Clutch change disaster!

Hi guys,

So I finally got round to doing the clutch in the td4.

Took my time and braved the rain and managed to get it all apart new clutch in and back together yesterday. Has a few things to finish today like the gear linkage and refill with fluids.

Anyway, all finished wheels on jump in and starts first time, only problem is the peddle is bouncy and can't get into gear!

Goes into every gear perfect with engine off but it's clear the clutch does not disengage with the engine running.

It has a new 3 part clutch, new oem slave - I'm gutted it's an epic job!

So I tyres to bleed the system and put about 500ml through, the stuff that can out of the new slave was all milky and bitty!?!

Anyway tried for ages but still can't get enough push to disengage and still can't get it into gear.

Any ideas, could I have done something else wrong?

Cheers guys

I would try a new master cylinder, mainly because of the ease of fitment and its all you haven't changed, although its too late now, its a good idea to test the clutch works before its all back together, it can be done on the freelander as soon as the ird is back on as you can try turning the ird pinion whilst someone presses the clutch.

edwardcraney2012 said:

I would try a new master cylinder, mainly because of the ease of fitment and its all you haven't changed, although its too late now, its a good idea to test the clutch works before its all back together, it can be done on the freelander as soon as the ird is back on as you can try turning the ird pinion whilst someone presses the clutch.

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Thanks for the reply mate. I did check I could turn the brake disks (wheels) and ird when it was in the air and all seemed ok, of course the engine was off at the time, not right?

I think part of the issue could have come as I left the master disconnected over night?

I tried again to bleed and it's all good fluid now but still nothing.

I'm going to buy a new master and stick it on but failing that it's going to a garage to have them take the box off again as I don't have the energy, gutted!

Well put the new master cylinder on today and it was better. Was able to drive it off my drive to a slightly better position on the back lane. Which proves it's a hydraulic issue!

Decided it just needed to have one last bleed but sadly no luck, got to be air stuck in slave some where!!!! Peddle is almost normal now as well.

Anyone got any clever tricks to bleed the stupid thing? The stress of these events has been horrid.

Cheers

Because of the design of the Clutch Master Cylinder with it's push on rubber cap, it's not possible to use a pressure bleed kit. You could try getting it bled with a vacuum bleed kit. It's possible that you have an air bubble in the slave cylinder and the displacement of the master cyl. is not sufficient to move it with each pedal stroke. The vacuum system works by sucking the fluid through the slave bleed nipple....you will still need to keep the master topped up with fluid during the process.
It seems to be a problem with the FL clutch hydraulics and there are several posts on the topic,

Thanks mate, it's very frustrating to say the least! I'm away with work for a few days now but I really hope I can sort it when I'm back. As I said I got it just about drivable earlier yesterday so I know everything works, at least.

Will look to get some sort of vacuum bleed kit and report back.

One other idea is I could chop up the old master cylinder and make some sort of pressure bleeder for the slave and bleed it disconnected from the new master?

Hi all just to end this story with a positive I finally got the clutch bleed using a pump type sucker jobbie, which a kind local garage let me borrow. Car now drives and I will re bleed in a few weeks once clutch nice and bedded in

The only way I have found to reliably bleed these systems is by the repeated pump, then releasing of the pressure method.

Get 1 person to pump the pedal 10 times, then hold it down, other guy opens the nipple for 2 seconds then locks off again. Lift pedal back up and start again.

If you've dragged a lot of air in these systems are bastards for bleeding up nicely, then you come to it next day and the pedal has gone again. Sometimes it takes a few bleeds to get it 100%

Vissie said:

The only way I have found to reliably bleed these systems is by the repeated pump, then releasing of the pressure method.



Get 1 person to pump the pedal 10 times, then hold it down, other guy opens the nipple for 2 seconds then locks off again. Lift pedal back up and start again.



If you've dragged a lot of air in these systems are bastards for bleeding up nicely, then you come to it next day and the pedal has gone again. Sometimes it takes a few bleeds to get it 100%

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Interesting idea that, I am planning to give it one more bleed today or early in the week and will use that idea.

Can't believe what a ball ache this has been, the clutch change is bad enough on it own with out this faff!

Cheers