Quick question, cheeky Alfa for your time

"4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30" (4muddyfeet) 06/29/2014 at 20:39 • Filed to: no oil leak, no oil!

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The Defenders clutch pedal has started staying down further day by day for the last week, making the throw to disengage shorter. I can pull the pedal back up to normal position with my foot, but it makes no difference when I change gear again. I'm almost at the point of removing the footwell soundproofing and mats as I'm having to mash the pedal right down to make a gear change. Car pulls off from a standstill in third gear no probs, and clutch bites fine (no revving over when clutch is engaged and moving through the gears). What could it be? Can clutch cables slip?

Brian Silvestro > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 20:40

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It sounds like something is coming loose.

(I know nothing about mechanics and just came here for the Alfa)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Brian Silvestro 06/29/2014 at 20:42

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It's a Landrover, all the bits come loose as standard

DoYouEvenShift > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 20:48

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Dont know what that alfa is, but it looks like something from Dr Seuss.

Anyway..Can you adjust the tension on the cable somehow?

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > DoYouEvenShift 06/29/2014 at 20:53

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1952 Disco Volante. I imagine it goes 'PAAAAARRRRPPapapapapaaaa!'

Not sure, I had a very quick look to see if/where the cable comes out and couldn't see anything that peaked my interest. I was kinda hoping it's a cable setup like on a bike, one nut with cable friction device...

desertdog5051 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 20:55

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Hydraulic clutch? Master and slave cylinders need replacing or rebuilding.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > desertdog5051 06/29/2014 at 21:00

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A quick google says yes. Master and slave for my model comes to £43 for genuine parts, any idea how much of a job it is?

Brian Silvestro > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 21:03

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Well at least I'm on track!

Good luck.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 21:04

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I've done loads of masters and slaves on defenders. I always do them in pairs, they have a tendency to fail in tandem. Bleeding the system is a royal bitch. The slave isn't too bad to replace. The master is a bitch as you need to remove the whole mounting assembly. Also watch out for a leaking hose.

Slave2anMG > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 21:05

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A friend went thru this recently with his '81 RX-7...wasn't losing fluid but he was not able to get the clutch to disengage after a few days of what you're describing. It was the clutch master; he went ahead and did both master and slave.

desertdog5051 > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 21:07

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Don't know on a LR. But I have done a couple on American cars and trucks and it was not hard at all.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 06/29/2014 at 21:13

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Possibility that it's just a leaking hose. I'm researching replacing the cylinders anyway, but this is an ex-MOD machine which tends to mean that if it has been leaking and/or showing any signs of corrosion it would've been replaced immediatly. It's 2AM here though so can't check now!

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Slave2anMG 06/29/2014 at 21:14

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I think that's looking like the fix. Will have to have a good look underneath tomorrow to see what I'm up against

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 06/29/2014 at 21:16

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Also there's no fluid in the footwell which is a common indicator that it's not the master cylinder leaking, so i'm looking at slave and pipe. Cheers

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 06/29/2014 at 21:41

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You will need to check the fluid level of course. Masters can leak internally and cause what you are experiencing. Depending on use, I've seen some defenders get new masters and slaves multiple times in a years, so if they've been replaced it wouldn't necessarily mean they're good right now.

I've spent the better part of an hour trying to bleed these. Make sure you mount the bleeder in the up position on the slave if you replace it, otherwise you will never get it to bleed. When you do get around to bleeding, I suggest getting meter long section of vacuum hose, cracking open the bleeder, connecting the hose to the bleeder, then submerging the other end of the hose into the filled master, after that just pump the peddle by hand a couple thousand times. Close the bleeder, press the peddle as far as you can and if it fully returns up then it is bled.