Clutch fluid recommendation?

[Juddder]

What's everyone using for Clutch Fluid replacement these days?

I found a thread from 2007 which recommends sticking with DOT 4 but not sure if in the 18 years since there are better recommendations or better fluids to use?

Had my clutch go very short on me on the way to the garage for it's MOT early this morning, but it got better throughout the day according to the garage so sounds like the fluid needs changing.

The great news is that it passed it's MOT (had to fix the brake light switch and get them to replace an inner and outer CV boot, but I can live with that) so it deserves some nice new liquids and I can't remember the last time the clutch fluid was changed...

Also, does anyone know how many litres of fluid you need to replace the fluid in the master cylinder?

Thanks!

Edited by Juddder on Friday 5th September 17:31

[P_Cerbs]

Hi Judder, good to hear on your MOT, this might help in terms of your issue. Your probably encountering heat soak and effects of old fluid at same time.

Probably best to;

- refresh fluid (capacity is approx 150ml or 250ml or there, thereabouts, from memory), good to flush thru to help remove any contamination, etc, 5.1 has more temp resistance but TVR recommend dot4 afaik SAE J1703

- replace lines, especially if they are suspect as can be bellowing internally causing momentary pressure drop. I would personally heat sleeve, plus if it ever leaks will help move any fluid well away from the manifold areas.

- master cylinder, check to see it’s not damp, that there isn’t any fluid in the rubber boot by back of pedal box, can get a slow seep which again can cause intermittent issue

- if still no resolve, check, no drip underneath - dreaded slave (very best here that it isn’t), also, that there’s no subtle change in sound when clutch pedal is pressed / not pressed

Hope it’s easily sorted thru fluid / sleeve, and also, the bleeding nipple is in two piece, one part threaded in needs to be held with the actual nipple being a tiny size of spanner threaded in at the end undone, it’s really worth using WD40 or similar/better if hasn’t been opened in a while.

I use aquarium clear line into a jar (taped around so can’t drop out), held over the nipple with a zip tie, then with helper at pedal, open nipple, pedal down and hold, close nut, rinse repeat, there’s probably better ways. Also, I would cover the manifold area, and protect wing areas, etc!

HTH, cheers

(Also, the level in the reservoir, I think two pumps and the level drops near the outlet into the cylinder!)

Edited by P_Cerbs on Saturday 6th September 14:31

Edited by P_Cerbs on Saturday 6th September 14:45

[Juddder]

P_Cerbs said:

I use aquarium clear line into a jar (taped around so can’t drop out), held over the nipple with a zip tie, then with helper at pedal, open nipple, pedal down and hold, close nut, rinse repeat, there’s probably better ways. Also, I would cover the manifold area, and protect wing areas, etc!

That's fantastic advice - many thanks @P_Cerbs!

I went looking this afternoon and I believe this is the bleed nipple which has two nuts at the bottom and what looks like a tiny upper part that can be turned with a spanner to allow the fluid to come out (*if I am understanding it correctly?)

I've covered that in RustOff for a good soaking so hopefully that should free it up, and then have a fresh 1L of Mobile Dot 4 ready to go tomorrow to try and replace all of the liquid and then just bleed it through

From looking beneath the black knee guard type cover, it looks incredible tight in there so not sure how you get in and replace any of the pipes, but I'm sure in true TVR way there is some not very easy way to do it (remove wheel, hang upside down in drivers' foot well, put battery in wheel arch (*learnt that this is the case for a Tuscan only today!!) etc.)

Many thanks again

Alex

[P_Cerbs]

Hi there Alex, that’s greatly appreciated, please no worries, yeah that’s it, the nipple end allows for the circuit to be flushed thru/bled, apologies this is late but on checking a 1/4” ring spanner should fit, please check of course - if you haven’t yet carried out

The SP6 sounds must be worth all efforts, ,genuinely I hadn’t realised there! Had a quick look and Powers have the lines, if you do need to replace, you could try TVRSSW, Motoclan, etc. The feed from master cylinder to slave cylinder is towards the windscreen, forward of that panel, both join the bell housing (drivers side / top)

https://www.powersperformance.co.uk/store/slug/clu...

https://www.powersperformance.co.uk/store/slug/clu...


Hope that helps in any case and that all goes well, cheers