Gear linkage maintenance

[steve_earwig]

I think Matt meant use a big screwdriver to separate ball from cup

[Captain Jack]

Oh... what's number 5 then?

[steve_earwig]

How to get the cup back on the ball?

[Captain Jack]

I just pushed it back on with my thumb

[steve_earwig]

I don't remember them being a problem either

[mjb]

mine were very tight. no yellow cap on mine wither

[Captain Jack]

What a pain in the arse bleeding the clutch was. Removed the bleed nipple cover, which immediately got lost in the ether. Attached the bleeding kit, loosened the nut and the clutch went straight to the floor. Matt, I see what you mean about the stupid reservoir with the tube coming out of the side. So I pumped the clutch until the new fluid came out, but was really tricky because of the aforementioned reservoir problem. The car was jacked up as high as it would go on n/s. Anyway, managed to get the new fluid out (I think) and without too many air bubbles and tightened everything up, but not before spilling hydraulic fluid all over the engine bay.

Back in the car. Pumped the clutch pedal about 1000 times to get the stiffness back in the pedal and all seemed OK.

This morning the clutch pedal was half way to the floor again, which I had to pump to bring it back up! I am guessing I either didn't do it properly or there's still air in the system (likely).

Dunno what to do now, so I'll just book it in to the garage.

[STALLED]

There are two types of linkage!

They had modified the design later on - The replacements I got for mine were different to the originals which were on the car and they are a much better design. The originals are pretty dodgy - too exposed which enables the rubber to harden and eventually perish - I learnt the heard way and had to get the car on the back of a flatbed when one of them popped off!

Replace them - Cheap part, only cost me $120 AUD for the whole set from memory and the shift quality is SO much better!

[steve_earwig]

Hey there Joel, how's it going?

Is this rods or cables?

[Captain Jack]

They are rods on mine.

[steve_earwig]

On an HDi?

[Captain Jack]

Well, the certainly look like rods at the gearbox end....

[mjb]

This morning the clutch pedal was half way to the floor again, which I had to pump to bring it back up!

If it's air in the works, the pedal should stay at the top, but the bite point will be really low. If you've not got a leak my money's on a worn seal inside a cylinder, unfortunately I have no idea which one it would be. The slave cylinder is only about £20 from the dealers (cheaper than factors! ) so I'd suggest replacing that as it's cheap and easy. Just push in (hard - use something like a breaker bar to lever it) and turn anticlockwise (may be hard - use mole grips on the old one) to release after unclipping the hydraulic pipe

The master will be messier to change

As for the reservoir, I found it necessary to jack up the n/s, fill to the brim AND manhandle the reservoir to get rid of the air pocket which gets trapped inside it

[Captain Jack]

If it's air in the works, the pedal should stay at the top, but the bite point will be really low.

The biting point is low if the pedal is half way through its travel. Was travelling for 2 hours from London today on motorway and didn't touch the clutch in that time. By the time I had to use it, it had sunk half way again. Still disengages and engages gears fine though...

If you've not got a leak my money's on a worn seal inside a cylinder, unfortunately I have no idea which one it would be.

I haven't seen any leaks from either cylinder, but, like you said before, it could have just evaporated.

Anyway, I don't feel like pissing about with it again, so it's going into my local independent next week. He can replace both cylinders if he wants (in fact I'd feel much happier if he did, even if there's nothing wrong with either of them). He'll also take a look at the gear linkages. And my service spanner is flashing for service too

And I have NO money....

[STALLED]

Hey there Joel, how's it going?

Is this rods or cables?

Rods - This is on a XU10 mated to a BE3!

Oh and I'm going fine...just back at uni so been super busy!