!!! HELP!!! 960KG, GATOS.anyone with knowledge.. no clutch
 

hi,i own a volvo v40 1.9 td estate 2003....not so long ago i changed my brake fluid as it looked gungy(followed advice on this forum):thumbs_up:....so i did that and everything seemed fine.ran the car here there everywhere.then suddenly went to move the car off the drive,put it into gear and the car jumped forward,and then nothing from the clutch pedal.(no pressure)so got out of the car and noticed underneath the middle of the engine what smells like brake fuid coming out of what seems like the gearbox:... ive lost about 6 cap fulls of fluid....any clues if i can fix this myself without using a garage:money:the car gave no indication that the clutch was going(if that)i am hoping its something to do with me replacing the brake fluid....am i right in thinking the brake and clutch fluid are one...was i supposed to bleed the clutch aswell....if so where do i bleed it...have i blown a seal......neanderthal

Try to follow the hose going from your Brake Fluid container/Master Cylinder to the Slave cylinder which is located inside the gearbox. See if there the hose has burst and it is leaking. If not, then possibly the Slave Cylinder

Try and bleed the clutch, it uses the same system as the brakes, if you look in front of your gearbox you will see a small nipple on a black piece of plastic that disappears into your gearbox.

Gary

Does it leak from here?

Second photo is the inside bit of the gearbox

hi gatos, thanks for your reply and the photos.....it has been definately leaking from the first photo....but the fluid that came out of the car earlier was coming from the where the gear box is bolted to the engine....does that make sense...please note i have not taken anything apart....gearbox etc......siamblue i am going to bleed the clutch tomorrow,but i am assuming this would only be temporary,and the fluid would leak again

Ig you see the second photo, you will see the slave cylinder. It is my humble opinion that this is the cause of your problem. Not very good as the gearbox needs to be removed. You may also have problems if brake fluid has gone to the release bearing and the clutch/pressure plate. Before you go ahead with costly repairs, double check for a leak where the hose connects to the slave cylinder. Have someone press the clutch pedal once and see if you spot the leak there

as for that leak, it might come from that bearing in second picture, there is a pipe that connects that thing in the first picture to that bearing on second (which applies pressure to the clutch allowing to change the gears)


Reading through the text second time, seems to me that there might be a break or damage to that plastic piece in the first picture, check for any cracks or leaks around it.

thanks gatos.if i am lucky enough to have a leak where the hose leads to the slave cylinder.would you know what the name of the part is i should be asking for,and should i go to my main dealer for it.is the part easy enough to remove(novice)....and what are the chances of two novices(the chuckle brothers) tackling a job like removing the gearbox.or is there a risk in trying this......could i clean a clutch or is it capput once it has been contaminated...it sounds like a garage is going to be too expensive...thanks........thanks biotoxic i will definately be checking for any leaks before we or anyone else attempts the gearbox....what a very helpful forum

Watching footie. Will answer in 15 minutes

Here is what VADIS has. Also some of my own pictures of how to remove it. Apologies for the picture quality but my camera is malfunctioning atm

Use a flat screwdrivers or the tip of a penknife to pop out the retaining clip. Then pull out the unit. With a bit of luck this will be faulty. If not, then you are looking at slave cylinder or the release bearing which means gearbox removal and many £££. Also check number 6 and 7 for any damage and replace if necessary.

Check prices with Rufe tomorrow, and if it is too expensive you can have this one from me for £10

Absolutely DIY-able. Just replaced a clutch on my V50 on my own. Thrust bearing/slave is around 75 quid. Two of you can easily do the job in a day. You might as well do the clutch if your car is high milage.

gatos you have helped me so much on this forum,and am very grateful to you.i will have a look in the morning with my brother and let you all know the score....i knight you.....sir gatos.......thanks everyone...:thumbs_up:

thanks v40bart thats good to know.if we have to do it,then we will.as its a good car and it seems the garage will be dear.....its good to know that if we do get stuck i'me sure this forum sight will guide us:thumbs_up:

Don't be too quick to thank me. I hope that this is the problem and nothing more. Siamblue was very kind to come over mine a few weeks ago and we took out the gearbox. We had no special equipment/hoist etc, but we still managed to removed it in the end. But if I was to do it on my own, I wouldn't have the balls to do it. However I am sure that it is easier to remove than put it back together


By the way, don't you have VADIS? It is very very helpful.

hi gatos,i downloaded vadis from (pb) but cannot get it to do anything so i gave up....i knew you had something, from a problem i had weeks ago....i have never attempted a gearbox,so if it comes to it i am hoping my brother who is coming tomorrow will help..but if its going to take a day,plus cash,it could be a few days before we can attempt it....there is one thing,will there be enough room in the engine bay to get the gearbox out once i remove the battery etc etc

You will have to raise the car, remove the wheel, remove the support member, remove the driveshaft...... See attached vadis info

Check out this guide for VADIS istallation too. It might help :)

http://www.2shared.com/document/gunk...ion_guide.html


Also check this thread: http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...=vadis+windows

BLOODY HELL FIRE:err:me and my brother are neanderthals.as we have never attempted anything like this,i am going to have to find someone who knows what they are doing.it definately wont be a garage now ive seen the info you have posted £££...thanks for the pdf file and the vadis information.i am going to go offline now and sleep on all the info.thanks gatos and everyone else,i will get back to you all soon whether we are succesful or not....regards:thumbs_up::SLEEP:

lol. Trust me, I am a Neanderthal too when it comes to cars. If it wasn't for Siamblue, I would not have been able to do it. If you take your time it can be done, but it is not the easiest of jobs to do, nor the hardest. Now, I have done it, I would be able to repeat this feat again.... It was lots of fun for sure.

Anyway, you don't have to remove the gearbox to change the plastic part I have mentioned above. You can change it with the gearbox still on. You will only have to remove the whole gearbox if the problem is not that small plastic bit

i have read all this thread with interest and although i am too late to help but just had a thought looking on
that plastic piece removed by taking out the securing clip one has to hope that the "O" ring might have failed which is inside where it goes onto the slave cylinder
it would be a dream come true if it has and perhaps try a new one or even the whole plastic piece you removed from your own box gatos before neanderthal ripping out his gearbox!!

That is why I am a Neanderthal too.....lol. I called that o-ring a seal. Thanks for pointing that out 960kg. The o-ring is very small and is where the yellow arrow points. I wish too that it either the o-ring or the black plastic joint. Gearbox removal should only be required if there is no fault there

update.....thanks 960kg for the info.and gatos for the picture...i removed that plastic thing(picture 1) this morning and it looks fine.put it back together and my brother pumped the clutch pedal.no fluid came out where the plastic thing goes.but plenty of fluid was coming out of(it seems)the clutch housing near the base of the engine....does that make sense(see picture 2)....based on this info,shall i still change that o ring and plastic thing.thanks again

It is definately a slave cylinder fail, which makes it a gearbox off job. You would not loose so much fluid from busted a o-ring.

I have uploaded the wrong image in post 10. This is the correct one...

I will have a look now on my spare gearbox to see if anything can be done from outside the gearbox.

With some luck it will be part 6 (snap-on coupling).

If not, then we are looking at either part 9 (sealing ring) or part 5 slave cylinder/release bearing unit.

I removed the cylinder/release bearing unit so you have an idea of what you can't see. The fact that you say that most of the fluid comes from inside the gearbox, leads me to believe that your fault is here

thanks for your time and effort gatos,does this mean as v40bart says its a gearbox job now.and i need a slave cylinder bearing,or should i try the other things you've mentioned(6 and9)....sorry for sounding thick,but also, how come fluid is managing to escape out of the gearbox or clutch housing,when you would think these would be tightly sealed:err:ime concerned i might be missing something...as i cannot pinpoint exactly where the leak is coming from...thanks once again all

I am too sorry to say it is the worst scenario, your clutch friction plate will be contaminated now as well, i know a guy in Coalville that could do the job for you, but he is always unindated with work.
The bearing alone is going to cost you around a £100, so you might as well buy a complete clutch from Rufe...

Gary.

We can never be 100% accurate diagnosing a problem over the internet but I am afraid that yes it is a greabox job. I also have to agree with Siamblue's and v40bart's suggestions.

I think you are doing the same mistake as I did when I took my gearbox out with siamblue. If you look at the photo, you will see that about 1/3 of the gearbox looks kind of hollow. That is where the slave cylinder, clutch, pressure plate are located. If you could see what is hidden and sealed behind the slave cylinder, you would find all the gears and pulleys etc.

http://web.zeblods.org/volvo/autre/m56h_3.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/abuchka/SAwfGGp...9E/m90.001.JPG

looking at that photo of the bell housing where the clutch slave cylinder is situated even if that snap on part number 6 was knackered that large sleeve would keep the oil outside the housing so yes, as others have said now it must be the slave cylinder gone west

real shame it could not of been the simpler smaller parts as usually it is false economy not to renew the whole clutch components while the box is removed

OH DEAR!!!:money::money::money:thanks everyone for all the information and pictures,it is going to be a great help.i am waiting for someone to get back to me and i will print all this information off and show him it..thanks for the pdf file gatos on how to remove the gearbox.:thumbs_up:i will check with rufe on that clutch.quoting c3.i will make sure ime sat down.will let you know the outcome in time.what a great forum thanks to all replys:star::star::star::star::star:ps...thanks 960kg i will have the clutch replaced.yes it makes sense.

Make sure you order the rear crankshaft oil seal just in case. I didn't expect it on a 40k car, but my one was already sweating some oil, just a little. I couldn't get one on a Saturday so I put the car back together without replacing it. I hope it holds or I am facing doing the job again in not to distant future. As you are most likely getting the tranny out get a new clutch kit, slave/thrust bearing and the oil seal. Try www.buypartsby.co.uk

thanks v40bart much appreciated

of course at the end of the day it is every one to there own but if you do a search for clutch problems you will see!
i would not buy anything else but a Volvo clutch and associated parts as members have had juddering problems and are always sorry afterwards especially when it is removal time again
you will have to weigh up the pro`s and con`s
are you keeping the car or want a few years from it?

hi, thanks for the info again 960kg....i am glad you've told me that,as i am looking on ebay at the moment.i have'nt rung rufe yet,but i am guessing we are talking £££ even from him.we have thought about selling it on ebay for spares or repair if its going to be too expensive to repair.at the moment i am waiting for someone to come and look at the car to give us a price.from what i can gather he can do 3-4 spanners(haynes manual).its just finding the money right now..with it been a volvo v40 1.9 td 2003 we are more inclined to keep it as it seems to be a good car.been a diesel helps of course and weve just taxed it for the year(£130).tested till feb 2012....kind regards

!!! HELP!!!can someone quickly tell me if this clutch slave cylinder would fit my volvo v40 1.9 td 2003 estate.......ebay item no....280739844593.....please see the picture gatos has posted here of what mine looks like....thanks again

Genuine Volvo S40 V50 Clutch Slave Cylinder 31256199
and that part number isnt listed for a V40
sorry doesnt look like it will fit


someone was getting a new clutch for his S40 a bit ago, his being a petrol tho will be possibly/probably different to yours, £156+vat from Rufe/FRF for a Gen volvo clutch kit.

Rufe/FRF can also give you the £ on the slave cyl for yours, they'd need the VIN number of yours for a 100% going to be the right part,fit easy first time.

these should be your part numbers if you see any others for sale!

i have been looking at drawings of the slave or control cylinder and it looks as though from the plastic connector thingy there is a rod that goes to the control cylinder and it looks athough it may screw into it i have not been there myself with our Volvo`s but just had a thought that somehow can you get at it with molegrips through the the window in the housing where that rubber shield is a try to tighten it
there must be an "O" ring where the rod goes into the cylinder which would seal if it could be tightened up

i may be wrong but who know`s so i believe it is worth looking at before a strip down

also if to no avail seeing as you can`t drive the car as is why don`t you strip the gearbox out and then see what bits you want the clutch may not even be wet with oil so you may only need the control cylinder!

hi,thanks 960kg for checking the drawings an posting the diagram and getting me the part numbers:star:...i am going out now to check to see what you suggested.thats a great idea...i personaly would not be taking the gearbox out as i dont feel competent enough.waiting for someone to come and look at the car..will get back to you all soon.

With that car i would keep it, better the devil you know as they say, unless you don't like the car, but you won't get much for it with the clutch gone. you never know but because the car hasn't been running with the clutch problem and the plate is covered up, you might be able to clean it up. but it is false economy, i think my clutch kit from Rufe was £220, plus the bearing..

Gary.

I had the same thought 960kg. When i tried to turn mine it would get undone.

neanderthal, see if this metal bit is loose (ie. turning clockwise and anticlockwise. If it does, then try tightening. It is a 1 in a million shot, but you never know

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attach...4&d=1318071330

hi,took the plastic thing off and removed the rubber cover,and managed to get some molegrips on the rod,but ufortunately it was solid....but thanks for effort......gatos and 960kg...i tried tightening the rod itself...should i have put the molegrips on the end of the rod(picture1)....as i tried tightening the rod from the middle of it