Clutch Fluid ?

The clutch pedal on my 300tdi has always creaked so I've regularly sprayed it with lubricant which then drips onto my floor mat, but I've just checked my clutch fluid level and now realize I'm losing a small amount of fluid - presumably this is what's finding its way onto my floor mat. Any advice on how to locate the possible leak and is it a difficult job to remedy - I'm not stupid but I aint no mechanic - perhaps a trip to the local garage ??

it can only be leaking from one place....yer master cylinder.. you can buy a repair kit for most masters but your just aswell to bung a new one in.

repair kits are just fine for the old clutch master cyl. it aint gonna kill you if it fails.

but for the brake master cyl, i always fit a new one. dont trust the kits for this vital part.

ah was thinking if he ain't did one before he stands a good chnace of nippin the seal on the way in , so to avoid the swearing and doing the job 8 times he'd be aswell bungin a cylinder in

aye, there is that issue.
plus we all love not doing the feckin job possibly twice.

thanks for your replies. I've just removed the cover plate above the master cylinder and the end of the piston is pretty damp. A complete new cylinder doesn't seem very expensive so perhaps as you advise I'll stick a new one in, perhaps I should invest in a "eazi-bleed" kit also. The master cylinder removal and replacement looks pretty straight forward - is it ?

it should be ..be careful when you put the pipes back on as its dead easy to cross thread the buggers. you should be able to screw them all the way in by hand.. if you can't don't force the flucker

Any idea how much clutch fluid I need to completely refill the system after changing the master cylinder ?

a lot.

would that be a little lot or a lot a lot !

A little lot.

probelly about a leetur

If the master cylinder measures I'm guessing at 50mm dia by 100mm long. So thats 3.14x25squared x100 = 196250/1000 = 196.25cc The slave cylinder is about 1/2 the size. 98.125cc. So that makes 294cc plus a bit for the hose to take it up to say 300cc then you need a bit to squirt out of the bleed nipple at a guess another 10cc so thats 310cc and don't forget the bit you spill over the edge of the master cylinder 5cc so that gets us to 315cc then you need a bit for when you catch the bottle with your elbow cos you left it in the way on the wing 250cc so that takes us to 545cc. Then you need some to chuck away next spring cos your not quite sure if its OK to use and any way there probably isn't enough there to do the job. So I reckon if you get a litre you should have enough.

Damn Slob beat me to it. How did you work it out so quick?

thanks for the replies, I've already bought half a litre but some of that is now on my mat so I guess another litre should do it !

Bloody 'ell I never took the mat into my calculations.

someone told me that clutch fluid is "hydr*??@" sommat or other, means it has special properties - apparantly it absorbs water, so i reckon if I have any left I'm gonna paint me footwells with it.

if you have any left?

ffs you lot just slay me.

GRUNT said:

Damn Slob beat me to it. How did you work it out so quick?

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ah used ma abacus and new slide rule