cryptic problem, any guesses!?

aye aye aye, i really should listen better.

Got a call from me mechanic, workin on me landy (defender 90 300tdi).

The clutch stopped workin, pedal goes down and STAYS down!!
he phoned to let me know that after replacing the slave cylinder when pressin the clutch 'it feels like i'm hittin a brick wall'

So with a new slave cylinder, fine master cylinder, he said that he's 99% sure that the problem lies with a clip of some kind (that only costs pennies) has come off. To get at it he needs to take the gearbox off of the engine. its a 10 hour job. UNFORTUNATELY i'm no expert and wasnt listenin to great, gettin distracted by a moanin misses (hands up whos had that problem!!) and I would like to know a bit more about this.
Any one expand on what this problem sounds like?apparently its a real cheap part, like i said pennies (or a couple a quid) but its the sheer awkwardness of gettin at it to replace it thats the biatch!
does this sound true?can anyone explain in laymens why this clip or somethin is important.
Also apparently its one of those things that is fine one min then PING its knackered th next!a bit like how a UJ can suddenly go before ya get the warning shakes!!
cheers in advance, will be verry appreciative for a bit of guidance/help/additonal info on this potentially costly problemo!
ED

id say 5 or 6 hours labour seems about right for a decent mechanic with a ramp and air tools, its probly the clutch fork that has worn through or the pin that connects it to the slave has somehow come off

Can you not download a diagram or summat and take a look. As yer man to explain himself so you know eggsactly what he's mumpin' about?!

Was gonna attach it but too big. Try here. Welcome to indigoprime.com

its a plastic staple thing holds ya release bearing on ya fork costs about 10p
med outta cheap plastic,but ya need it,and inna good workshop with all the toys the book says 5 hours from wot i can remember

or 2 days if you aint got all the fancy thingymabobs

The clip he's on about is a little lump of plastic that holds the clutch push rod into the clutch operating arm. If the rod comes out of the arm (an this is can happen if someone is a bit rough taking the slave cylinder off), then it's a reet **** getting it back in again speshly if the clip breaks, I don't think the clip could break under any other circumstances. Havin said that it int impossible an I'd have thought a half decent mechanic would have been able to do it without taking the gearbox off.

If the galleries working I posted some pics of a speshal clip I made and an adapted pair of pliers to insert it with.

Sirus said:

or 2 days if you aint got all the fancy thingymabobs

Click to expand...

hehee and it aint ****in down a rain and the other bugger whos helpin can use a spanner

And some daft fooker unduz all the bolts

GRUNT said:

The clip he's on about is a little lump of plastic that holds the clutch push rod into the clutch operating arm. If the rod comes out of the arm (an this is can happen if someone is a bit rough taking the slave cylinder off), then it's a reet **** getting it back in again speshly if the clip breaks, I don't think the clip could break under any other circumstances. Havin said that it int impossible an I'd have thought a half decent mechanic would have been able to do it without taking the gearbox off.

If the galleries working I posted some pics of a speshal clip I made and an adapted pair of pliers to insert it with.

Click to expand...

oh that bit thats a pain annull have gotaway without one before now but it was luck more than anything leave the box in though to do it

Sirus said:

And some daft fooker unduz all the bolts

Click to expand...

it was dark under there

or as he pushed the fork off the ball being heavy handed?

Well when you remove the slave cylinder the metal pin that enters the bellhousing is held in position by a small plastic clip, if you pull the pin out you won't get it back in. I did this on a discovery, i removed the slave cylinder and pulled the pin out by accident. It took me about an hour putting my finger into the hole with the clip balanced on the end to put it back in place, without seeing what i was doing. Did it in the end!
If the plastic clip has dropped in you could also buy a replacement and try the same, bit like key hole surgery!

Blimey, how many posts can be posted all at the same time!

rear view of the homemade spring clip attached

all the bits including the crappy plastic clip

front view of it all attached

Yis I know it int in in the injun but I had an owld clutch arm that I practiced on, you can see the pliers I adapted to hold the prongs of the new clip together while it was all inserted.

wah said:

Blimey, how many posts can be posted all at the same time!

Click to expand...

cor blimey i think

GRUNT said:

View attachment 5100rear view of the homemade spring clip attached

View attachment 5101all the bits including the crappy plastic clip

View attachment 5102front view of it all attached

Yis I know it int in in the injun but I had an owld clutch arm that I practiced on, you can see the pliers I adapted to hold the prongs of the new clip together while it was all inserted.

Click to expand...

spot fookin on with that one grunt, did something similar on a rr classic, but used a bit of stiff insulated wire bent into the right shape, pure luck more than judgement how it went back in though.
But your method. su-kin-perb.
that ones going down in my documents for future reference.

damm fine job mr grunt. did yer try doing it with a set of circlip pliers? yer know the ones with the interchangable tips. it might save a pair or pliers from being bented if yer could do it with circlip pliers.

but used a bit of stiff insulated wire bent into the right shape,

Click to expand...

I used the benefit of my injuneeeeering prenticeship an used a bit of spring an heat treated it. Fastened the lot to the pliers with an "O" ring an superglue an the jobs a goodun.

save a pair or pliers from being bented if yer could do it with circlip pliers.

Click to expand...

The pliers were 10 bob from Rufforth autojumble.

GRUNT said:

I used the benefit of my injuneeeeering prenticeship an used a bit of spring an heat treated it. Fastened the lot to the pliers with an "O" ring an superglue an the jobs a goodun.

The pliers were 10 bob from Rufforth autojumble.

Click to expand...

ah well thats ok then, wint like to see yer spend beer token unnessicerily