[DeTomaso] Failure modes for hydraulic clutch circuit

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/6/12 10 37 25, charlesmccall at gmail.com writes:


> 
> Thanks for all the replies..
>   
> Just to be clear, I suffered a one-time fluid loss and filled the 
> reservoir. From that point on, I didn’t detect any drop on the fluid level after 
> driving a full day, with perhaps 100 (or more) pumps of the clutch pedal. So 
> whatever leak I have appears to be a very very slow leak.
> 
>>>Perhaps so.   You should still find and fix it though.
>   
> >But despite this leak, the system wouldn’t maintain pressure and I had to 
> pump the pedal a bunch of times to get the clutch to operate. I wonder if 
> the fluid leak and lack of operation are unrelated, or at least not 
> directly linked?
> 
>>>You filled the system but failed to bleed it.   Just pouring fluid into 
the reservoir doesn't help get it into the system where it's needed--you 
need to bleed the system at the slave cylinder to get rid of all the air in the 
system.   And in the meantime, the reason it's not leaking may well be 
because the leak has an air pocket against it.   Bleed it and you may find your 
leak is much bigger than you think.
>  
> >Just to be clear – fill up the reservoir. Clutch will only work after 
> pumping a bunch of times. Check reservoir – it hasn’t gone down. Still 
> requires pumping a bunch of times to get it to work.
>   
> Is there any way of knowing if it’s the clutch slave or master that is 
> bypassing? 
> 
>>>No, although historically I'd say that most of the time, internal leaks 
happen at the master and external leaks at the slave.

> >Based on replies, I’m assuming that is what is happening. The guilt 
> party is probably dribbling liquid a little as well, but that doesn’t appear to 
> be the cause of the clutch malfunction (although brake fluid shouldn’t be 
> dripping about...)
>  
> >>>The clutch malfunction is because you don't have any fluid in the clutch 
system--or rather, you have a mix of fluid and air, when you need to have 
just fluid.

> >Besides Marino, who else has quality long-throw slaves?
> 
>>>That one, I don't know?

Mike