MX5Ireland

Car has been sitting for a number of weeks. I moved it about today and noticed there is about 2 inches of free play in the clutch pedal.
Fluid is still up to the mark, clutch engages about an inch from the floor (usually about an inch and a half/two inches).
Slave cylinder gone?

Possibly, but you well know the procedure now..check the slave for leaks etc..

yeah, this isn't the usual symptom I'd expect of a dead slave cylinder though... might be the internal spring on it ... or the seals in the master cylinder I guess.

did you sort it? might just need to be bled?

not yet, hope to get to it next week

Clutch disc might be stuck to flywheel from not being used especially in cold weather or clutch bearing might have broken through pressure plate but very unlikely.Are u sure it is not losing fluid? Should not need to be be bled unless fluid went real low.Try jerking the clutch a bit with engine running to "break disc away".

k, will give that a shot, easier than getting under the car at the moment.
Def no fluid loss, its up to the mark. Its an ACT clutch so fairly heavy at the best of times, I'll try side step it and see what happens

gah, it wouldn't go into gear today with the engine started, had to reverse it out a bit on the starter so I could get under it. Replaced the slave cylinder, happened to find a spare new one I didn't know I had, convenient. The old one pretty much fell apart, the O-ring on the piston had degraded so much it was missing + had rust spots on the cylinder wall. Not sure that is my only problem though as I'm now having issues bleeding it... have pumped the pedal , no fluid at bleed nipple, no resistance in pedal, master cylinder reservoir is full (and not moving when moving the pedal). Will try sucking it through the bleed nipple with a tube+syringe tomorrow. If that doesn't work .... master cylinder? It reasonably new so putting that off till last.

rust on the cylinder = trouble. Water must be in there somewhere lad. Master probably fecked too.

Brake fluid itself is hydroscopic 'as far as I know that means it actually attracts water 'this is why it needs to be changed regularly .IT is hardvto get pressure from master clyinder but what I do is fill the fluid up and I have home made airline connection fitted with standard car tyre valve drilled in to an old bottle lid 'screw it on the normal way and apply air .not too much pressure and air will push out all fluid instantly giving u great clutch.

No doubt it works Robert but very dangerous for the un-skilled and not recommended.

Compressed air+fluid+plastic reservoir = major eye problems or worse if it cocks up.

Would the vacuum bleeding kits not do????

Tried the suction with a tube + syringe, no go, tried the four year old with a hyperactive left leg on the clutch pedal, still no go.
Then tried something similar to what Robert suggested, but with low pressure, there is a tiny hole in the lid of the master cylinder, so I poked through a football needle valve and attached a bicycle pump. like this :


Nothing either.
So lastly, disconnected the master cylinder's hard line and had the 4yr old on the pedal again, no fluid, which confirmed a dead master.
Whipped it out and can now see that the piston is stuck down in the bore.



Think I'll go with a new one over a rebuild kit.

once you see rust..............

Bin it !

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