GTV clutch failure

[poohbah]

My 81 GTV suffered clutch failure on the weekend. All was fine when took it out on Saturday, but hopped in to go to beach on Sunday, and the clutch was completely gone - no pressure on pedal at all, and the master cylinder reservoir was empty. Could still shift gear lever in/out of neutral with engine off (and move the car in neutral), so plate not seized, and tell tale wet patch on ground near rear drivers-side wheel suggests leak/failure around the slave cylinder.

I won't get a chance to get to it till Xmas break, but any tips or things to watch our for before I start? (My Haynes manual is not particularly detailed)

I am hoping its just a leaking connection, rather than anything more significant. 

[ACE]

Failed slave cylinder seal;
Loose or fractured hydraulic line;
Loose bleed nipple ... ?

Hopefully it's the third item.
However, if you don't have a history of maintenance in the clutch hydraulics, I'd also check the Master Cylinder before embarking on too much else.

You might not see much from in the engine bay, as when they start to fail, they leak into the cabin.
Tell tale moisture on the boot on end of the cylinder (inside cabin) and a dribble down along the back of the clutch peddle (possibly a damp patch on the carpet too?)

If you lie on the floor under the steering wheel and look up (you will need a torch), you will be able to see the back of the master cylinder. If it all looks dry, good, but peel back the boot just to be sure ...

Good luck.

Guess what I was doing yesterday!

[poohbah]

Cheers for that ACE, useful tips (and I think I can guess  .

I'm pretty sure its at the slave end, given the location and size of the wet patch on the ground (probably at least 15cm diameter). Everything around the master seems in good order and is nice and dry, but I can't really see the line for much of its length - so I will check to make sure.

Just for my general education, is the hydraulic line a metal one all the way from master to slave, or is part of it flexi hose?

[rowan_bris]

The last bit of the line is a rubber hose, which should be replaced at the same time as the slave cylinder is rebuilt or replaced.

[bteoh]

That is most unfortunate. It sounds like the clutch slave cylinder. I did change the one on my 75 TS recently and a good idea to change the hose at that end whilst you are at it. It was a bugger to bleed properly and the pedal feel eventually came good after driving it for a while. Good luck with the repair 

[ACE]

PB,
Granted, the current issue is at the rear end.
But as bteoh says "It was a bugger to bleed".
You really don't want to have to do that job twice! So I'd check the Master Cylinder too.

[bonno]

Hi Poohbah
Replaced clutch slave cylinder on my Alfetta GTV earlier this year and it was quite a simple task. You need to lift the rear end of vehicle as high as possible on stands to enable good access. I purchased a new slave cylinder from one of the local club sponsor, together with a new replacement hose. Only special tool is the flare nut spanner to undo the flexible hose connected to the slave cylinder. Bleeding of clutch slave cylinder might require the use of a vacuum bleeder to remove all traces of air within the hydraulic line, but can be carried out successfully using standard bleeding practice.

[poohbah]

Cheers gents - all good advice. Should be an entertaining Xmas job.