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my clutch is sticking down occasionally and quite sticky a lot of the time.
doesn't seem to be related to whether it's just started up, or done a few miles and warmed up.
haven't investigated anything yet, apart form simple spring bit inside cab; it's not that.
go-on, tell me it's gonna be new clutch time ... or don't !
2001 fiat scudo with about 240 000km on the clock.
can't remember if previous owner said clutch has been done yet.
Bleed the clutch?
Over centre spring on the pedal arm? That is what is holding the pedal down. This is because there is either a leak, air in the system or perhaps the clutch isn't pushing back hard enough any more which is unlikely if it isn't slipping. Start with checking for leaks then try a bleed.
Do the creep test - flat ground in first handbrake off engine running clutch pedal down. Hold it down for 30 seconds. If it tries to drive off them there is a leak somewhere.
If it's anything like the Fiat Panda, then it'll be a failing clutch master cylinder.
Replace the master cylinder and your clutch will be fine.**
**I discovered with my mum's Panda of roughly the same vintage that this is not an uncommon problem.
Take the cap off the hydraulic fluid reservoir, pump the clutch for a couple of minutes to let the air bubble to the top. If there's any air in there it can cause the clutch to stick down. Although if that's the problem it's worth finding out why there's air in there.
My Land Rover used to destroy clutch master cylinders for fun and those were exactly the symptoms after I fitted a spring-assisted pedal off a Defender. Luckily on those, changing both master and slave cyclinders was easy.
ok thanks everyone.
just need to get my head around what you're all saying a bit, having never worked on a clutch and i'll see how i get on.
i think over-centre spring on the pedal arm is what i changed, by the sound of it.
according to my (french) manual, the clutch is cable operated, ie between pedal and clutch mechanism?
this means it's not hydraulic right? = no master cylinder, no hydraluic fluid, reservoir etc.?
i could be easily persuaded that what i'm experiencing is due to a 'knotted' cable. mind you it is intermitent, which i don't think a cable would be.
Its cable
Get the front end up in the air on stands or a ramp- not a jack.....
Look up at the gear box pretty much directly behind the where the front fog light would be on the drivers side if its euro set up.
You will see an arm sticking out with the cable going in.- release the cable from it and see if its sticky by hand, the leverage and force put into the pedl meant i never really noticed it being sticky with the pedal.
Mines had rubbed through on an attachment to the bulkhead and was jamming the inner , worked 90 times out of 100 or there abouts,
Easy swap, highly recomend getting an oem from the dealer over getting a pattern part, although the real deals a bit tougher to fit/get through the bulkhead.
You can move the arm in the box back and forth but it needs a hella force to do so, i stuck molgrips on mine when testing it.
Release bearings go on these as well ' making a howling racket when you sit at idle - goes away if you rest your foot into the slack at the top of the clutch,
bloody smart trail_rat. thanks
i love this forum. whatever i ask i get answered!
: )