Clutch Hydraulics
 

Got in the car a few days ago and the clutch went to the floor. I checked the fluid level and it was low, looks like air got into the line, no leaks anywhere under or in the car and the fluid level didn't drop after I topped up the reservoir.

I tried pressurizing the fluid reservoir and then cracked the nipple on the slave cylinder, but nothing came out. Next I got an oil can, filled it with brake fluid and connected it to the slave nipple to pump fluid up into the reseroir.

When I pump the can nothing much seems to happen, I pump and it's not filling the reservoir and it's not leaking out around the slave nipple (a tiny bit leaked around the nipple as you might expect, but not much).

One thing I did notice is when I put my finger over end of the hose attached to the pump can it doesn't produce enough pressure to shoot it past my finger, so it's likely not producing enough pressure to push it through the line up to the reservoir.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks

Might be the slave cylinder is bad? The part that pushes the fork may be leaking on the inside of the bell housing. Pull it out and have a look?

Or maybe the diaphragm in the plastic piece on the pedal went bad. I'd lean that way if it isn't losing fliud.

Thanks, I wondered about it leaking into the bell housing, but since it wasn't leaking from the reservoir I did't pursue it, I'll give it a look.

Just to wrap this thread up for future reference: I removed the slave cylinder, unscrewed the bleed nipple, poked into the threaded hole with a nail and dislodged something that was blocking the orifice.

Not sure if it was the end of the spring or a small particle, but it allowed fluid to flow from the orifice so put the bleed nipple back on, re-installed the cylinder, hooked up the syringe filled with brake fluid to the bleed nipple, pushed all the air out and it's working fine.