Help needed please - Transit clutch problem
Discussion
Can anyone help me , I have a Ford transit van 2010 , I had the clutch pedal deflated right to the floor, the fluid leaked out all over the floor, called the AA out, they diagnosed the problem as the master clutch cylinder , they put my van on the big truck and took it to a Halfords garage, the Halfords garage have had my van for just under 4 wks, I telephoned the garage and complained, they the rang me back saying the cost of the repair could be £1000 + as I may need a new clutch , I don’t know but, I thought the clutch master cylinder didn’t effect the actual clutch can anyone help me with this as the cost to replace a master clutch cylinder is £191.00 with 12 month warranty and clutch fluid
The only advice I can suggest is that you ask them why do they think it needs a new clutch.
Given the symptoms you describe, it does not sound like it needs a clutch at all.
Also, given that changing the master cylinder and fluid is a completely separate job to changing the clutch, I would ask them to change the master cylinder and fluid as you know that needs doing and then review if it needs a clutch as well.
Given the symptoms you describe, it does not sound like it needs a clutch at all.
Also, given that changing the master cylinder and fluid is a completely separate job to changing the clutch, I would ask them to change the master cylinder and fluid as you know that needs doing and then review if it needs a clutch as well.
For the initial problem where you say fluid leaked out, and leaked out on the floor...is presumably inside where sometimes a master cylinder can be located. Then you would be correct, this is largely separate from the clutch inside the gearbox.
I would love to hear their explanation to you of exactly why it needs a clutch and if they are in any way competent they should be able to explain this.
I would love to hear their explanation to you of exactly why it needs a clutch and if they are in any way competent they should be able to explain this.
Hi thank you for your reply, the garage telephoned me and said they need to remove the gear box to make there assessment, they have spoken to the AA and have said I am not covered for that and I will need to pay £300 and they need my permission to carry out the assessment, I feel as though I am being stitched up for making a complaint, I have spoken to three separate mechanics and all of them have said the master clutch cylinder has nothing to do with the gearbox, all I can do now is arrange my vehicle to be picked up and taken to another garage
When you say it leaked onto the floor,do you mean the floor of the cabin, or the floor under the van?
If leaking inside, it's almost certainly the master cylinder. Should be a relatively straightforward fix.
If under the van, around the middle of the engine bay, it could be the slave cylinder at the other end of the hydraulic circuit. I believe these Transits have a concentric slave setup, inside the gearbox, has to be dismantled to replace.
In which case, doing a clutch while you're already in there is often advisable.
But find someone cheaper.
If leaking inside, it's almost certainly the master cylinder. Should be a relatively straightforward fix.
If under the van, around the middle of the engine bay, it could be the slave cylinder at the other end of the hydraulic circuit. I believe these Transits have a concentric slave setup, inside the gearbox, has to be dismantled to replace.
In which case, doing a clutch while you're already in there is often advisable.
But find someone cheaper.
Olivergt said:
The only advice I can suggest is that you ask them why do they think it needs a new clutch.
Given the symptoms you describe, it does not sound like it needs a clutch at all.
Also, given that changing the master cylinder and fluid is a completely separate job to changing the clutch, I would ask them to change the master cylinder and fluid as you know that needs doing and then review if it needs a clutch as well.
This. The leak could be anywhere between the master and the slave cylinder - but, yes, a clutch replacement is a completely separate issue.Given the symptoms you describe, it does not sound like it needs a clutch at all.
Also, given that changing the master cylinder and fluid is a completely separate job to changing the clutch, I would ask them to change the master cylinder and fluid as you know that needs doing and then review if it needs a clutch as well.
Thank you all for your advice and input, the fluid leaked under the van right next to the drivers side wheel, when the AA mechanic looked under the bonnet he said straight away it was the master clutch cylinder and pointed to just below the white fluid bottle , it was nowhere near the gearbox, the Halfords garage have made there diagnosis without even putting the van on the ramps, and to say I need a new clutch as well without the gearbox being removed that’s some mechanic, he can see through a gear box and see with his X-ray vision the clutch needs replacing, upto now the garage has cost me £2,700 loss of earnings and £107.00 to have my van picked back up by the AA and taken to another garage, never again will I be dealing with Halfords garages and I hope anyone reading my posts will steer clear of them also
has this "halfords garage" actually done any work ?
Have they replaced the master or done any diagnosis ? Just because a vehicle is not on a ramp doesn't mean much. And yes very often a clutch can be diagnosed without removing the gearbox.
It all sounds a bit fishy....but there will also be the aspect of Chinese whispers by the time it gets here too.
Even a roadside AA assessment can very well be wrong. Although as always the hardest thing just seems to be finding a reputable and competent garage.
I would say that it would be rather odd for a master cylinder to fail...and actually leak. Unless some part of it has broken which again would perhaps not be the master itself, but some pipe/reservoir etc.
If your van is livelihood, then right from the word go you need to have someone you can trust maintaining it and available to repair it. Going to random garages in an emergency is rarely going to end well.
And/or have a spare van as a backup...because hiring vans gets even more expensive.
Have they replaced the master or done any diagnosis ? Just because a vehicle is not on a ramp doesn't mean much. And yes very often a clutch can be diagnosed without removing the gearbox.
It all sounds a bit fishy....but there will also be the aspect of Chinese whispers by the time it gets here too.
Even a roadside AA assessment can very well be wrong. Although as always the hardest thing just seems to be finding a reputable and competent garage.
I would say that it would be rather odd for a master cylinder to fail...and actually leak. Unless some part of it has broken which again would perhaps not be the master itself, but some pipe/reservoir etc.
If your van is livelihood, then right from the word go you need to have someone you can trust maintaining it and available to repair it. Going to random garages in an emergency is rarely going to end well.
And/or have a spare van as a backup...because hiring vans gets even more expensive.
Hi thank you for your reply, firstly I have parts and garage cover with the AA, they have garages they deal with, and I agree you can see if a clutch needs replacing without removing the gear box but I believe you need a clutch pedal to diagnose the clutch for slipping or gear selection but when you have no clutch pedal then how do you know it needs a new clutch, I now have my van going to another garage I have used for many years , they don’t deal through the AA but they will do a full diagnostics and give me a printed out result, if it is proven that it is the master clutch cylinder and nothing to do with the clutch or the master slave cylinder I will then take it further, but I do know that when the AA mechanic showed me the clutch master cylinder he showed me the fluid leaking from it, garages should check and see the bigger picture before making a diagnosis looking at what I have been shown , they have no need to remove the gearbox and charge me for it when the problem can be clearly seen , and for them to say we need to be sure it is only the master clutch cylinder and not the save cylinder or the clutch and the AA expects a full diagnosis then that’s totally unexceptable , putting unnecessary cost onto me just to be sure is ridiculous, if they changed the clutch master cylinder first and it never resolved the problem well then great then look at another solution, but if it was the master cylinder then job done loads of time and money saved
Clutch issues are found by physical inspection of the clutch components after problems are reported. Requires removal of clutch so separation of engine & box.
Same with clutch slave & master cylinder issues. They need physical examination. If the slave cylinder is concentric then that requires separation of the engine & gearbox.
FWIW being old the majority of my cars that had hydraulically operated clutch mechanisms have had slave cylinders bolted to the side of the gearbox & operated the clutch via a pushrod acting on a lever.
These have always been a piece of piss to inspect & replace.
I'm sure there must be advantages to the concentrics but when I think of the amount of work involved I'm hard pushed to think of any.
In your position with an obviously leaking master cylinder I'd start by replacing that & take it from there.
BUT due to the amount of work involved if you do have to separate engine & box it does often make sense to fit a new clutch while you're at it.
As your vehicle is 12 years old unless it has had a recent clutch then if it did need to come apart it would make no sense not to replace it.
Same with clutch slave & master cylinder issues. They need physical examination. If the slave cylinder is concentric then that requires separation of the engine & gearbox.
FWIW being old the majority of my cars that had hydraulically operated clutch mechanisms have had slave cylinders bolted to the side of the gearbox & operated the clutch via a pushrod acting on a lever.
These have always been a piece of piss to inspect & replace.
I'm sure there must be advantages to the concentrics but when I think of the amount of work involved I'm hard pushed to think of any.
In your position with an obviously leaking master cylinder I'd start by replacing that & take it from there.
BUT due to the amount of work involved if you do have to separate engine & box it does often make sense to fit a new clutch while you're at it.
As your vehicle is 12 years old unless it has had a recent clutch then if it did need to come apart it would make no sense not to replace it.
Edited by paintman on Friday 22 April 19:33
I totally agree with you about the clutch but, I have not long had the clutch replaced, I know my clutch is ok , but thank you for agreeing with me on fixing the problem it was brought in for first before doing anything else, why they want to make work for themselves is beyond me, there is a method in the madness I’m sure
Often it isn't even that Gazza....
It's just downright dirty b
ds. They will charge for the work, but as it doesn't actually need done they make money on both counts. Big bill, no parts or labour wasted as it's all just a huge bonus for them
End result is the vehicle [mi]may[/i] still get fixed but the end payer will be none the wiser as to whether the work was done in the first place when all it may have needed was a master cylinder.
So far from what has been said so far, it does seem rather unlikely it needs anything other than a master cylinder and you would struggle to believe any diagnosis if this has not been replaced, or at least an plausible explanation given as to why it may need more.
It's just downright dirty b
ds. They will charge for the work, but as it doesn't actually need done they make money on both counts. Big bill, no parts or labour wasted as it's all just a huge bonus for themEnd result is the vehicle [mi]may[/i] still get fixed but the end payer will be none the wiser as to whether the work was done in the first place when all it may have needed was a master cylinder.
So far from what has been said so far, it does seem rather unlikely it needs anything other than a master cylinder and you would struggle to believe any diagnosis if this has not been replaced, or at least an plausible explanation given as to why it may need more.
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