clutch pedal issue

[attack eagle]

bad master or no fluid?

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Best guess is that your clutch master cylinder has given up.Either way where did the fluid go, on the floor? Is the trail from the master or the slave? Change both and sleep easy.

[jakewied02]

This is slightly similar to a thread posted recently but there wasn't any kind of solution and it was a little unclear what exactly was happening anyway, so I thought I'd throw it out there and see.

Drove my car home fine a couple weekends ago, but then let it sit outside without driving for a few days. I am in Minnesota and yes it's cold. The few nights it was out it didn't go much below freezing (even though today it's 8 F) ..

But when I got in for the first time, the clutch pedal dropped all the way to the floor. It just 'snapped' all the way down. I reached down and pulled it back, and it 'snapped' right back to the top. I went through this a few times. Then, pulled it into neutral, started it and let it warm up. No difference. So I pushed it into the garage (not-heated but out of the wind) I checked a few days later and still nothing.

[Ross]

Are you able to tell if there is any clutch action? Snapping down doesn't sound like hydraulic failure and if the pressure plate were to bust the pedal would still return I think.
What I am picturing is failure in pedal assembly of some sort.
Still the simplest thing is to have a look at fluid level and if low find the "exit point"of the fluid.

[jakewied02]

Ok, Just got home and ran out to check. I had thought that it had to be a mechanical problem as well. A slightly embarrassing thought now as I just checked and see a bone-dry reservoir. I usually rely on the Bentley to pretend like I know what I'm talking about. Being without it right now, I'm assuming the small reservoir labeled "Brake-fluid only" nearer the windshield is the one I should be checking.
So should this mean a leak? Unless it's a minuscule amount of fluid I feel like I would have noticed it at some point.
I'll wait for ideas while I run to get some fluid and pour in there.

[attack eagle]

Ok, Just got home and ran out to check. I had thought that it had to be a mechanical problem as well. A slightly embarrassing thought now as I just checked and see a bone-dry reservoir. I usually rely on the Bentley to pretend like I know what I'm talking about. Being without it right now, I'm assuming the small reservoir labeled "Brake-fluid only" nearer the windshield is the one I should be checking.
So should this mean a leak? Unless it's a minuscule amount of fluid I feel like I would have noticed it at some point.
I'll wait for ideas while I run to get some fluid and pour in there.

On my 525 the brake reservoir is shared with the clutch.

You probably have a leaky slave if you haven't noticed any fluid on the interior, as said above though probably best to change them both, because they usually fail in close proximity so no sense going thru this again in 6 months. I'm shopping myself for my swap, and best price I have found is $62 on the master and $41 on the slave.

[dave b]

I have fought this beast several times. Exact same symptoms that you described. I think I had both cylinders done 3 times. Seemed to go bad whenever it got really cold here in socal. Then I changed mechanics, had the cylinders and the hoses changed. Everything seems copacetic now...

It's a pretty easy fix, but sucks to see your beautiful car rendered immobile.


dave b

[525ikicker]

62 for a master cylinder for the clutch?
where have you found that is it new? does it meet oem standards?

asap please let me know im looking to replace and 99 is the cheapest ive found

[attack eagle]

pelican, bma etc.

[e34bimmer.com]

I just had that problem .. sounds like the clutch master cylinder.. When mine did that I changed out my slave and master clutch cylinders then everything was okay.

[jakewied02]

Well I've been trying to post for a week but kept getting timed out. It's nothing exciting (and more confusing) but if you're like me then you hate seeing threads go unfinished
So after refilling the clutch reservoir, I let it sit for a week while we bounced between a foot of snow and sub-zero temps. The first day above 20 F I took a look and noticed a tiny bit of play in the bottom of the pedal.
I found the clutch reservoir near dry again. After refilling, and pumping the pedal a few times, it engaged fine.
A little weary of testing for fear of losing all the fluid and getting stuck somewhere, curiosity finally won. I threw the bottle in the passenger seat and drove the mile to the nearest BP.
I hadn't lost any fluid on the way so I made the four mile square and went through all gears. Surprised to find everything still in order after getting home, I've been driving daily the last week and, though I'm a little nervous, i'm more confused... and slightly thankful I suppose

[dave b]

Well I've been trying to post for a week but kept getting timed out. It's nothing exciting (and more confusing) but if you're like me then you hate seeing threads go unfinished
So after refilling the clutch reservoir, I let it sit for a week while we bounced between a foot of snow and sub-zero temps. The first day above 20 F I took a look and noticed a tiny bit of play in the bottom of the pedal.
I found the clutch reservoir near dry again. After refilling, and pumping the pedal a few times, it engaged fine.
A little weary of testing for fear of losing all the fluid and getting stuck somewhere, curiosity finally won. I threw the bottle in the passenger seat and drove the mile to the nearest BP.
I hadn't lost any fluid on the way so I made the four mile square and went through all gears. Surprised to find everything still in order after getting home, I've been driving daily the last week and, though I'm a little nervous, i'm more confused... and slightly thankful I suppose


Unless you are really good at shifting without a clutch, I would go ahead and change the two cylinders. This problem will leave you stranded. In LA, when it got cold, I would have some dead play at the top of the pedal travel (a few inches before I met resistance). On very cold days, it would finally snap to the floor. Even doing all the hoses, cylinders, etc is only a few hundred bucks and will make pushing the pedal on cold days a less stressful experience.

db

[attack eagle]

Try $126 + shipping.
there is but one output hose about a foot long. the rest is hardline.