clutch issues :(

[rossco]

hi everyone, im new to the forum, just recently bought myself an e21 316. its been trouble free untill this morning. for the past couple of days ive noticed that the biting point on the clutch has been getting lower, but when i went to move the car this morning the pedal goes to the floor, springs back up fine but does not disengage the clutch. any ideas what this could be or what i should look at first? is it a self adjusting cable or a hydrolic setup?? thanks for any help...

[drjim]

My original 320 did this, I have decided over the years since I handed the keys to a Mate before leaving Australia that it was the clutch hose blocking off as it did it intermittently. If you really stamp on the pedal a couple of times does it do anything different??


Jim

[e21-Mark]

The rubber hose on the gearbox can collapse internally and act like a one way valve. Cheap & easy to replace. If it's not that, check the fluid level. One of the cylinders might be leaking and as the fluid level drops you start to lose the clutch pedal. Either cylinder is available pretty cheaply and easy enough to fit.

[rossco]

cheers boys, ill have a look tomorow when i get some daylight. i think im going to like this forum

[Jeroen]

Yep, because of the low temperatures I suspect a leak of one of the two clutch cilinders as well. Just check both for leaks, the master cilinder is underneath the dash just above the clutch pedal, the slave is fitted on the bell housing (duh) and needs to be removed to check (2 bolts). Also check the brake fluid level, at low level the clucth will be taking in air instead of fluid.

[rossco]

thanks for the help boys! ive checked all the cylinders and pipes and cant see any signs of a leak, the fluid tank was empty so ive filled that up, just gonna keep an eye on it over the next few days and see if it keeps its level

[murran]

if the little reservoir is empty then the fluids gone somewhere. your sure youve not got a leak?

has your "pedal" returned with a few pumps, now youve topped it up? if its taken in air then it'll need bleeding up.

[Jeroen]

Aaand please note that if the slave is leaking, it's leaking inside the bell housing which usually doesn't show from the outside...

[murran]

^^^ if thats the case then it might be dripping out of the bottom of the bell housing, might have picked up some black clutch dust on its way to dripping out. so might look like an oil leak from this location.....

[drjim]

And if the master is leaking it drips down behind the pedal and soaks into your carpet.

Just because you can't see the leak doesn't mean it isn't there!!

[rossco]

yup pedal went back to normal with a couple of pumps and the level still hasnt dropped yet

[e21-Mark]

My old 316 would do the same thing. I'd top it up, pump the pedal and all would be well again - for a couple of days anyway. As Murran said, if the resevoir was empty the fluid has gone somewhere. I'll have a tenner on leaking slave cylinder.