Clutch probem as well :0(

Guys.

Had GTA out today for the MOT (which it flew through with no advisories ;0) ).

Used it a fair bit today and a couple of times I had the clutch pedal right to the floor and it was having trouble disengaging the clutch (nearly stalled approaching junctions etc as clutch would not disengage). Once after I had been sitting waiting for 10 minutes or so stationary in a car park with the engine running. Temp gauge did not go too high but assume that engine bay was quite hot? Rest of the time the clutch was as normal (normal biting point etc).Clutch does not slip at any point.

Checked brake fluid reservoir when I got back and the reservoir was virtually full (just off the max level) so assume not losing fluid? Checked cylinder in pedal box and no leaks there? Assume that the fluid boiled in the hot weather and that caused this? Is it just the heat or old fluid that needs changing? Any thoughts and anything else that I should be checking

Any thoughts?

Thanks guys

Brad

I'd change the fluid and see .Get some high temp race fluid .Opie oils do a vht DOT 4 .It gets cooked in the slave as it's under the turbo .When was the system last flushed and renewed ? 29k Perhaps it's got the original fluid still in

Clee.

Unless it was done under a service from Renault at some point (not as far as I am aware then original fluid!) Anyone got an idiots guide to doing this as never drained and changed fluid before (aware then will need to beed system etc) but how do you drain the fluid?

Thanks,
Brad

Found screw to drain clutch fluid in the technical section. As it shares it resivior with the brake fluid assume you would need to drain brakes at the same time? I will be doing the brakes anyway as worried that if the fluid is boiling in the clutch the it will be doing the same in the brakes under constant hard braking

Do you bleed the cluch fluid via the drain screw?

Thanks,
Brad

You need to make sure you get all the old stuff out .Get a power bleed kit ,Gunsons or the like .Best way and you can do it on your own .Get a syringe and suck out the old fluid from the reservoir .Open up the slave cylinder bleed ,it's on the end of a pipe drivers side ,bottom of the bellhousing .I think the whole system takes 0.3 L .
Start with the slave and using the kit ,bleed with fresh fluid .Put a pipe on the end of the bleed nipples and plonk it in a jar ,this will make it easier to gauge how much has come out Then do the rear calipers then the fronts last .You will probably notice the difference in fluid colour but best to measure approx how much has come out of each pipe .

ATE Super Blue comes in two colours (blue and amber) so when you change the fluid you can alternate between the two.

Specs are the same but the idea is just that you can see when the old has been bled out and the fresh stuff has completely filled the system. No idea how well it works in practice

Thanks for the info guys.

I am going to pop around my brothers sometime and do this as he has a pit in his garage and a bleeding kit. Syringe on order and 1 litre of Millers 300 plus DOT 4 racing fluid. Take it 1 litre will be enough to do clutch and brakes?

Also are the brake bleed nipples prone to siezing on GTA's (anymore than any other car that is!)

Thanks again for the help.

Thanks
Brad

Hi,

Other than colour is there anyway to check if it's been done recently?

No .Not a big or expensive job, so if in doubt or having some symptoms just renew it .

Changed the fluid this weekend. The fluid that came out was really crap, very dark brown and way past its best !! Brake pedel feels like it has a little more travel than before (and all air is out of system) but think that it maybe in my mind!!!

Beware when bleeding the clutch though that the reservoir is topped right to the top as when we were bleeding the clutch the fuild must have dropped below the pick up pipe and we got air back into the system and had to bleed it again! But I don't think that we let the fliud drop below the min mark ?

Thanks
Brad

ps. Does anybody have a spare dust cover for the clutch bleed nipple as I lost mine?

Still does this occasionally when the weather is really warm and car is sitting stationary for a while after a spirited drive Clutch pedle starts biting near the floor. Fluid is new.

Dont think that the slave is a problem think that it is heat soak in the pipes/slave cylinder. My question is that I am going to try and cover the pipes /slave with a heat resisant wrap material, can these be got to easily from underneath? My brother has a pit in his garage so would be doing it from there. BTW this is a V6 Turbo and I don't really want to have to remove the turbo if I can help it!

Thanks
Brad

Was having a chat with Steve about this a short while ago: there's a well known Lotus/DeLorean problem (same gearbox/slave obviously) where the plastic clutch line starts to expand when it gets warm. Steve recently said how it's really common for a GTA to crunch into reverse, as though the lcutch doesn't release properly. I could be that a new line is required (or replace the plastic with teflon line stainless braided type).

Or it could just as well be that one or other of your cylinders is getting tired.

If it makes you feel any better, I just had to replace the clutch and both cylinders on my 610. The release bearing had sawn through the splines on the pressure plate. not nice.

Martin/Simon,

Thanks for the advise. Think that it is just heak soak to be honest as fine until really hot and got a lot better when changed fluid all round.
Simon has sent me a great picture of his box and slave etc when out of his car which gives me a great indication if where to put the wrap. Looks like I maybe able to do most from underneath the car by feel.

A project for the autumn I feel!

Thanks,
Brad

I've wrapped mine and it is a lot better and probably gets thrashed more than most .It will still crunch into reverse when really hot still though .Think you'll struggle to do it properly from underneath .I'd take the turbo off .

[pgoldsmith]

There is a Renault Technical Note 1385 that details a customer complaint regarding clutch pedal collapsing due to heat transfer from exhaust manifold to lockheed clutch lines.
It was resolved by replacing or re-routing the clutch lines I believe.

I have the TN scanned so if you wish I can email it over.

Rgds
Paul