SWARTBERGPAS 1 CLUTCH 0

[van niekerk]

HI
HAD A VERY NASTY EXPERIENCE THIS DECEMBER UP THE SWARTBERGPAS. ABOUT 1KM UP FROM OUDTSHOORN SIDE THE CLUTCH HYDRAULICS COMPLETELY FAILED. NOT EVEN A HINT OF RELEASING. MADE TO PRINCE ALBERT ON A PRAYER AND CONSTANT INSTRUCTIONS FROM SWAMBO. AT PRINCE ALBERT THE LOCAL MECH JUST BLEED THE SISTYM RELEASING SOME AIR BUBBLES AND SINCE THEN WORKING, BUT NOT TO MY SATISFACTION.

Q. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN THE OIL BOIL INSIDE THE SLAVE CILYNDER THUS CAUSING THE AIR IN THE SYSTEM. OR IS THERE ANOTHER EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THE AIR GOT IN THE SYSTEM.

WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS ON THE FORUM BEFORE BOOKING THE PATROL IN FOR REPAIRS.
OR IF SOME ONE CAN ADVISE ME TO A GOOD CLUTCHMAN SOMEWHERE IN CAPE TOWN THAT CAN BE TRUSTED.

THANKS
JANTIE

[David]

I can't see that the clutch slave cylinder can ever make the 'brake-fluid' boil even if you pump the clutch continuously!
I would rather suspect a leak.

[Peter Connan]

Hi Jantie

I would agree with david, except for the fact that the slave cylinder is very close to the exhaust, and if a custom exhaust has been fitted and they omitted the heat shield then there may be a slight possibility. Howeever the prime suspect here has to be the master cylinder leaking.

Cheers
Peter

[Kagiso II]

as ekke nou vi jelle lieg issit omdat anner ou vi my gelieg het --- if i remember correctly, some years ago, many moons ago, jarrrre gelede, an omie with a Tyotta had exactly that problem in the Richtersveldt. He was stuck in Helskloof on the way to De Koe - we were stuck behind him because there was no place to pass him - it was then that a older omie came along and helped to bleed the system - His explanation for this phenomenon was that the omie with the tyotta must have had topped up his brake fluid with different spec brake fluid [wsometing like he addes midas cheap stuff to the dot.4 that was in his system [or something to that effect - this was in 1998, [Toe ek nog lonk en mooi was ]

[Mammoth]

Hi Guys

I had a simmilar experience a year or 2 ago while towing up the Tlaeng Pass in Lesotho. Once I got to the top and wanted to depress the clutch to change gears, the clutch was gone, missing! looking down I found it dangling loose without any spring/pressure and got quit a freignt being in the middle of nowhere.

I got out to inspect underneath but could not find anything, and by the time I got back in the car the clutch was right back to where it was supposed to be. Quite strange I thought and got in, depressed the clutch and we drove off as if nothing happened.

Spoke to some guys who suggested that it could be due to the heat generated by the exhaust close to the slave sylinder.

Funny enough... it never again happened but I haven't really been towing in and around any mentionable passes after that.

Just thought I'd share this....

[van niekerk]

hi
my conditions was the same as mammoth very very hot and the asbestos rope around he exhaust was sort of dissapearing. like i said if it was only the heat from the exhaust causing this i will only replace the heat shield. there is no oil leaking from the master cylinder. i also let the car idle in first gear keeping the clutch in as to see if it releases on its own try ruling out the mastercylinder seals bypassing oil.

it happened on the same trip again also the same conditions, very hot but luckily this was a level road with almost no traffic.
so i just wait a while start up and carry on.

unfortunately no-one want to confirm my suspicion that the exhaust caused the overheating of the oil.
after this incident i am forced to die the grey out of me hair.

j

[Herrie]

Is the heatshieldon the slave cylinder still in place? If not, maybe you should make one up.

[tour de frans]

Ek stem met Peter,Hitte by die slave.Ook soos Herrie se ,heat shield.Die brakefluid kook van die hitte,veral as jy stadig ry en hard werk.
Indien dit weer gebeur en niemand kan die clutch bloei nie,wag so bietjie om af te koel en hou net aan om die clutch te pomp.Hy kom 9 uit 10 weer reg.
Groete

[David]

Is this true?

brake.png (407.94 KiB) Viewed 2712 times

Is the brake fluid reservoir on the exhaust side for the 4.5?
My old Safari 2.8 and the new 4.8 have the master cylinder directly in front of the driver (intake side) which is much cooler. If this is the case I would really expect some heat issues!

[tour de frans]

The problem if I could call it one,is not on top,its at the bottom,were the exhaust front pipe run pass the slave cylinder.