Changing brake fluid - affect clutch performance?

[RalphyBMW]

As per title really, if you overheat your brake fluid, will this have an impact on clutch performance?

I am really trying to find a reason for the difficult downchanges experienced when pressing on; driving gently it is generally fine but when you try to rush it things don't go so well.

Cheers in advance!

 

[Foxspeed]

i wouldnt think so as its only taken off the top part of the brake fluid reservoir

would more likely be the gearbox its self - has the oil been changed?

might be a worthwhile up grade to fully synthetic

clutch release bearings have been known to "give-up" but you usually get a really soft pedal and fluid loss first...

 

[RalphyBMW]

Cheers, changed the gearbox oil to fully syn a couple of months ago. I have a TL4024 to go in, but not a job anyone looks forward to. Still, if we have to drop the subframe again I guess we might as well do that at the same time.

What else do you reckon we should be doing if we do change the box? Presumably clutch release bearing, possibly clutch, change oil in replacement box before fitting, anything else obvious?

 

[ben_r1]

depending on mileage i'd be tempted to change the rear crank seal seeing as its right there. driveshaft seals too, only cost a fiver each.

 

[mdking]

I have had this in my last 197.

If you slowly and lightly press the clutch pedal, does it move without any resistance?

 

[RalphyBMW]

Not sure, will try next time I use the car. What was the upshot?

Ben - cheers, will look into those seals.

 

[mitch]

I felt a slight improvement in gear changes after changing brakes fluid last yr. Brakes were pretty spongy beforehanfmd

 

[mdking]

Reason for that in my old 197 was a faulty slave cylinder.

I found it harder to change gears when driving hard. But just driving around it was ok.

 

[RalphyBMW]

Interesting, presumably the 'box needs to come out to change this though?

 

[mdking]

You can test it just with the car running.

If you do press slowly with little resistance and it the clutch pedal travels quite a lot. Then it could be the cyclinder.

If it is, it would be a gearbox out job

 

[Foxspeed]

Interesting, presumably the 'box needs to come out to change this though?

yeh box out job - concentric slave cylinder - as it fits over the input shaft

 

[sideways danny]

I'd advise to be very cautious of anything to do with the clutch fluid. It can be very very fussy and difficult to bleed, as there's no actual bleed nipple.

 

[RalphyBMW]

I seem to recall someone telling me that you need a special tool to bleed the clutch after replacement?

 

[mitch]

I'd advise to be very cautious of anything to do with the clutch fluid. It can be very very fussy and difficult to bleed, as there's no actual bleed nipple.

I can vouch for that - such a fiddly job. Lots of rag needed! I removed the air intake pipe to get my hands in too. Still lost a lot of skin

 

[tchalikias]

I remember a Renault tech telling me that on ESP equipped vehicles replacing the clutch/brake fluid also requires hookup to the CLIP diagnostic computer, something to do with the ABS pump needing to be reset.. I don't remember the exact details, but I can ask.