Dumb question (clutch repair related)...

[wcl4]

...because I'm mechanically inept.
This morning my clutch was crazy soft and so I looked under the car and there's a wet spot. I assume it's the clutch leaking fluid since I can't get the car in gear.

I see that clutch and brake fluid are the same. First question is, can the brake fluid be topped off to get the clutch in gear so that I can drive the car to the mechanic? Once the tank is reservoir is filled, is there anything else I need to do to get the clutch working?

And for the dumb question, which tank holds the brake fluid? I assume it's the translucent tank with the black tank behind it being the coolant. Is that correct?

 

[HB Chris]

The yellow plastic bottle holds fluid for both brake and clutch. If it is leaking next to the trans it’s the slave cylinder, the clutch master usually leaks into the interior under the peddle. No amount of added fluid is going to release the clutch unfortunately.

 

[wcl4]

The interior is dry. So simply adding brake fluid isn't going to do anything?

 

[HB Chris]

Reservoir is very low, you have fluid under the slave cylinder because the seal is leaking and it won’t hold pressure. If you pump the peddle and it is soft it isn’t going to work.

 

[mulberryworks]

PM sent

 

[Honolulu]

Filling the reservoir might work, short term. But if it's leaking enough to run dry (enough) as you proceed someplace to repair it, what will happen?

Let's assume you fill and drive...

1. You can upshift and downshift by matching speed and rpm. It'll grind a bit...

2. You come to a stop light or traffic is backed up: you can usually get into neutral from any gear though you may have to shove the shifter harder than you'd like, if there's a load on the trans at that moment. But then you'll be stuck in neutral again, far from somewhere, maybe in traffic, and how will you get back in gear?

3. Getting back in gear can be done as long as you're not on an uphill grade - you just start the car with the trans if first gear. It loads the starter quite a bit, an imposition you have to accept. If there's any uphill grade you're stuck.

All of these scenarios are "do-able" but involve risk. How good is your insurance, how far is it to the repair shop, what's the value of your life. I've done the above when the clutch cable on my bike snapped (twice) but it was "after hours" and there wasn't much traffic. The bike wasn't worth as much as any running coupe. My life, well, just another of the risky things I've done. Let me tell you about towing the 2002 that didn't have brakes some (other) time...

 

[mulberryworks]

Haha. Charlie, my PM to Will telling him the same info beat your post by a few hours. It's a useful skill to be able to drive a car with no clutch if necessary. I learned to drive a manual on a 1941 Dodge WC21 army truck. Once you learn to double clutch, driving with no clutch is pretty easy.

Ian

 

[FjordTempo]

The yellow plastic bottle holds fluid for both brake and clutch. If it is leaking next to the trans it’s the slave cylinder, the clutch master usually leaks into the interior under the peddle. No amount of added fluid is going to release the clutch unfortunately.

It’s national Clutch failure week apparently. My 76 3.0si’s clutch pedal just hit the floor with no warning. I have fluid under the car and none in the footwell, so I’m guessing it’s time for a new slave cylinder. Thanks for all of the good info here, as usual!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wcl4]

Thanks guys, as usual.

 

[pat cooks]

I have driven back from Germany (to London UK) twice with no clutch over the years, the worst part was getting through customs and onto the ferry, you soon learn to slow down or speed up when coming up to traffic lights and roundabouts, I would rather drive with no clutch than no brakes...................

 

[Peter Coomaraswamy]

If you know a decent shade tree mechanic up there they can change the slave in an hour, weather providing, I wish I could recommend someone to you as I used to live in Greenwich a long time ago