Clutch slave cylinder failure
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2nd Gear
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Clutch slave cylinder failure
I replaced the clutch after it began to wear out at 51,000 miles. Not a warranty issue as the car has spent thousands of miles on tracks. It was wearing out. I hope I get 50K on the new one.
That was three weeks ago. Monday, suddenly, I was unable to get the car in gear after disengaging it and coasting to a stop from about 30 mph. Just wouldn't go into gear. A $105 tow to the dealer later, the tech said the clutch slave cylinder was leaking (fast - it was dripping on the floor in the service area) and that as the fluid went low there was not enough pressure to engage the clutch. Solution: replace the slave cyclinder (and the reservoir) from beneath the car, pretty easy job. The tech noticed the fluid was was blue (indeed - ATE Super Blue) and that it was aftermarket, not BMW fluid. He thought he had 'heard somewhere' that ATE Blue had 'something about it that was bad,' perhaps trying to be helpful and suggest I replace it with stock fluid. I reminded him that:
ATE Blue came from the same company that made the calipers. They say ATE on them. The fluid is well known and, in our local club, almost universally used in the 3 and 5 series cars that come to our DE's. It is hydroscopic just like stock fluid, but it had been changed once in the slave cyclinder when I changed brake fluid (through the calipers) completely twice during the DE season.
Any experts on the Mini's use of brake fluid for the clutch? Or the leaking slave cylinder? Relationship to the ATE Blue? I have no reason to believe the tech or the service manager, whom I know well, were playing games with me. The tech knows what he is doing (though he's obviosuly not a performance driver or he would know more about ATE fluids). Is there any possible relationship between the clutch replacement and the leak?
I was planning to use Motul this spring. Any issues with that?
Charles
in Milwaukee
That was three weeks ago. Monday, suddenly, I was unable to get the car in gear after disengaging it and coasting to a stop from about 30 mph. Just wouldn't go into gear. A $105 tow to the dealer later, the tech said the clutch slave cylinder was leaking (fast - it was dripping on the floor in the service area) and that as the fluid went low there was not enough pressure to engage the clutch. Solution: replace the slave cyclinder (and the reservoir) from beneath the car, pretty easy job. The tech noticed the fluid was was blue (indeed - ATE Super Blue) and that it was aftermarket, not BMW fluid. He thought he had 'heard somewhere' that ATE Blue had 'something about it that was bad,' perhaps trying to be helpful and suggest I replace it with stock fluid. I reminded him that:
ATE Blue came from the same company that made the calipers. They say ATE on them. The fluid is well known and, in our local club, almost universally used in the 3 and 5 series cars that come to our DE's. It is hydroscopic just like stock fluid, but it had been changed once in the slave cyclinder when I changed brake fluid (through the calipers) completely twice during the DE season.
Any experts on the Mini's use of brake fluid for the clutch? Or the leaking slave cylinder? Relationship to the ATE Blue? I have no reason to believe the tech or the service manager, whom I know well, were playing games with me. The tech knows what he is doing (though he's obviosuly not a performance driver or he would know more about ATE fluids). Is there any possible relationship between the clutch replacement and the leak?
I was planning to use Motul this spring. Any issues with that?
Charles
in Milwaukee
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