On the way to Silverstone Classic yesterday when all of a sudden the clutch pedel dropped to the floor.  Fortunatly I was only 10 miles from home so limped home in 2nd & 3rd gear.  checked the master cylinder which was empty so thought, ah hydraulic problem, then lloked at the slave end to be greeted by this.

 

 

So Strip down started this afternoon, with the boot floor which put up a fight with spinning rivnuts which had to be ground off.  Hoping to get it done without taking the gearbox out of the car just pulling it back.  Clutch was due a change anyway so will do that at the same time.  Adivice needed fom anyone who has done this, and probably the hand that Chis and Nige offered yesterday at Silverstone.

Edited July 27, 201410 yr by gasmangt3

Happened to my S4s but the break was inside the bell housing, near the release bearing

Should be able to just pull the box back.  THough really still have to pull the boot floor, so It only saves you pulling the hatch and axles, which is still worth it!

 

Though your axle seals appear to be leaking.

Yeah, might be in for a panny in for a pound while I'm about it.  Ive got the boot floor out Travis, going to clean off all the crud later for a proper look at everything, then start loosening things up.  Next job today is an internet search for a new fork.

Take care if buying 2nd hand. If the donor cars clutch was maladjusted it can cause the fork to permanently bend. Then you'll spend forever trying to work out why you can't get it to operate.

Edited July 28, 201410 yr by glynherron

cheers Glynn, good advice.  I think Esprit Engineering has some new ones...... I hope as I think this is now an obsolete part.

Also if 2nd hand fit new spring to it.

I think this is now an obsolete part.

 

Really? The rate these things snap that is not good news, are they Lotus specific? If so there is a market for a someone to make a better design for sure, or ideally a kit to make one of those piston ones inside the bellhousing

Dont forget the spring

Really? The rate these things snap that is not good news, are they Lotus specific? If so there is a market for a someone to make a better design for sure, or ideally a kit to make one of those piston ones inside the bellhousing

 

Concentric hydraulic slave cylinders inside the bell housing are the worst thing ever!

 

They experience far greater issues/failures due to heat and the dusty environment...  Read about "clutch dust" on a Corvette forum...  GM also used those on their cheap Cavalier and Cobalt cars, which meant that a slave cylinder replacement that should have cost $50 and 30min, will cost the poor owner $700+ and take several days...

OK, just a bigger fork then!

 

yeah the cast iron fork works ok, occasionally breaks..  Maybe a machined steel fork would be better?

To paraphrase Yogi Berra, if you encounter a fork in the road, take it.

 

It might be repairable.