Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 18:33:46 +0000
Reply-To: Bill Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: No Clutch....
In-Reply-To: <20100202132731.J5KD8.237747.imail@eastrmwml41>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
Hey maybe my winter misfortune will end causing a bunch of vans to sputter around this spring with new brake fluid in the clutch and brake circuit!
Ryan
> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:27:31 -0600
> From: mcneely4@COX.NET
> Subject: Re: No Clutch....
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> ---- greg@pottsfamily.ca wrote:
>
> thanks, sounds like this is a job I can do myself (with my wife's help). All I need to do is find the slave cylinder and the bleeder valve. I assume I bleed it all out, then refill the reservoir, pumping until I get fluid out the valve again. Anything else to it? Thanks, David Mc
>
> > Hi Dave,
> >
> > Without asking your mechanic it would be impossible to know for sure if
> > the clutch was bled at the same time as the brakes were. Chances are that
> > unless that mechanic works on vanagons often, he probably did not know
> > that they share the same reservoir.
> >
> > Best thing to do would be to crack the bleeder valve on the slave cylinder
> > and have someone press the pedal. If the fluid coming out is clear, then
> > you have little to worry about. If it's yellowish, then it should be
> > changed. The best part there is that your helper pressing the pedal just
> > needs to press another 12-15 times and the old fluid will have been pumped
> > out, and the job is done. It's the same procedure as bleeding brakes.
> >
> > Greg
> >
> >
> > > Thanks. So, I changed the brake fluid in May. I'm assuming from what you
> > > say that the clutch hydraulic system needs separately changed. Is that
> > > correct? Nothing in the owner's manual about that, unless I remember
> > > incorrectly. I'll check it. But regardless of what it says, it sounds
> > > like you are saying to change the clutch fluid in addition to the brake
> > > fluid. Or did my mechanic do that as a part of changing the brake fluid?
> > > Thanks again, David Mc
> > >
> > > ---- pdooley <psdooley@VERIZON.NET> wrote:
> > >> The reservoir is fail-safe for the brakes as the clutch draws fluid from
> > >> a
> > >> higher point, i.e. if the clutch circuit completely fails and all the
> > >> clutch
> > >> fluid drips out on the pavement, the brakes will still have plenty of
> > >> fluid
> > >> left.
> > >> The clutch and brakes are 2 completely separate hydraulic systems. The
> > >> fact
> > >> they share a storage tank doesn't mean much.
> > >>
> > >> The biggest factor regarding longevity is replacing the brake fluid in
> > >> both
> > >> systems every 2 years. The fluid constantly absorbs moisture which in
> > >> turn
> > >> rusts and pits the bores of the cylinders, both clutch and brake.
> > >> And a big problem on vehicles that haven't had the fluid changed often
> > >> is
> > >> this pitting, not necessarily the seals.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> > >> Of
> > >> Dave Mcneely
> > >> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 10:22 AM
> > >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >> Subject: Re: No Clutch....
> > >>
> > >> Thanks. I have been told by a couple of mechanics that it does, but
> > >> that
> > >> probably was regarding brakes.
> > >>
> > >> BTW, does the fact that brakes and clutch share a reservoir make for
> > >> shorter
> > >> life for either system than if each had completely separate hydraulics?
> > >> Does it mean that if one fails hydraulically, the other will (certainly
> > >> would in the case of leakage, since if one loses fluid, the other
> > >> automatically has done so)?
> > >>
> > >> Thanks, Dave Mc
> > >>
> > >> ---- pdooley <psdooley@VERIZON.NET> wrote:
> > >> > The piston is aluminum, not rubber.
> > >> > Also I don't think metal contraction due to temp is relevant here.
> > >> > The piston has a small rubber seal that I would bet is causing the
> > >> problem.
> > >> > Rubber gets hard when cold and doesn't seal that great.
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > -----Original Message-----
> > >> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > >> Behalf Of
> > >> > Dave Mcneely
> > >> > Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 9:02 AM
> > >> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >> > Subject: Re: No Clutch....
> > >> >
> > >> > differential contraction of parts can allow fluid bypass more readily,
> > >> I
> > >> > think. Though I have heard it suggested that if bypass is a sometime
> > >> > problem, cold will make it less likely because the cylinder itself
> > >> > contracts, while the piston is rubber and doesn't. But I guess my
> > >> ignorance
> > >> > is showing. David Mc
> > >> >
> > >> > ---- Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > >> > > Cold weather has a way of making clutch and brake hydraulics
> > >> suddenly
> > >> > fail.
> > >> > > Especially if the fluid is old and has enough moisture in it to make
> > >> ice
> > >> > > crystals.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Dennis
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > -----Original Message-----
> > >> > > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > >> Behalf
> > >> Of
> > >> > > Bill Shawley
> > >> > > Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 6:56 PM
> > >> > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >> > > Subject: No Clutch....
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Ok gurus, went out to show the van some love, (and to measure
> > >> something),
> > >> > > took the key to start it as well. Put my foot on the clutch and
> > >> straight
> > >> > to
> > >> > > the floor, no resistance. It is very cold, dark, and kind of
> > >> immobilized
> > >> > in
> > >> > > some shoveled snow, hardcore diagnostics can wait. No problems last
> > >> time
> > >> > I
> > >> > > drove it, may 4-6 weeks ago. Any guesses to trim the
> > >> troubleshooting
> > >> > curve
> > >> > > for me?
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Ryan
> > >> > >
> > >> > > _________________________________________________________________
> > >> > > Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection.
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> > >
> >
> >
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