I have a 2004 Mini Cooper w/a 5 speed. The clutch started to make a vibration on my better half's way to work a week ago. A day later, she lost clutch control at the local grocery store. I towed the car home. I thought the slave cylinder was out since there was brake fluid leaking from the boot after attempting to bleed it down. I picked up a new slave cylinder today and put it in. I bled it down and got rid of the air in the line. Again I have brake fluid dripping out from the boot. I am able to start the engine but there is a strange noise and smell present. Is this the clutch burning up? I am able to shift 1-5 and reverse when engine is not running whether clutch is depressed or not. How much should the clutch lever on top of the transmission move and how much force should be used to move it when the slave cylinder is removed. Is it possible that she bent a fork on the clutch lever inside the tranny? Please help. Thanx.

 

It is normal to be able to shift through all gears with engine off whether the clutch is in or out.

Regarding how much force to move the lever: ALOT!! I don't think it can be done by hand unles the clutch is really briken to pieces.

Not likely she could have bent anything. It sounds like the clutch is fried. How many miles on the car?

The real question is why the leak. If you put in a new slave and tightened the fittings properly, there should be no hydraulic fluid leaking. That only leaves engine oil leaking out of the rear mainseal (which could have caused the clutch demise).

Pick up some of that fluid with a white paper towel. The color should tell you the source of the leak.

 

80489 miles on the car. The leak is brake fluid in the rubber boot of the slave cylinder. No engine oil anywhere. It seems like the slave will not push the clutch lever foreward enough to disengage the clutch. I tried to manually push the clutch lever but do not have enough as* to move it much more than a 1/4".

 

All the symptoms are pointing towards a bad clutch (a piece of clutch disc may have come loose and lodged itself between the disc and the friction plate causing the out-of-balance vibration). How does the clutch pedal feel when you depress it?

Is it possible that the leaking fluid in the boot is left over from the previously leaking slave?

 

There would be a leak if there was something wrong with the clutch and the slave cylinder had to extend the lever too much. It will just push the piston right out of the bore of the cylinder. I think you need to remove the trans to investigate, sounds like a bad throwout bearing, or pressure plate.

 

How did you bleed it? It is NOT like bleeding brakes, see threads below.

LEAK:
If you still have brake fluid coming from the new slave cylinder you are probably missing a small o-ring that may have come off. It goes on the tip of the rigid hose connection. It probably came off when you removed the old cylinder. I had this exact problem till I found the o-ring on the ground and went ah-ha! Bently manual helps also.

See these threads: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=131915
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=132378

Also many people have found that if the slave cylinder goes the master goes also. They are about $60-70 each and you will just save yourself a lot of hassle by doing both at the same time as I found out.

If you get the o-ring on and get it bled properly and still only get half clutch, you need to replace the master cylinder.

Good luck, I will be glad to help/answer questions, also give conjecture and WAG (wild a$$ guesses).

 

I think the MC clutch is a spung disk. One of those springs might have snapped and gotten stuck somewhere.

 

Have you looked at the master cylinder (mounted to clutch pedal)?

If you have brake fluid leaking, it is the slave, master, or connection somewhere there.

Does the clutch pedal go to the floor with little or no resistance?

 

The clutch is kind of spongy until you get about half way down. From that point to the floor it feels like the real thing. The slave presses against the clutch lever which moves about 1/2" or so. Is it a big p.i.t.a to drop the tranny?

 

The short answer is, yes.

 

I would first properly pressure bleed the slave, you will need to make a tool like I did. If that does not work and you only get half pressure on clutch replace the master like I had to.

 

Fixed? What was the problem?

 

I called the "local" Mini dealer in Milwaukee (International Autos) service dept. Tech said i overextended the throw out bearing. Bought a clutch kit and am going to have the joy of dropping a tranny this week. Will let all know the end result. Thanx for all the replies.