Author Topic: Clutch hassles  (Read 5147 times)

Offline philmcdau

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Clutch hassles
« on: June 12, 2016, 09:48:51 PM »
Evening all,

An interesting day with clutch failure, punctured tyre and that was all on main roads. Glad it was a Perentie......

So seeking thoughts on what it may be. I was driving with no issues, went to change gears and pedal went to the floor and unable to engage gears.

I was able to crash clutch it and kept driving with no real dramas so got to where I needed to be..... got real good at it after a few hours....

So the master cylinder reservoir is empty, I have put new fluid in and it just drains away somewhere. I can't find where it is leaking at all. There is nothing on the firewall or in the footwell as I am led to understand that is a sign the master cylinder has met its end.

Then thought the bleed screw or lower pipe may have split. The slave is dry with no sign of leakage and the bleed screw is tight and in place.

What are your thoughts? Is it bleeding into the clutch housing through the slave cylinder, or is it the master cylinder and it is pooling internally somewhere. I haven't taken anything off to check yet.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks.



1 x Perentie FFR  49 361

Offline dodgeguy1942

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2016, 09:55:07 PM »
Try opening the bell housing drain plug. I'd suggest your slave is to blame

Offline philmcdau

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2016, 09:57:54 PM »
That will be a tomorrow morning start....... I can't think it can be going anywhere else.
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Offline BEARMAN

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2016, 07:15:57 AM »
X2 for the slave cylinder.
09/1998 Perentie 6X6 ARN202516 - BRUTUS

Offline 303Gunner

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2016, 09:25:55 AM »
Then thought the bleed screw or lower pipe may have split.
That's what happened to me: Story.

You're certainly dealing with some issue surrounding the Slave Cylinder.

Offline philmcdau

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2016, 12:07:03 PM »
Have removed the slave cylinder and it has come out in pieces..... definately the problem. There is a hole in the rubber boot the size of a thumb nail.

The actautor rod has come out as well, there aren't even any remnants of the plastic clip around anywhere..... I did have the clutch replaced two years ago, could he have put it back in with out the clip on ????

I have found in the housing a small ball end which looks like it has come off the actuator rod, about where the clip should be in the pics I have seen.

Thanks to those that have replied. Now to chase down another slave and get this thing back on the road.....

« Last Edit: June 13, 2016, 12:12:00 PM by philmcdau »
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Offline philmcdau

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2016, 09:20:27 PM »
Putting this up in the 'This looks like a problem' thread as well.... problems seem aligned.


When I removed the slave cylinder it was in pieces in the housing , the spring and piston had been pushed into the housing. The rod to the release arm came out and I found the end ball had broken off. I found it in the housing.

I had this welded back on today, got a new slave cylinder put it all together and while it is holding fluid the clutch will still not engage.

Stripped again and there seems to be no pressure on the release arm in the housing... so when the slave pushes the rod forward it means it stays forward. This to me measn a problem on the other end where it meets the clutch working parts..... thoughts on what it may be and am I up to removing the gearbox now and look at a deeper problem.
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Offline 303Gunner

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2016, 12:02:34 AM »
I was driving with no issues, went to change gears and pedal went to the floor and unable to engage gears.

Then: The rod to the release arm came out and I found the end ball had broken off. I had this welded back on today, got a new slave cylinder put it all together and while it is holding fluid the clutch will still not engage.

Stripped again and there seems to be no pressure on the release arm in the housing... so when the slave pushes the rod forward it means it stays forward. This to me means a problem on the other end where it meets the clutch working parts.....
Do you mean the clutch will not disengage when you push the pedal? Or that there is no drive to the gearbox because the clutch is not able to engage?

There is no other return spring in clutch release system except for the spring fingers of the clutch diaphragm. If these diaphragm springs have failed, you wont have any return pressure. But these springs also work in conjunction with the pressure plate springs. If these have failed, the clutch won't be engaged to the pressure plate. As you seemingly had no problems prior to the "pedal going to the floor" (the result of the rod failing, and then causing the slave piston to pump itself out of the clutch slave body), we can probably rule out the clutch diaphragm springs or the pressure plate springs failing as it is unlikely they would all totally fail completely at once with no prior warning signs. However, if you say the clutch won't engage, it could be the pressure plate has failed.

You haven't said that you found and re-fitted the plastic clip that holds the end of rod in position on the release arm. Did you re-fit this? (See my other thread). If the end of the rod is not held in position by the plastic clip in the dimple on the release arm it's going to fall away again, and the slave cylinder will again deconstruct itself.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2016, 12:19:44 AM by 303Gunner »

Offline philmcdau

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2016, 05:03:41 PM »
After a few days work I have solved the problem.

Pulled the gearbox out and had a better look at the clutch fork. It had fallen off the ball socket in the housing. There was no sign of the clips that should have held the actuator rod in place or he small u clip where the fork adjoins the bearing. I am thinking the guy that did the clutch a few years ago wasn't as good  as a Landrover mechanic as he said he was.

So I had the ball socket welded back on the rod, clips in place and reassembled the clutch set up, gearbox back and after bleeding the clutch came good again. With fixing the bottom end the master cylinder then started leaking...... ordered a new one and replaced yesterday.

At this stage all seems to be ok. I have overcome my fear of pulling gearboxes and doing clutches so next time, I hope not too soon, will do it myself.

I also found again that getting parts ex ebay is much quicker and cheaper than obtaining locally. It is a shame as I like to support local, but when the difference between a Britpart slave cylinder is $120 locally, and $30 online with post it is hard.
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Offline Dusty perentie

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2022, 01:49:59 PM »
Hi , sorry , just joined , & this was relevant to my problem . Cannot work out on here how to ask a question , my slave push rod is snapped , ordered a new one ,  my question , the plastic push rod lever clamp , how do you get it on through the hole , is it easy ? Possible ? Or do you need ti renove gear box to asseble the push rod ? Cheers ,

Offline BEARMAN

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Re: Clutch hassles
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2022, 09:07:50 PM »
Hi , sorry , just joined , & this was relevant to my problem . Cannot work out on here how to ask a question , my slave push rod is snapped , ordered a new one ,  my question , the plastic push rod lever clamp , how do you get it on through the hole , is it easy ? Possible ? Or do you need ti renove gear box to asseble the push rod ? Cheers ,
Easily done, you can use a long screwdriver or a bit of garden hose to push the clip back over the clutch fork.
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