just had new clutch, pedal is rubbish.

[hutchysrs50]

So, just picked my car up from having a new clutch, flywheel and slave cylinder fitted. 

if you pump the pedal its fine but if you leave it for 10 minutes and go back to the car it has no pedal, it just pushes to the floor untill you pump it again.

 

Its been blead up with a bleeder untill fluid is coming out.

 

The mechanic i used seems to think part of the bleed pipe can give trouble once they have been opened they can somtimes let air in.

I've sat and pumped the pedal for a good 5 minutes and no fluid is leaking out...

 

Im not sure what to do now other than take it back next week.

[ricardo_smooth]

nothing unless you can bleed it yourself again?

[sepulchrave]

It's full of air, there's no other explanation. Take it back.

[Stuart27183]

Or if you cant wait just get an eeezibleed bottle from halfrauds and some brake fluid and bleed it

[hutchysrs50]

Thought as much.

I've got a bleed kit yeah, i'll bleed it myself later when i finish work and see what its like.

 

just checked it after being packed up for 2 hours and the pedal goes straight to the floor again, biting point is literally on the floor still

 

popped it into neutral and pumped the pedal a few times and it goes back to normal and feels like untill 5 minutes later its low again.

 

I'll try bleeding it and see what i can get out of it.

[sepulchrave]

Make sure the reservoir is full because the take-off for the clutch is higher than the brakes, therefore when you run low on fluid the first thing to fail is the clutch rather than the brakes.

[hutchysrs50]

Make sure the reservoir is full because the take-off for the clutch is higher than the brakes, therefore when you run low on fluid the first thing to fail is the clutch rather than the brakes.

 

Thanks, Never noticed that before so a good tip!

It was also booked in for a full brake fluid change so its all brand new at least!

[hutchysrs50]

Any other tips or is it going to be a nipple open- clutch down- nipple shut - clutch up etc etc.. i have a bleed pipe that i'll attach.

[sepulchrave]

Any other tips or is it going to be a nipple open- clutch down- nipple shut - clutch up etc etc.. i have a bleed pipe that i'll attach.

 

That won't work, you need a pressure bleeder, that's probably how the mechanic got into this mess in the first place, he thought a quick few pumps of the pedal would bleed the new slave through, but it doesn't.

[hutchysrs50]

That won't work, you need a pressure bleeder, that's probably how the mechanic got into this mess in the first place, he thought a quick few pumps of the pedal would bleed the new slave through, but it doesn't.

 

Ok, i'll see what i can sort out.

It was definitley bled using a pressure tool, a genuine VW one actually

 

Thats why i got the brake fluid changed all round at the same time as getting the new clutch and flywheel fitted, made sence while the tool was fitted to the car.

 

Im a little disheartened tbh, i never let anyone work on my car and this garage and person is the only peson i would let work on my car, just a shame its not done correctly...

 

Having spoke to him he thinks its the bleed nipple section at fault letting air back into the system.

Hes more than happy to fix it but that will be Tuesday so would like to use my car before then!

[sepulchrave]

I'm sorry but air cannot just 'get' into a system without fluid getting out, you'd have a noticeable leak and you say you don't.

[hutchysrs50]

Well, without back pedaling to much... 

I have noticed a leak as such, its wet around the area and drips coming from the bottom of the gearbox, however... it had just been bled.

 

Ive stood and watched the area while the pedal is being pumped up and down and cant see anything at all.

 

I'll clean the whole area with brake cleaner, bleed myself and have a good check of the nipple. I'll make sure its all dry after so any leaks will be clearly visable.

[duck]

That won't work, you need a pressure bleeder, that's probably how the mechanic got into this mess in the first place, he thought a quick few pumps of the pedal would bleed the new slave through, but it doesn't.

 

I must have achieved the impossible then as that is how I have bleed mine out, done it twice when changing the complete clutch and once when the slave cylinder blew.

[FromTheDarkness]

Well, without back pedaling to much... 

I have noticed a leak as such, its wet around the area and drips coming from the bottom of the gearbox, however... it had just been bled.

 

Ive stood and watched the area while the pedal is being pumped up and down and cant see anything at all.

 

I'll clean the whole area with brake cleaner, bleed myself and have a good check of the nipple. I'll make sure its all dry after so any leaks will be clearly visable.

 

The leak doesn't need to be a big one, in fact it probably wouldn't be, as you only had a small amount of air in there as the pedal was partially hard. So it seems you need to stop that leak, maybe tiny and a royal PITA in finding, try soapy water, so you can see bubbles? 

[hutchysrs50]

Well I've just bled it with a very long clear tube, the first 60cm maybe? Was just froth basically, millions of air bubbles.

Kept going untill just brake fluid was coming through and it's much better now.

Will need to keep an eye on the plastic bleed part as I suspect it might be leaking very slightly.

Cleaned it off with brake cleaner and blew it out with an airline and it's bone dry, took it for a quick run (was slipping in 6th, normal untill bed in I think?)

Checked and it was fine.

Will check again in a few days.

[hutchysrs50]

Just been for a run, only done around 50 mile since fitting and I've noticed a few things then...

- the biting point is exactly the same, I was expecting it to be a lot lower.

- it slips under boost in most gears. I've been taking my time working through the gears a lot more than usual.

So, I'm thinking... Has it even been fitted?!

How can I tell if it's had a new clutch and flywheel?

[FromTheDarkness]

Think its time for a trip back to the mechanic, or alternative but expensive (if you suspect skull duggery) indi vw specialist for diagnosis, I had issue with a garage who after i specifically asked " do you have the right tool for fitting a wheel bearing " was told yes, resulting in a long winded head ache and a bill of £355, for 2x bent calipers, fcked drive shaft and a replacement hub/bearing, they paid btw via the help of trading standards, Which if you feel you need to, their web site has a great online live chat assistance.

 - They are liable for repair, as they have agreed they have the expertise to do so, i do hope you have a receipt with brake down of parts and labour costs?

[sepulchrave]

What brand of clutch and flywheel was fitted?

 

I'm not optimistic about this since the car was returned to you with so much air in the hydraulics, are the brakes ok?

[bigjohn]

I am afraid it does sound like you have a faulty or damaged replacement slave cylinder (presumably concentric within the gearbox) which is :-

 

A) Letting air in

 

Leaking clutch/brake fluid into the bellhousing (hence the dripping below the bellhousing)

 

c) Probably contaminating the clutch friction material causing the clutch slip

 

Gearbox off job and another slave cylinder and clutch plate

[hutchysrs50]

I supplied the parts and the garage (a Bentley and Porsche specialist, the work they do is top class and always done to a very high standard!) fitted them.

I'm not defending them as I'm not happy with some other parts and feel they must have been

A ) In a hurry to get away for the bank holiday weekend

B ) thought it's a banger old 07 plate Fabia so didn't care much for it.

Anyway, I got everything Sachs, here's a picture I took before loading them in the boot

Brakes are all spot on perfect, I've checked each bleed nipple and they all have new fluid to them and nice and free.

[bigjohn]

It's the concentric slave cylinder (box on top) that's worrying me. They are prone to failure (always gearbox off job to replace as it's fitted over the input shaft) and can be damaged if not carefully fitted.

 

The problem with buying the bits and getting someone else to fit them is if a part fails who's problem is it . The supplier of the parts will blame the fitter and the fitter will blame the parts.

 

 

It's generally fitted to the 6 speed gearbox - the 5 speed gearbox usually has an external slave cylinder

Edited 30 April, 2016 by bigjohn

[hutchysrs50]

How long does a clutch take to bed in?

I'm thinking it might still have some of the grease on possibly if he didn't clean it all off?

The clutch pedal and feel is perfect now I should add, bite is good, drives nice, fixed my issues with 1st and reverse being tricky to get into.

I'm not abusing the car since it is new and letting it settle down, but driving heavy'ish in low gears is fine, but when boost comes in in higher gears the clutch slips. I haven't floored it properly to see if it grips again since I'm trying to let it settle down over 500 mile maybe?

I could try bleeding it again tomorrow since I've put some miles on it now.

[bigjohn]

How long does a clutch take to bed in?

I'm thinking it might still have some of the grease on possibly if he didn't clean it all off?

The clutch pedal and feel is perfect now I should add, bite is good, drives nice, fixed my issues with 1st and reverse being tricky to get into.

I'm not abusing the car since it is new and letting it settle down, but driving heavy'ish in low gears is fine, but when boost comes in in higher gears the clutch slips. I haven't floored it properly to see if it grips again since I'm trying to let it settle down over 500 mile maybe?

I could try bleeding it again tomorrow since I've put some miles on it now.

 

I wouldn't do any more bleeding if 1st and reverse now OK. Bleeding would never improve clutch slip

 

See how it goes - let it bed in. Like brakes clutches do need running in

 

Keep an eye out for any clutch fluid under the bellhousing - If pedal drops again then it needs further investigation

Edited 30 April, 2016 by bigjohn

[hutchysrs50]

Thanks, I'll leave the bleeding for now then

I'll give it a few days to bed in and hopfully it will start to grip more and more over more miles since its still just been fitted.

As said, it all feels good now really, just the biting point is the same as before so not much better, and now I'm thinking has he even fitted the new clutch and it's just got a new flywheel (possibly?!

I'm just doubting everything now

I'm going to check the inspection part ontop of the gearbox and see if it's all nice and new, hopfully get to see the edge of the clutch if anything!

I've brake cleanerd all of the area off all around the gearbox area so any brake fluid leaking will be clear over the next few days.

I'm annoyed it's happend like this, I paid extra to get the better parts, I paid a lot more at a decent place instead of a cheap back street garage to get things done right and tbh I'm not happy! my brand new 3 day old! Xenons are damaged, my air intake is damaged and the top of my battery cover is damaged, it's abit of a joke actually

[kellaway86]

Sorry to here about the trouble you having mate. Maybe would have been the better option DIYing it after all!

I've fitted a fair few clutches now to all different types of cars and never once had clutch slip from a new clutch.

If i was a betting man i would say your slave cylinder is faulty either through bad fitting or faulty from the manufactures.

With the bad pedal problems and the clutch slip i would say its leaking inside of the bell hosing and contaminating your clutch friction material causing the slip!

There was a lad on here with a project thread which i cant find who had the same problem turned out to be slave cylinder faulty from the manufacture. His was clearly leaking from the bell housing tho.

For peace of mind the gearbox has got to come off again i would say.