Bleeding the Clutch

[Chillidoggy]

How long is the one you have?

[eeyoreish]

How long is the one you have?

 

It's back on the car at the moment so I was planning to remove it and measure at the weekend.

 

Be good to know beforehand what it should be then I can decide what to do on the day and hopefully get everything back together and adjusted 'correctly'...

[CarBuff]

I question whether you need to measure the pushrod. As mentioned, there are other variables (tolerance buildups, machined/thinner flywheels, etc).   So the actual length MAY not mean a whole lot.

 

 

It's been a LONG time since I messed with my Esprit's slave,

 

But, my Rule-of-Thumb is to make sure the slave pushrod can be turned/spun by hand. Not rattly-loose, but just so that in the static position, it is all the way out, not pushing hard on the clutch fork.

 

 

Keep the adjustment in spec.

 

 

One watchpoint:  On one Esprit (a G-car, Citroen trans) I found a loose pushrod.  It looked as it it had not been lubricated...the clutch end looked worn. 

[eeyoreish]

I question whether you need to measure the pushrod. As mentioned, there are other variables (tolerance buildups, machined/thinner flywheels, etc).   So the actual length MAY not mean a whole lot.

 

Regarding the rod length; all I want to do is establish whether the one I have is at least close to the right length and hasn't been substituted with something else and the fork adjustment changed to compensate.

 

Once I know that, I can adjust the fork and allow for any minor variance in rod length to achieve the intended overall slave to fork dimension.

 

I don't want to start 'correcting' things that already work without being 100% sure I'm doing the right thing!

[Sparky]

Simple, really.  Verify that the slave cylinder isn't hitting end of travel (the circlip) when you depress the pedal, and that the throw is to spec.  Then adjust the nut to 12.5mm, and verify again.  If this works, then pushrod length is immaterial.

[eeyoreish]

and that the throw is to spec.

I assume you mean throw (travel) of the slave piston?

'To spec' is what...?

[Sparky]

Without looking it up, not entirely certain, but I believe about 18mm.

 

I'm guessing you don't have a workshop manual.  That needs to be your top priority.  Also, stump up the cash for forum membership and avail yourself of the parts manual.  

[Barrykearley]

How cheap for a workshop manual ??? Mega value....

[Chillidoggy]

Indeed, Barry.

 

Having just renewed my subscription this morning, it's not only worth the cost for the range of benefits TLF provides, but I also know Bibs does a lot of work and puts a lot of effort in the background that no-one sees, so I do feel I have a kind of moral duty when I have benefited so much from the technical advice I have received from TLF members. It's been a steep learning curve with the huge amount of work I've just completed on my car but the task would have been so much more difficult without it.

[eeyoreish]

I'm guessing you don't have a workshop manual.  That needs to be your top priority.  Also, stump up the cash for forum membership and avail yourself of the parts manual.   

 

I don't have a workshop manual yet so I do need to apply myself to getting one. Probably the CD ROM version is better as I used to have one for my Range Rover (another car that required constant fixing) which was easy to search and print pages as required. Sadly the Esprit ones seem to be £50-60 where the RR one cost me about a fiver...

 

I use the DeRoure parts site a lot for parts identification. Do the manuals available here from the Forum contain more/different information?

[mdw]

The forum parts manuals are the factory ones any dealer will have. The workshop manual isn't cheap £110ish  from a lotus dealer but is worth it if you are going to own one of these cars.  Not sure re the cd version but would imagine they are knock off unlicenced scanned copies of the factory manual.

[Escape]

Indeed, Barry.

 

Having just renewed my subscription this morning, it's not only worth the cost for the range of benefits TLF provides, but I also know Bibs does a lot of work and puts a lot of effort in the background that no-one sees, so I do feel I have a kind of moral duty when I have benefited so much from the technical advice I have received from TLF members. It's been a steep learning curve with the huge amount of work I've just completed on my car but the task would have been so much more difficult without it.

 

Indeed, regardless of other benefits, this forum is well worth the support!

[Barrykearley]

On here is workshop manuals - really good and have fault flow charts and full workshop details.

There is also the exploded parts diagrams with everything on with art numbers etc.

I've been able to find anything out that I've needed......and a lot more besides.

You can grab it with for full membership. Downloaded that is.....

[eeyoreish]

Well I revisited the clutch hydraulics today.

Bled the system again with a Gunson eazibleed. Worked well and didn't find any air so all good there.

I've now adjusted the fork back to the 12.5mm it should be set at for my Renault box and all seems well. Clutch working fine. I can only assume that the PO had mistakenly set it to the wrong position.

So now I have new clutch hydraulics, braided hose, refurbed translator and fresh (correct) gearbox oil so I should be enjoying the best gear change experience the Esprit can offer...

The change is definitely much improved but still a little 'rubbery' but then I'm comparing it to the very light clutch and gearchange in my 2009 Audi A6 so probably not a fair comparison and I've forgotten what 1990s gearchange were like..!

[eeyoreish]

On here is workshop manuals - really good and have fault flow charts and full workshop details.

There is also the exploded parts diagrams with everything on with art numbers etc.

 

I've joined up and paid for full forum membership but I could only find the parts manuals, not the workshop manuals and fault flow charts you referred to?

[johnpwalsh]

Bit late to the party on this one but when doing the same refresh as above, I found a PO had fitted the wrong nut on the abutment (it should be a slim nut ) which threw all the settings out when I measured the 12.5mm. I still had an issue with the clutch, so worked back from slave to hose to master to pedal and found the cotter pin was so badly worn going through the pedal that when pressed it would lock up about half way down