Freelander 1 TD4 clutch release woes

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pscan.eu

Well-Known Member
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479
Location
uk
I bought SWMBOs replacement Freelander 1 TD4 because the bodywork and interior was so exceptionally nice and in the full knowledge that it would need a new clutch.

When I bought it a couple of months back the clutch was heavy, and could also be provoked into slipping, though to make it slip I had to pull away on a hill in 2nd and use all the torques. In normal driving it was fine.

A few weeks ago it got worse, in the sense that the gear change was becoming stiff if the clutch pedal wasn't absolutely mashed to the floor.

So I decided time to empty my wallet and get a new clutch put in.

Last week it got a new DMF and clutch, and I also asked the mechanic to fit the TAZU metal slave cylinder off of SWMBOs crashed TD4. By the way the old solid flywheel conversion off of the crashed one is available if anyone wants it, slightly used. SWMBO said she wanted it smooth so I went back to DMF.

On picking up the car the biting point seemed a bit low (but definitely releasing properly). Apparently this can happen if there is a little bit of air in the system and sometime it works it's way out. Yesterday SWMBO could hardly drive it as she can't seem to get used to the biting point changing. It wasn't improving so I had a go at bleeding it again. This made it worse which resulted in SWMBO meltdown.

So this morning I had another go. I got a long enough bit of clear hose to run from the clutch slave bleed to the reservoir which enabled me to open the bleed nipple and just pump fluid round and around in a complete loop by pumping the pedal up and down. I really don't think that there's any air in it now. Certainly there were no air bubbles in the clear hose.

The pedal is still quite low, with clutch and gearchange all working correctly but with the biting point barely off the floor.

Any one else had this?

Time to change the master cylinder as well? After all it's the master cylinder that it is supposed to self the adjust the pedal height isn't it? and it's the only thing that I haven't changed. Maybe we actually had two faults (worn out clutch and master cylinder) all along and I only got one fixed.
 
This is a known problem on the TD4. Certain makes of master cylinder do not provide enough fluid to properly activate the slave.
I would get a genuine master cylinder replacement.
On my last TD4 manual I lengthened the push rod by 6mm which gave approx 40mm at the pedal for the bite.

If you feel brave, remove the master and the push rod, then replace the circlip and bleed by depressing the master cylinder with a long rod to ensure that the piston goes all the way to the bottom. Sometimes air gets trapped and the pedal and pushrod don't go down far enough to shift it.

Easiest route is a new master first.
 
I have the one off the crashed TD4 which is hardly used, and was working fine, and I think it was an expensive one.
How did you lengthen the rod?
 
The master cylinder on the car was marked AP. The one removed from her scrap car is marked LuK.
I fitted the LuK one and the clutch is great now.
So folks, buy LuK master cylinders and not AP ones.
 
Yes, as above, several of the lesser brands just don't do the business!

Well done. Hope Mrs Pscan is now happy. :D
 
LUK were the OE supplier for LR clutch components. ;)

So the slave cylinder that falls to bits and requires half the car to be dismantled to get to it is also on them. The TAZU metal replacement is the way to go IMHO; our TD4 has one and it works perfectly.
 
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