"Sticky" clutch pedal

[Stubod]

Hi all,

 

I have a niggly problem of a "sticky" clutch pedal. The pedal does does not always return unless you get your toe underneath and pull it back. It has been like it for a while, (on and off), initially I sprayed some WD40 up the back of the pedal which works fine for a while but then returns, (I am currently using a light oil spray instead). Problem is I can't really get low enough to have a good look.

Just looking for any advice, of from anybody else who has had this problem?

Many thanks...

[g7eor]

I had this problem. Took to the dealer who  diagnosed old  fluid, this was changed. It did not make any difference.  Second attempt slave cylinder was changed .This fixed it

[Stubod]

..ta for the reply. I will speak to our local Indly. Would you be able to tell me the cost yo paid for this please?

[muppix]

11 hours ago, Stubod said:

initially I sprayed some WD40 up the back of the pedal which works fine for a while but then returns, (I am currently using a light oil spray instead).

 

At the risk of teaching Granny to suck eggs, please be very careful when applying lubricant on or near control pedals. 

[J.R.]

Its not needed as that can never be cause of a non returning clutch pedal.

 

There is a control loading spring and cam that not only assists the pedal in the 2nd half of the return stroke but which will push and hold it to the floor on the downstroke, it is the opposing hydraulic pressure from the clutch springs via the slave cylinder, the hydraulic fluid and finally the master cylinder that lifts the pedal to the midpoint at which point the spring assistance works with that pressure instead of against it.

 

The fault will be air in the system, the cause, and I would bet my house this vehicle has a concentric slave cylinder, will be air being drawn in around the O ring seal in the joint between the two plastic mouldings making up the feed pipe and the cylinder.

 

Bleeding the system will bring some respite but the problem will swiftly reoccur, lifting the pedal makes things worse as it draws more air in, replacement will cure the problem but the replacement cylinder will have the same weakness and will fail in the same way in time, not good when the garage will have insisted on replacing the cutch and DMF at the same time giving the owner a 4 figure bill and a clock ticking down to the next one.

 

If you are very lucky then you might find a new old stock aluminium one piece concentric slave cylinder, these can never fail in this manner.

[Stubod]

Hi and thanks for the very comprehensive reply. Is there any explanation as to why when I spray WD40 / 3in1 at the bank of the pedal the problem goes away temporarily?...

[Austin 7]

Hi Stubod

 

I had this effect sometimes on the clutch of a 10 year old  Audi A3 some years ago.  As said above, there is an "over centre" spring as part of the pedal mechanism - a bit like a giant version of the ones used in household light switch dollies.  This goes from opposing downward movement when the pedal is high, through a neutral position when the pedal is part way down and then progressively assists downward movement when the pedal is more fully down.  I think the idea is that it gives a lighter clutch action.  Around the mid position, the slightest change in friction can make the difference between the pedal returning or not, so lubrication might just help at the moment.  I found that temperature and the amount of recent clutch use also played a part, and after a long motorway run without changing gear things were worse.  I got practiced al lifting it with my foot, but it was unnerving. Fortunately it was behaving itself the day I sold the car to buy a Yeti !

[J.R.]

Even without the spring assitance or perhaps that should be despite the spring assistance the pedal shoul return to just shy of the high position from the return force of the clutch diaphragm through the hydraulic system, that it doesn't without some help is indicative of the actual problem.

 

I advise you to stop lubricating the pedal and address the problem of air in the hydraulics, it may only bring temporary respite but is very easy to do and once you have done it once after removing the airbox to see what you are doing you will realise that it can be done blind, by hand in only a few seconds, the half turn knurled plastic thumbscrew on the bleed nipple needs opening for the couple of seconds it takes for the air to be released from the purge volume on the clutch bleed block.

 

Towards the end I was having to do it multiple times even on local journeys.

 

The only cure is to replace the concentric slave cylinder or the O ring joining the inlet pipe, as the gearbox has to come out to do it clearly the former is the logical choice.

 

The only 100% sure long term cure is to find and fit a new old stock original one piece alloy version fitted to earlier vehicles.

[Stubod]

Ta for the tip..I will see if I can find a youtube clip on where it is...

 

.assuming I can find it, is it something you can do with "fingers", or are spanners required?

Edited 1 February, 2022 by Stubod

[J.R.]

Fingers, you might need pliers the first time to take its virginity!

 

I advise you to disconnect the air filter housing and pull it out of the way so that you can see what is going on the first time, use a short length of clear tube, you will see the air come out followed by the fluid & then you can close the nipple, its all very slow as it happens by gravity.

 

As I was having to do it so often before biting the bullet & removing 68kgs of 4wd transmission I left the tube attached and removed the single screw fixing for the airbox, thereafter I could lift it from its rubber retainers and move it sideways to get my Popeye forearms in to do the business, by then I did not need to look and could work by feel.

[Stubod]

..brill...many thanks for the advice...I will have a look tomoz...

[MishuMk3]

On 31/01/2022 at 22:43, Stubod said:

Hi all,

 

I have a niggly problem of a "sticky" clutch pedal. The pedal does does not always return unless you get your toe underneath and pull it back. It has been like it for a while, (on and off), initially I sprayed some WD40 up the back of the pedal which works fine for a while but then returns, (I am currently using a light oil spray instead). Problem is I can't really get low enough to have a good look.

Just looking for any advice, of from anybody else who has had this problem?

Many thanks...

Hello,

You have to check the clutch pumps( one on the clutch pedal/ one outside the gearbox), if here are 2, or the clutch pump and the clutch bearing if it is inside the gearbox activated by brake fluid, check also brake fluid level or if you have any brake fluid leakages between the engine and the gearbox.

Pay attention to the brake fluid level!!!!!

That can become dangerous!

[J.R.]

The clutch hydraulic system uses the brake fluid reservoir but the take off port is higher up so the brakes will never be affected even by a complete fluid loss in the clutch hydraulics.

[MishuMk3]

26 minutes ago, J.R. said:

The clutch hydraulic system uses the brake fluid reservoir but the take off port is higher up so the brakes will never be affected even by a complete fluid loss in the clutch hydraulics.

You are wright! I was only thinking for the brake fluid reservoir not for the clutch port.

[Stubod]

Hi again, had a look under the bonnet, removed air box and could not see any pipework?....there is something to the right of the engine block lower down (looking into the engine bay), but could not see anything to "release". I assume the layout of the 1.4Tsi may be different?....Tried YouTube and google but could not find any info ao I will probably leave it to the local indy to have a look...

[J.R.]

Do you have a 5 speed or 6 speed gearbox?

 

The latter I believe will have the concentric release bearing, the former may or may not.

 

Its relatively easy to trace the hydraulic line from the clutch master cylinder to where the slave cylinder is, either external above the gearbox or internal, they will both have the same bleed block and thumb release.

 

Look here at item 20, item 22 illustrated is the external slave cylinder, it dose nos show the concentric one only giving its part number.

https://skoda.7zap.com/en/cz/yeti/yet/2015-779/7/721-721030/

 

[Stubod]

Hi, its a late 2015 1.4 Tsi with a 6 speed box..

[g7eor]

Price for changing the concentric slave cylinder was about £300 . This was just labor the cylinder was supplied FOC This was a few years ago and I cant find the old invoce

[Stubod]

..just as an update, I took the car into our local indy who replaced the master cylinder and charged £200 which I thought was OK.

 

Time will tell if it has cured the problem, (ironically it had been fine the week leading up to the work...).

[J.R.]

It will improve for a while through the bleeding but will likely return, garage was correct to tackle the easier cheaper master cylinder first just in case.

[Tramble]

I have same problem with recently purchased 2013 YETI 2.0 TDI 4x4 with 68k miles. Local indy says it's a big job that needs gearbox taking out, may be lucky with warranty, but interested to know where we could get the following which is mentioned above to avoid repeat problemm "The only 100% sure long term cure is to find and fit a new old stock original one piece alloy version fitted to earlier vehicles."

 

Any thoughts?

 

Tony

[J.R.]

Scour Ebay for the part number with the earlier revision letter or look for listings with a photo showing clearly that the cylinder and pipe extension is aluminium in colour.

[Theo5]

I had a Seat Altea ( same platform as Yeti) where the clutch pedal was catching both going down and up at a certain point. Can't remember if I had to stick my toe underneath to flip it back up. At the time I discovered it was a not an uncommon problem and there was a VW TPI for it. 
The parts used to fix it were 

• 1K0721357A  Clutch Pedal Master Cylinder Clip  ( I think this replaced an older version)
• 533867910A Felt strip

Edited 9 March, 2023 by Theo5

[Tramble]

Thanks Theo, I have it booked in for repair at an indy in a few weeks time. From what they say a common vault on this engine and quite a big job to replace master and slave cylinders as 4x4 gearbox needs to come out. tr