Weird clutch issue

[Triumph Man]

I suspect hydraulics but another opinion is always welcome…

Got an issue where if you’re sat with your foot on the clutch in gear waiting to pull away for an extended period of time (greater than 30 seconds) the bite is then really low, and if you release and then immediately re depress the clutch it feels really spongy.

If you only use the clutch briefly, ie for normal gear changing and setting off, it’s fine.

It had a slave cylinder last year but no reason why that might have failed again of course. No obvious fluid loss.

Car is a 1995 5 series

[Sebring440]

Triumph Man said:

Car is a 1995 5 series

5-series what?

Triumph? These really old Triumph 5-series were notorious for their clutch-delay valve. Get rid!

[hedges88]

Sebring440 said:

5-series what?

Triumph? These really old Triumph 5-series were notorious for their clutch-delay valve. Get rid!

My money's on an E34 BMW?

I guess roadworthy examples paired with a manual box are few in number!

edit: the username! only just noticed. Solves that

Edited by hedges88 on Tuesday 7th May 23:55

[GreenV8S]

If the clutch is sinking under pressure then either the master or slave cylinders are leaking.

A leak in the slave cylinder would cause fluid loss. If you aren't losing fluid, the leak must be in the master.

[Triumph Man]

Sebring440 said:

Triumph Man said:

Car is a 1995 5 series

5-series what?

Triumph? These really old Triumph 5-series were notorious for their clutch-delay valve. Get rid!

E34 520i - I was trying not to fall into the trap of using the E number and then getting abuse for it. And yes, I used to have a Triumph

[Triumph Man]

Well finally got round to it - master replaced easily enough, pressure bled it. Seemed fine. Return from having a swim and tried the pedal, where it went spongey. Pressure bled it again and.... popped the slave! Must have been marginal, so new slave to be ordered and fitted.

[MikeM6]

Triumph Man said:

E34 520i - I was trying not to fall into the trap of using the E number and then getting abuse for it. And yes, I used to have a Triumph

If someone gives abuse for using the model code for a car, their opinion isn't really worth paying attention to.

[Cliftonite]

Depressing a clutch pedal for more than a few seconds, let alone more than 30 (!) is an extremely bad practice, surely?

[Smint]

MikeM6 said:

If someone gives abuse for using the model code for a car, their opinion isn't really worth paying attention to.

quite