BM08

My work mate bought one last week, all good but he said he's noticed a small drip coming from under the car near the front wheel area. So I had a look under the bonnet and noticed that I couldn't see the brake/clutch fluid level and upon shaking it it appears to be empty.

Also his clutch peddle is abit stiff apparently.

Split pipe somewhere? Also is this the reason why the clutch is abit stiff too?

Farmer Giles

IMO if a hydraulic pipe was split the clutch would not work at all it would just piss all the fluid out within a couple of pushes of the pedal..

If the clutch is stiff maybe the seals on the slave cylinder are on their way out where they have been worked harder due to the extra pressure of the clutch being stiff..

2p.

BM08

That would explain the clutch but what about the fact that the brake/clutch fluid appears to be empty(or certainly in desperate need of a top up)

Mind you I've never had a car that's used any brake/clutch fluid so it shouldn't need topping up at all?

He's got 6months cover on it anyway so that's not a problem but its just good to go back sounding like you know abit of stuff rather than "yeah it's leaking somewhere down there"

liam-rst

iTrader: (1)

If the pads are on their limit then it would appear very low

jamie's

the pivot arm for the clutch release bearing will be siezing up
this causes the clutch to get heavy/stiff very common problem with these
as for the fluid all the pipes connected with the brake/clutch fluid are high pressure so any leaks would usualy be quite obvious
refill it, and just trace the leak/drip

BM08

Excellent thanks for the info


Thanks to the others too

Madbradz

The clutch reservoir is above the pedal... its a fucker to get to!

The one in the engine bay is only for the Brakes.... (I imagine its the same place as the CDTI one)

BM08

Ok he went to the garage yesterday evening and they said the brake fluid is ok it's just hard to see(although I'm almost certain the level was no where to be seen)


And they said the odd drip he's getting is from the AC, which he's using, so maybe that explains the drips

Martin-Hadland

iTrader: (2)

AC doesn't drip from the wheel area on one of those.

BM08

Hmmm their either fobbing him off or they dont know what their talking about then

To be honest i didnt think car AC would wet the floor after using it

studabear

Under the scuttle fills with water on the 75's and zt's, eventually filling the ecu with water IIRC

BM08

Interesting, he did actually say earlier it looks like watery substance....

zetec69

iTrader: (12)

Quite common to get a drip from AC on most cars but as mentioned maybe not that area on this model.