, After my 6 mile journey i decided it best to drive it back, on the drive back it got harder and harder to get into gear. At one point i had to stop to find 1st before i got to a hill with traffic lights. Managed to get back home just getting it into the right gears. on inspection in the clutch fluid reservoir it was lower that i believe it should be -about at the level where the top pipe goes out. In all honesty i have never looked at the level in the two years i have had it, and whether the previous owner looked at it i don't know, but he never really used it in the 6 years he had it. Any how there were no visible leaks from what i could see from the bonnet end. Last night I topped up the fluid and pumped the clutch a fair few times, left it until 2pm today, the level remained the same. I drove it to the mechanic who is in the same village, clutch appeared to work fine, mechanic said it could just have been low and to keep on driving it unless there is a problem. I drove it on a 8 mile round trip, and it appeared to be normal (I drove a van and a car today so can't always tell whether there is a difference). Question is am i really that fortunate for it to be only a matter of low fluid, and am i fortunate enough not to have a major air lock. Or do you think its likely that something more dire is around the corner? From what i could see the remaining fluid looked normal , a nearby friend suggested it could be a slave cylinder or a ceased injector piston.

thanks

Matt

There is loss of pressure somewhere. It will be leaking somewhere. What is the level in the master cylinder reservoir? If you had problems with the clutch itself you would have different symptoms.

Thanks for that, the level is pretty much up to the top, and hasn't changed since i filled it last night, but perhaps it won't until it get some proper use?

thanks

Matty87 said:

Thanks for that, the level is pretty much up to the top, and hasn't changed since i filled it last night, but perhaps it won't until it get some proper use?

thanks

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the system will often leak a very little but since reservoir holds very little if not checked often it will get low or dry, i find most series and defenders need a little top up when i see them eventhough there are in for very different reasons, a leak to worry about shows up very clearly

Thanks James,
Do you think it'll be ok then, providing level remains the same and there is no evidence of a leak?

Matthew

yes ,just check every week or so your confident in time intervals

Great, will see how it goes then. thanks

Erm, since the fluid hasn't been changed for roughly 8 years, you may want to become extravagant and bleed it through with fresh fluid.