Valkyrie

My clutch fluid is constantly disappearing and I can't find any leaks anywhere, and there's no way in heck that it could be evaporating this fast, so any ideas on where it's going to?

I have a stainless clutch line (coated with plastic tool dip) and a relatively new slave cylinder. My master is getting a little rusty and it's the only part I haven't replaced, but I can't find any wet spots...

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Look up under your dash on the firewall where the clutch master comes through and connects to the pedal.
That's where your rusty ole master is secretly puking out the fluid.

Valkyrie

That was the second place I looked. No fluid, unless it's all soaked into the floor padding mats...

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Did you check the matting to see if it's soggy?
Feel the pushrod to the MC and see if it's wet or pull the boot and see if it's filled with fluid?

Since brake fluid doesn't really "evaporate" per se, it's leaking somewhere...out either end of the system or a leaky hose connection.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

It can leak out of the slave cylinder, along the rod, down the clutch fork and into the bellhousing. That may be where it is disappearing to.

Not sure it really matters though. If there is a fault in the system, just replace the clutch, master and hose. Because if you replace one, then it is almost certain the other parts will fail soon after.

jackhild59

iTrader: (7)

I just went through this. I could not prove the leak until the master was off the car. Likely the master is leaking into the interior. Rebuild or replace the master.

jdmsuper7

iTrader: (1)

+1

Valkyrie

Geh, that might explain why my newish ACT HD clutch hasn't felt like when it was new since...it was new. OTOH, I replaced the slave months ago and it's been leaking since before then, I think. Or maybe it was after...

AcidAngel7477

iTrader: (16)

i hate this problem..i remember having this happen to me..i fixed it real good tho.

:AA:

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Be sure not to tell how you fixed it cause that would be....ah, informative.

jdmsuper7

iTrader: (1)

In my experience, the leaky slave will function fairly normally until the fluid gets low. I think I drove around with it for like 3 months before it really started to give up.

AcidAngel7477

iTrader: (16)

my bad..i replaced all three components..master, slave & hose...

:AA:

Valkyrie

Scratch that, my floor mats were literally SOAKED in brake fluid... and they aren't very easy to remove, either. Guess it's time to spend half a paycheck on a new master... my old one is super ugly anyway (rusty and the bottle is basically black on the bottom half).

PvillKnight7

iTrader: (16)

The HD pressure plate is too much for the master and slave cylinders. They can't handle the additional pressure. Try this: with the engine off, hold the clutch to the floor for about 2 minutes. When you take your foot off the clutch pedal does it stay down? I've seen old slave cylinders leak fluid from the seal when they're used with heavy PP. The fluid stays in the boot then runs down the side of the transmission or into the bell housing and down the throwout arm.
Unless you drag race you don't need the heavy PP. They will kill your throwout bearing too. Especially the after market brands. Mazda makes the best throwout bearing I've seen. The others wear out faster and make annoying whirling noises.
You can run a stock PP with an after market disc that has a higher metal composition. It works, it's nice to daily drive, and your master and slave can handle the pressure.

turbo10th

iTrader: (6)

Its actually pretty easy, about 15mins plus bleeding. Make sure you bench bleed the master before you put it in, will make life alot easier. Then for the first couple times have someone push the pedal to the floor once, hold it, open the bleeder, let air out(its quick), close quick, let pedal up(might have to pull it), and repeat untill you get some pedal, then bleed like normal brakes(pump up and bleed). Hope it helps took me awhile to figure out(went through alot of these through the various FC's ive had).

PvillKnight7

iTrader: (16)

where did this come from?

turbo10th

iTrader: (6)

From many wasted hours, and lots of anger lol. Ive posted it a few times a while back ive had like 6 FC's and at least 3 of them had this issue and kinda got it down to an art.

jjwalker

Mine has been doing the same thing. It leaks ever so slightly at the firewall. It has taken an entire year for the fluid level to go down. Very slow leak. I'll just replace it when it dies.

Valkyrie

Hmm... the clutch isn't that much heavier than the stock one, though.

I know how to do it. I just haven't had to spend money on my car in a while.

On another note, WTF! Advance Auto gave me the wrong master. It's VERY VERY similar but doesn't fit flush with the firewall because the studs are different and the part that goes into the firewall is just slightly longer.

Valkyrie

Wait, no.... a little 'finessing' and it fit fine.

burT

I believe he was talking about the Pressure Plate, not clutch.

Valkyrie

The pressure plate is what makes a clutch light or heavy. It's maybe 30% heavier than the stock one... at most.

PvillKnight7

iTrader: (16)

That's probably fine. Some pressure plates are really heavy. If you're doing the john basedow left leg work out in stop and go traffic then it's too heavy.

Valkyrie

Clutch feels a lot better now that I've replaced...basically everything you can replace. It feels more like it did when I just installed the new clutch.