2003 Corsa Clutch reservoir

Wig

Hi,

Clutch started playing up tonight, press in pedal (quite soft) and the clutch does not fully disengage. I am assuming Clutch fluid air needs bleeding.

I checked the fluid reservoir, it was on the minimum mark. When I took the cap off there is a blanking plate which stops fluid from being poured directly into the reservoir, there is an overflow hole on the side, as you fill it up the fluid overflows in the chamber and into the reservoir proper.

I found the blanking chamber had a layer of crud in it, it was grey and crumbly, like graphite. I wiped this up and out with a tissue. It is now clean.

The blanking plate means that I cannotpeer into the reservoir to see how clean the rest of the reservoir is. However when I shine my torch into the chamber from the side, I can see some dark patches at the bottom.

I would like to renew it with a new reservoir. Am I right that I cannot get the blanking chamber out of the pot to clean it when I have taken it off the car?

Anyway doing that is a BIG job and one that I will have to put off for another day.

Do you think my diagnosis is right? bleed the fluid? I have already topped it up to maximum, and tommorow morning I'm going to get a pipe and have a go at bleeding it.

I will put pipe onto bleed nipple and crack the nipple open. And run the pipe into a bottle. and keep topping up the reservoir.

Do I Leave the nipple open or do I have to keep closing the nipple every time my foot is on the floor before lifting my foot up?

Do you think in doing this I stand a good chance of at least getting some more pressure on the clutch so I can use the car again... as it is very important that I get the clutch working again fast.

BTW it is not the clutch pedal clip, as that broke before, and I got it welded, but I have looked and it has not broken again.

Thanks

m_c

Going by your description, the 'Blanking plate' is actually the strainer. It can removed, and the bottom is a fine mesh.


If there are no visible leaks, then going by your description of the condition reservoir, I'd suspect somebody has poured in something they really shouldn't off, and the clutch master cylinder seals have failed.


First thing is to try bleeding it, but if you lose the pedal completely after opening the bleed nipple, then that's normally a sign the master cylinder has failed.