General question re manual cars and brake fluid
 

Does anybody know (or can somebody with access to VIDA advise) whether the Volvo work instructions for the brake fluid replacement every second year, include the flushing of the clutch hydraulic circuit on a manual transmission car?

I can't answer that question but I did flush the clutch fluid on a 23 year old Land Rover a few weeks back and it absolutely transformed the pedal feed. The oil fluid came out like toothpaste...

I wouldn't bother to change clutch fluid as often as every two years. Five, perhaps.

The service schedule indicates brake fluid replacement should be carried out every 2 years. There is no mention of clutch fluid replacement as such. Whether dealers bleed the clutch circuit at the same time as the brake fluid is replaced I don't know, but I suspect it is doubtful.

no it does not include the clutch system ...

If anyone has an older car and issues with clutch pedal operation and feel - I would strongly recommend changing the fluid - it's easy to do and low cost and often makes a noticeable difference on older cars.

Of course if it is a shared reservoir, you should do brakes and clutch together - just regard the CSC as a 5th brake caliper.

I fully agree but I doubt if the dealers do it - hence there is also a risk of corrosion in the clutch master or more likely the slave cylinder (brake fluid is hygroscopic, which is why replacement is recommended every 2 years).

No it is not part of the brake fluid change , The master cylinder is plastic and never leaks or gives trouble . Cant say the same for the slave cylinder though . It has a hard life .

I’ve never actually flushed and changed brake fluid but have worked on the brakes occasionally and then bled them. I’ve had the 940 15 years and never bled the clutch hydraulics. However, I began experiencing difficulty engaging first or reverse when stationary and was thinking of a dragging clutch so replacement required. I decided to bleed the clutch hydraulics just to find out if it made any difference. It certainly did. No further gear engagement problems. So bleeding the clutch occasionally should be beneficial.

That’s my experience too, very old fluid (ie more than 10 years) can cause clutch operation problems, so best to change it as part of maintenance work before it gets that bad. Someone suggested every 5 years which I think is sensible.