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Subject:Re: speaking of clutch slave failure
From:Sam Walters
Date:Tue, 14 Sep 2004 15:56:06 -0400

Mike,

If the pedal goes almost to the floor before disengaging the clutch and
engages it almost immediately after you have started lifting the clutch
pedal, you probably have a leak in the system.  It is almost always
either the mater or slave cylinder, with the slaves seeming to fail more
frequently.

When one of them has failed even more, you might even have to pump the
pedal several times to get enough pressure in the system to get enough
clutch action to allow shifting.

If it has gotten to the point where it is close to the floor before you
get any disengagement of the clutch or engagement on release, act now so
as to avoid being out and having no clutch.  Having to pump to keep it
operational in traffic is not a pleasant circumstance.  BTDT.

Brake and clutch fluid share a common reservoir under the dash /
instrument cluster pod.

The slave sits on the transaxle.   It has a rubber accordion boot on the
shaft that moves the arm on the transaxle.  You might see fluid dripping
there.  If not, push that boot back.  If it is leaking fluid will be
coming out from under that boot, but maybe only when you push it back.

If it is the master you will see brake fluid either on your carpet right
behind the clutch and brake pedals or on the floor behind the carpet.
The master is right above the steering column so the leaking would be
easy to see.  You can find some drawings in the 30 section of the
Bentley.  A necessity.

I have some files from the archives that I will share.

Sam

--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
84 Vanagon, original owner, soon to be retired, just too many problems

All incoming and outgoing email scanned by
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--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
84 Vanagon, original owner, soon to be retired, just too many problems

All incoming and outgoing email scanned by
automatically updated copy of Norton AntiVirus.

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