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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Water Cooled Volkswagen Cars / January 2007Clutch hydraulics ?, '95 Passat.
I'm continuing to have problems with the clutch hydraulics in my '95 VR6. The friction point of the clutch and the free play change, to where somedays teh friction point is about midway up, other days, it is almost at the bottom, causing clashing gears, particularly shifting into 2nd. Repeated bleeding did not help. Both hte clutch master and slave are rather pricey, especially the master, and something like $350. I found a used master on eBay for about $25, and tried it. No change in action. So I purchased a new slave from German Auto. Still no change. It's remained this way for about a year, and I learned to really shift slow into second to avoid clashing the gears. Yesterday, I was getting off the interstate, and pushed the clutch in. About 3/4 of the peday was freeplay, and I had an awful time geetting it back into gear. I checked the fluid level, and it has not dropped. Funny thing is, aftr a few more pumps of hte pedal, it came back up, and stayed there. I continued my drive and occasionally, the pedal would be very low again, but always come back up. I checked behind the carpet for leaks from the master, and saw no leaks from teh slave either. Any ideas wht's going on? I am suspecting air is geting past a cup in either the master or the salve, but which one is more likely? The newer, but less than OEM quality slave, or the used master? I'd hate to put $500 into just the clutch hydraulics, if I can help it. Any ideas? If you are not loosing fluid, then the piston(s) are passing it. Were I to suspect anything specific, I would suspect the master rather than the slave as you have already replaced the slave. Question, and it will require a certain amount of patience on your part. Can you (when the clutch is behaving) press all the way down on the clutch, shift into first, then hold it down... see if in a few minutes the clutch does not begin to grab some. Grasping as straws... is the return spring on the clutch lever(s) strong? And is the linkage intact? Just a vagrant thought without much merit, but something I would investigate before investing the big bucks. However, what you do not want is to be off someplace far from home and SOL. That could cost you a bunch more than the $500 you may invest now when you still have choices. Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA >If you are not loosing fluid, then the piston(s) are passing it. Were I >to suspect anything specific, I would suspect the master rather than >the slave as you have already replaced the slave. Thanks. I did find a new FTE master cylinder on eBay for far less, and even German Auto has come way down on the price. >Question, and it will require a certain amount of patience on your >part. Can you (when the clutch is behaving) press all the way down on >the clutch, shift into first, then hold it down... see if in a few >minutes the clutch does not begin to grab some. I've done that on many occasions over the last year or so. It's not bleeding down like that; once it is under pressure, it seems to hold. I am ASSuming that on release, air is bypassing a cup, and creating a bubble in one cylinder or the other. And that's what it feels like, sort of like spongy brakes. I also ASSume that the bubble works it's way back up the line to the reservoir on it's own resulting in the pedal function returning to near normal. >Grasping as straws... is the return spring on the clutch lever(s) >strong? And is the linkage intact? Just a vagrant thought without much >merit, but something I would investigate before investing the big >bucks. Yes, this is all fine. The bracket that the actuating rod and nylon clip on the pedal broke a few years ago and was rewelded, and all else seems to be fine. Honestly, I don't stomp on the clutch pedal or side step it, I actually treat it fairly gently, yet it seems (on this car anyway), the whole thing is trouble prone. I've often suspected that the release lever in the transmission may be bent/worn/ damaged, but have not gone that far yet. The car has 150K miles, BTW, and I've had it since it was a year old, with 15K miles on it. >However, what you do not want is to be off someplace far from home and >SOL. That could cost you a bunch more than the $500 you may invest now >when you still have choices. Thanks for your suggestions! >Peter Wieck >Wyncote, PA The brakes on my truck do not feel quite right and have not for years. I have bled the brakes but they do not seem to work quite like new but new was 19 years ago. The truck is due for some new rear wheels cylinders before they cause damage. If I am feeling wealthy I will get a new master cylinder for the truck when I do the rear cylinders. I might even go crazy cleaning and repacking the front wheel bearings that have not been serviced in 17+ years. I worked on a 68 Beetle that I could never get it to bleed properly and someone had replaced the master cylinder a month before I touched it. I had no problems bleeding the brakes on the last 3 air cooled VWs I touched. Two of those had new tunnel brake lines installed by me. I think it was the master cylinder on that 68. I guess all I am saying is if it is not one thing then in your case it should be the other. This assumes no leaky fluid lines of course and fluid level is always correct. >> If you are not loosing fluid, then the piston(s) are passing it. Were I >> to suspect anything specific, I would suspect the master rather than [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> Peter Wieck >> Wyncote, PA >I'm continuing to have problems with the clutch hydraulics in my '95 >VR6. The friction point of the clutch and the free play change, to >where somedays teh friction point is about midway up, other days, it >is almost at the bottom, causing clashing gears, particularly shifting >into 2nd. Repeated bleeding did not help. I don't know if the same applies to a clutch, but if the brake pedal get harder after pumping it a couple of times that usually indicates air in the system. Have you followed the factory bleeding procedure to the letter? Have you tried using a pressure bleeder to bleed the system? It might be able to clear out any tiny air bubbles. BTW, www.germanautoparts.com has the master for $173. Todd Seattle,WA '86 GTI, Red of course. (exciting racey car) 263,000 miles '87 Golf, Polar Silver. (boring work car) 597,000 miles <- Yeah, baby! http://www.pureluckdesign.com <-Ferrari & VW stuff |
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