Slave cylinder troubles!

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Vagabondrobb

Active Member
Posts
132
Location
Galloway Forest
Hey guys, clutch pedal went on me a few days ago so got hold of a new master and a slave cylinder. Fitted the master no problem but when I got around to the fitting the new slave i noticed it was very hard to fit/insert into its fixture - there was a stiff springy/spongey resistance causing it to pop back out half an inch - I had to literally force/compress and hold it in with one hand and get a few turns of a bolt with the other. I haven’t done a slave before and still don’t know if this is normal or a sign of a problem.

Anyhow, i fitted it and connected everything back up... and started the bleed... at least I attempted to start the bleed. There is absolutely no resistance in the pedal whatsoever and only the slightest dribble of fluid comes out of the bleed hole.

The master seems to be exerting pressure, but no matter how long I pump the pedal there is no change - just a limp pedal.

I’m going to get a pump tomorrow and try a reverse bleed, but I would be interested to know if anyone has experienced anything similar in the past?

And is it weird that I had to force the slave into its fixture?!


Thanks in advance,

Robb
 
When we fitted a clutch earlier this year it was the same. Quite a lot of pressure to get the slave in and then a struggle to bleed. In the end one of us used a suction bleeder at the slave nipple while I used an oil can fitted to the pipe from the reservoir and this "push-pull" method sorted it.
 
FWIW, I had exactly the same problem when I tried to bleed mine through when I swapped them out. I ended up getting mine to the local garage and let them do it, but took them 3 days to get it to a level they were happy with and even then I had to leave it overnight for a week with the clutch pedal forced down with a piece of wood.
If you search on here you'll find some methods that some folk have had success with so definitely worth trying those.
Good luck.
 
I did mine before using one of those kits you fit to the fluid reservoir and use tyre pressure to force fluid through, but found out neither of the two caps supplied fitted. I got one from a breaker and bonded the pipe to the cap after drilling a hole. I then used suction bleeder on the slave cylinder & worked perfectly.

Dan.
 
When we fitted a clutch earlier this year it was the same. Quite a lot of pressure to get the slave in and then a struggle to bleed. In the end one of us used a suction bleeder at the slave nipple while I used an oil can fitted to the pipe from the reservoir and this "push-pull" method sorted it.
Thanks Brian, that’s encouraging to hear!
 
I did mine before using one of those kits you fit to the fluid reservoir and use tyre pressure to force fluid through, but found out neither of the two caps supplied fitted. I got one from a breaker and bonded the pipe to the cap after drilling a hole. I then used suction bleeder on the slave cylinder & worked perfectly.

Dan.
I just found that out for myself! Damnit.
 
Well, after many hours I finally got pressure and a steady stream of fluid. Probably a bit of air lurking so will leave the pedal depressed over night.

For the record, I used one of those bleed kits that work with compressed air from spare tire - great and inexpensive little bit of kit you can pick up from Halfords. The selection of reservoir adaptor caps aren’t compatible with the push and turn caps found on my disco 2, but I managed to improvise by cutting the sides off the largest cap provided and clamping the top of it (with its rubber seal intact) across the fill hole. I wrapped a ratchet strap around the entire reservoir, with a strip/hole cut along a section of it’s center so that it could fit snugly over the middle of the adaptor cap, and added a couple of strips of rigid metal horizontally either side to ensure compression was as even as possible.
2703B7D1-5CF7-4780-BF34-581A87B07E17.jpeg
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Well, after many hours I finally got pressure and a steady stream of fluid. Probably a bit of air lurking so will leave the pedal depressed over night.

For the record, I used one of those bleed kits that work with compressed air from spare tire - great and inexpensive little bit of kit you can pick up from Halfords. The selection of reservoir adaptor caps aren’t compatible with the push and turn caps found on my disco 2, but I managed to improvise by cutting the sides off the largest cap provided and clamping the top of it (with its rubber seal intact) across the fill hole. I wrapped a ratchet strap around the entire reservoir, with a strip/hole cut along a section of it’s center so that it could fit snugly over the middle of the adaptor cap, and added a couple of strips of rigid metal horizontally either side to ensure compression was as even as possible.
View attachment 191036
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Glad you got it sorted & great improvisation. I had the spare time to grab a cap from breakers for mine luckily & no rush to get the job done.
 
I've used those beasts before and, yes, sprayed brake fluid all over the engine bay due to the cap not fitting properly. The instructions, if you follow them to the letter are a load of sh1t. If the tyre is not inflated pretty hard you'll get nothing.
Also, if you want to keep the kit and use it again, rinse out absolutely every last bit of it very carefully cos the plastic it is made of don't like brake fluid much and, especially the clear tubes, will harden and crack over time.
I still use the old bit of rubber with a nail/bolt/screw in the end and a vertical slit cut with a scalpel. But better still is a simple clear bit of hose, a jam jar, and a mate to push on the pedal when you ask him/her., comined with judicious opening and closing of the nipple.
 
I've used those beasts before and, yes, sprayed brake fluid all over the engine bay due to the cap not fitting properly. The instructions, if you follow them to the letter are a load of sh1t. If the tyre is not inflated pretty hard you'll get nothing.
Also, if you want to keep the kit and use it again, rinse out absolutely every last bit of it very carefully cos the plastic it is made of don't like brake fluid much and, especially the clear tubes, will harden and crack over time.
I still use the old bit of rubber with a nail/bolt/screw in the end and a vertical slit cut with a scalpel. But better still is a simple clear bit of hose, a jam jar, and a mate to push on the pedal when you ask him/her., comined with judicious opening and closing of the nipple.

The trouble we had with bleeding the clutch was air in the master cylinder. Tried back bleeding from the bottom without any success and also using suction from the bottom. In the end it needed fluid pressure from the reservoir side. I didn't have a top pressuring kit so I improvised with and oil can using the supply pipe from the bottom of the reservoir. It worked a treat.
 
Was once with a family in a Saab 99, remember those? In France, at a Mway toll, clutch packed up. The dad and I had a look, a flexible apparently push-on connector between master and slave had come apart. We tried to bleed it with minimum tools and no spare fluid. No chance. Mechanic came out, he tried everything, still couldn't do it. Back at his garage he coupled up his airline to the top of the reservoir, metal in them days, THAT blew it through!
 
I've used those beasts before and, yes, sprayed brake fluid all over the engine bay due to the cap not fitting properly. The instructions, if you follow them to the letter are a load of sh1t. If the tyre is not inflated pretty hard you'll get nothing.
Also, if you want to keep the kit and use it again, rinse out absolutely every last bit of it very carefully cos the plastic it is made of don't like brake fluid much and, especially the clear tubes, will harden and crack over time.
I still use the old bit of rubber with a nail/bolt/screw in the end and a vertical slit cut with a scalpel. But better still is a simple clear bit of hose, a jam jar, and a mate to push on the pedal when you ask him/her., comined with judicious opening and closing of the nipple.

Yep, the opening and closing of the nipple was also key! And agree, you need at least 30psi in the tire for effect. The kit advises no more than 20psi, but I had to make my spare rock solid before I got a break through - which was a glorious moment I can tell you.
 
Was once with a family in a Saab 99, remember those? In France, at a Mway toll, clutch packed up. The dad and I had a look, a flexible apparently push-on connector between master and slave had come apart. We tried to bleed it with minimum tools and no spare fluid. No chance. Mechanic came out, he tried everything, still couldn't do it. Back at his garage he coupled up his airline to the top of the reservoir, metal in them days, THAT blew it through!

We had a series of second hand Saab 99’s when I was growing up... loved those cars!
 
We had a series of second hand Saab 99’s when I was growing up... loved those cars!
Due to being an aircraft manufacturer, they were really well designed ergonomically, EXCEPT there was nowhere to put your left foot when driving on a motorway, except under the pedals! Loved the fact you had to put it in reverse before removing the ignition key and it was then locked in reverse. Same on the 95. Such a simple anti-theft device yet, to my knowldege, no other manufacturer used anything like it. Don't know how easy it was to overcome this mind. Also loved the reverse-facing third row of seats in the 95 estate. We used to call it the rear gunner's.
 
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