I NEED HELP FAST!
Discussion
Driving in my 91 Lotus SE tonight....Not pushing the car at all......All of a sudden the Clutch becomes stiff to the point of not moving....I pushed harder with my foot,and then it went all the way to the floor....Loose...No pressure what so ever...Clutch inactive...I open the bonnett and notice the Fluid gone....I fill it up.....Nothing....Fluid leaks out quickly....I do believe i have the stainless line...What kind of problem am i looking at?
Also on a sidenote,the electronics went wacky!!! The battery seemed much weaker..I think....Any help is appreciated.
Also on a sidenote,the electronics went wacky!!! The battery seemed much weaker..I think....Any help is appreciated.
You have either blown the seal out of the master or slave cyl. To loose that much fluid since you did not mention all kinds of fluid in the bottom of the front compartment it may have been the slave. I hope your clutch fork is not stuck and moves freely. I have heard of a few people blowing out a weak seal because of pressing too hard on the pedal. I assume the car is now parked in a garage. Fill the fluid up and pump the pedal find out where the fuild is spilling out from. Front pooling under the master Cyl. or the slave mounted on tranny bell housing just inside of the right rear tire. If it's here it should be dripping on the floor or spraying around the the bell housing.
Calvin
Calvin
You got tools?
If you have a hydralic jack put it under the tranny cradle and lift car. The V or U part that can be seen at the rear holding the tranny. DO NOT USE JACK ON TRANSMISSION. If you only have the jack that came with the car located up front. use at the rear jackpoint (a metal plate with a hole just forward of the right rear tire well). Remove the right rear tire and set the brake disc down on a jack stand to get the jack out of the way so you can work on the car safely. Do not crawl under the car with it just on the jack. The OEM jack and others have been know to slip. Once you are down there take a flash light and light up the area. see where the leak is comming from. Is it from the SS hose crush washer? Is it from the bleeder nipple? Is it from the rubber dust cap on the end where the push rod comes out of? If it is the last item you will need to rebuild or replace the slave cyl. It is not something you can get where you live. You will not be able to order it till Monday and you can overnight or take 3-4 day ground to get it to you. not real expensive and a easy repair unless someone put in fluid that is other than Castrol LMA in the resivior the master could go out later in the future. I can't imagine a Lotus shop doing that though because they all know that the Girling seals use a particular natural rubber that does not react well with some brands of hydralic fluid and cause them to soften the seal rubber and prematurely fail. Tell me where the fluid is comming from.
Calvin
If you have a hydralic jack put it under the tranny cradle and lift car. The V or U part that can be seen at the rear holding the tranny. DO NOT USE JACK ON TRANSMISSION. If you only have the jack that came with the car located up front. use at the rear jackpoint (a metal plate with a hole just forward of the right rear tire well). Remove the right rear tire and set the brake disc down on a jack stand to get the jack out of the way so you can work on the car safely. Do not crawl under the car with it just on the jack. The OEM jack and others have been know to slip. Once you are down there take a flash light and light up the area. see where the leak is comming from. Is it from the SS hose crush washer? Is it from the bleeder nipple? Is it from the rubber dust cap on the end where the push rod comes out of? If it is the last item you will need to rebuild or replace the slave cyl. It is not something you can get where you live. You will not be able to order it till Monday and you can overnight or take 3-4 day ground to get it to you. not real expensive and a easy repair unless someone put in fluid that is other than Castrol LMA in the resivior the master could go out later in the future. I can't imagine a Lotus shop doing that though because they all know that the Girling seals use a particular natural rubber that does not react well with some brands of hydralic fluid and cause them to soften the seal rubber and prematurely fail. Tell me where the fluid is comming from.
Calvin
Take a flash light look directrly under the master cyl under the bonnet do you see fluid there?
Check the drivers interior footwell look at the pedal box where the rod from the pedal goes to the wall any seepage there? Check for fluid from the hose fittings under the bonnet.
Check the hose for a rupture.
Send more details. This may mean a trip under the car to find the leak.
Calvin
Check the drivers interior footwell look at the pedal box where the rod from the pedal goes to the wall any seepage there? Check for fluid from the hose fittings under the bonnet.
Check the hose for a rupture.
Send more details. This may mean a trip under the car to find the leak.
Calvin
Had the same problem happen to me last week. It turned out to be the braided line had burst due to abrasion at one of the points where it was tied to the chassis. That galvanized steel ate rite through the braids. If your problem turns out to be the braided line, I highly reccomend insulating the line where you tie it to the chassis with pieces of thick rubber hose or the like. While under the car I went ahead and replaced the slave cylinder also which is not very expensive. I am now trying to find a rebuild kit for the master cylinder. I have no intention of being stuck on the side of the road again because of clutch hydrolics.
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