Clutch Pedal Problem

Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 11:51

ThreadID: 53028 Views:1741 Replies:2 FollowUps:7

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Member - Troll 81 (QLD)

Happy new year to you all.

This has happened twice to me now and it's very scary when it happens especially when the tide is coming in. Driving along the beach in low range in soft sand for long periods at a time is causing something to go wrong with my gears or clutch. I will be in third gear for say 5 min just ploughing through the soft sand at around 30km/h and if I have to change to second my clutch pedal is spongy and I can't change gears...the car will come to a stop and the gear will be stuck in third....the clutch pedal is completely spongy and I can't change gears or anything. I have to turn the car off and force the gearbox into a gear and start the car that way to keep going. As soon as I am out of the soft stuff everything is back to normal. My guess is that it's either overheating and seizing up some how or there is air in the hydraulics. The fluid level is full and I am not sure where to start looking.

Thanks

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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 11:56

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 11:56

Options are:

1) don't drive on sand....(LOL)
2) get a new clutch (expensive and may not be the real problem....how long since the clutch was changed?
3) change the gearbox oil (how long since that has been done?)

Sorry I'm not much help, but there's a few things to have a look at to start with....

Good luck mate....

Roachie

AnswerID: 279329

Follow Up By: Member - Troll 81 (QLD) - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:04

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:04

Hey Roachie

Hope you had a good Christmas and all that

Option 1) I don't see that happening :P
Option 2) The clutch is not even 6 months old and it's a heavy duty.
Option 3) Did the gearbox and diff oils around 2 months ago.

FollowupID: 543482

Follow Up By: handy - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:37

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:37

check the hose going down to the slave cyl, this happened to my 92 GQ , the hose had a crack in it but i couldnt see it because of the insulation covering it up and not showing any sign of fluid.
my master cly wasnt going down either.
it was cracked where it comes out of the block going down to the slave cyl. cheers

FollowupID: 543484

Reply By: Peter 2 - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:53

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 12:53

As you suspect I'd say there is possibly air or more likely moisture in the clutch hydraulics which when it gets really hot causes the moisture to vaporise and cause your problem.
I'd bleed the clutch system, very easy, top the master cylinder to the full mark, get someone to hold the pedal down, crack the bleed valve on the slave cylinder and then gently pump the pedal until you get clean fluid. Easier with an assistant to top the master cyl up as you go. Don't worry if you get air in it as you can pump it up with the pedal and then crack the bleed valve to purge the air.

AnswerID: 279334

Follow Up By: Member - Ed. C. (QLD) - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 13:38

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 13:38

I'd say that Peter has hit the nail squarely on the head wrt moisture in the clutch fluid allowing it to vaporise when hot...
(Been there, Done that!!)...

Brake/clutch fluid is hygroscopic.. ie, it readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere...

(the exhaust gets very, very hot when engine is working hard, and on Patrols, it runs very close to the fluid line and slave cylinder)..

Replacing the clutch fluid (new for old) should fix the problem, and indeed, should be done every year or so as a matter of course, though I suspect that not many of us do it as often as it should be done;-)

Regards, Ed C

Confucius say.....
"He who lie underneath automobile with tool in hand,
....Not necessarily mechanic!!"

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FollowupID: 543491

Follow Up By: Member - Troll 81 (QLD) - Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 14:33

Wednesday, Jan 02, 2008 at 14:33

Sounds like that is the go then....thanks guys will give it a crack one day after work

FollowupID: 543495

Follow Up By: Member - Troll 81 (QLD) - Thursday, Jan 03, 2008 at 09:21

Thursday, Jan 03, 2008 at 09:21

Just one more thing isn't the brake and clutch the same gear and goes into the same place? If so I had all that flushed out about 6 weeks ago

FollowupID: 543663

Follow Up By: Peter 2 - Thursday, Jan 03, 2008 at 12:24

Thursday, Jan 03, 2008 at 12:24

Normally the brake and clutch systems are totally seperate, some forward control vehicles share a master cylinder reservoir.
Never looked under a patrol bonnet but would imagine that they would be seperate systems.

FollowupID: 543700