Looking for some help analyzing symptoms/faults...

My wife's mini recently started experiencing light clutch slipping in higher gears. Car has ~75k miles on it...possible for the clutch plate to need to be replaced.

She was trying to limp along until we could put the car up for service. The other day the clutch pedal sank to the floor while she was running errands...the car got towed home. I've been trying to troubleshoot for the last few days.

The clutch pedal is rock hard...1-2 inches of travel at most. Slave cylinder can be removed from bellhousing with no effect on the clutch pedal operation.

Mechanical linkage from the pedal to master cylinder seems to be in decent shape.

lots of reports of slave cylinder failures around 2005 for minis....could a slave or master cylinder failure cause the pedal lock and the lead up to full seizure leading to partial clutch engagement/slippage?

anyone seen similar symptoms before? I've read quite a few other posts from folks but none seem to pair the two issues...I'd hate to drop the transmission if the the hydraulic side and vice versa.

thanks for any help!
Jeff

 

Bump

 

I've seen a few posts about the clutch fork breaking. If the clutch was slipping, you'll need to take it apart anyways..

 

Personally to me it sounds like a clutch fork. From my knowledge a bad slave cylinder shouldn't cause a rock hard pedal. Did a Clutch change this December and wasn't too bad. Pelican has a good article on a how to. If you do go through with it I recommend maybe replacing the dual mass flywheel depending on the condition, input shaft seal and rear main seal.

 

So the only noticeable signs before the clutch pedal sank was some slipping? When the clutch disc wears and becomes thinner, the point of clutch engagement moves up (toward the driver) in the range of clutch pedal movement. Eventually, the clutch disc becomes so thin as to no longer contact the pressure plate, there is no engagement and the clutch slips completely. It does sound like there could be a possible clutch issue and something else, possibly the clutch fork as mentioned.

We have lots of great info about the clutch here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti..._Replacing.htm

Once you figure out the issue and if you decide to replace the clutch we have some kits and other components here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg1.htm#item0. If you want, I can throw together and quote so you can see what all you should replace while in there for the job. Just let me know.

 

I had the clutch pedal on my Mini collapse to the floor and not come back up. There were no leaks in the hydraulics. I removed the slave and pressed the rod back into the cylinder and could hear the gurgling sounds of fluid going back to the master. The pedal didn't move at first but after a pump or two of the pedal, the slave would push the pedal back up. The return of the pedal to the top is due to the pressure plate springs pushing against the slave and the hydraulic fluid returning and extending the master.
Then I lifted and pumped the pedal a few times and then the pedal got rock hard. Seems as though when the clutch fork breaks, the pedal falls to the floor and if you lift and pump the pedal, the hydraulic fluid builds into the slave and without the slave pushing back, the master loads more fluid and binds. If the slave is pushed back when the pedal is lifted, the master doesn't load more fluid.
It appears that the master doesn't have a way to release extra fluid back into the reservoir.

 

Yep had my clutch fork bend and break, goes to the floor like the system failed. Looks like this.

You pull of the housing and you will find this most of the time.