Clutch master cylinder

O.A.P

I've spent the last 4 hours replacing the clutch master cylinder on my Defender td5, there was clutch fluid running down the clutch pedal before I started but apart from having to top it up once a week the clutch worked fine. I was told that the master cylinder was on the way out and that it was only a matter of time before it let me down. Anyway after all my work I now have no clutch unless I push the pedal tight to the floor I can just about get the forward gears but no chance of getting reverse. I used a bleeding kit from Halfords to bleed it and unless I f""""ked that up I'm not sure what else I could have done wrong :mad: Its started to rain now so I've left it until the morning if its dry. Has anyone got any ideas? What could I have missed?
Thanks for any help Jimmy

101sean

They can be difficult to bleed, especially if someone has previously put the slave cylinder in with the nipple at the bottom. I rarely get all the air out, just bleed enough for the gears to engage and the rest works its way out over the next couple of days. Don't try this with brakes though!!

Are you working on your own? It's easier with two as you should close the bleed nipple before letting pedal up, you can draw air in around the threads. If I'm on my own, I hold pedal down with a bar, then tighten nipple. Repeating this a few times is good exercise!

Now you've done the master, the slave will probably go! If it does, replace the flexi hose as well.

O.A.P

101sean wrote: »

They can be difficult to bleed, especially if someone has previously put the slave cylinder in with the nipple at the bottom. I rarely get all the air out, just bleed enough for the gears to engage and the rest works its way out over the next couple of days. Don't try this with brakes though!!

Are you working on your own? It's easier with two as you should close the bleed nipple before letting pedal up, you can draw air in around the threads. If I'm on my own, I hold pedal down with a bar, then tighten nipple. Repeating this a few times is good exercise!

Now you've done the master, the slave will probably go! If it does, replace the flexi hose as well.

Thanks for the help Sean . No I have the young lad with me I think he is more pissed off than me with it . I changed the slave cylinder just after Christmass and they did'nt have the flexi hose in stock at the time so I went ahead without it I hope thats not the problem now. I,ll try bleeding it again tommorow and this time thightning the nut back before I release clutch. Thanks again .

Slidey

Get a squirt oil can and fill it with brake fluid.

Then get a bit of rubber pipe, windscreen washer stuff is ideal if there is a scrapped car nearby.

Open the bleed screw on the slave cylinder and bleed it up the way using the oil can. It will bring the air with it and if someone is watching the reservoir they can tell you when the bubbles stop. Close the nipple, remove the pipe and you should be good to go

O.A.P

Slidey wrote: »

Get a squirt oil can and fill it with brake fluid.

Then get a bit of rubber pipe, windscreen washer stuff is ideal if there is a scrapped car nearby.

Open the bleed screw on the slave cylinder and bleed it up the way using the oil can. It will bring the air with it and if someone is watching the reservoir they can tell you when the bubbles stop. Close the nipple, remove the pipe and you should be good to go

I like that plan. I'll look in the shed for the bits but dont think I have one of them squirt cans and I wont have the help Monday. I have an old hand pump though might be able to sort out something with that tommorow if not I'll find a market open somwhere. Thanks for the tip.

101sean

That's a good one Slidey, in all my years of feckin around with the damn things I never thought of that!

You've had a few replys over on LR4x4 as well about setting the pushrod length first.

Slidey

I learned the hard way with clutch boosters on trucks that have air assist. You just cannot bleed them down the way.

101sean

Oops, duplicate reply erased, culchie broadband!

O.A.P

Job done it turned out I needed to adjust the pushrod travel and the pedal hight. Must have pumped over a litre of fluid through it yesterday thinking it must'nt be blead properly . Any way I'll know for the next time. Thanks for all the tips and advice.