Clutch gone a bit.. weird? Help!

[V_Arse6]

Err, checked the oil on my new VR6 this morning, and it was a little low (on the 'low' level of the dipstick), so I popped into town to pick some more up just to top it up.  Just picked up some cheaper halfords stuff, since I'm planning to change the oil this weekend or next, and I'll get some decent oil for that.  when I parked in the work carpark (about 3 miles of town driving back to work.  Stop/start all the time), the clutch just didn't want to come back up - it just sat there a couple of inches off the floor!

Now it offers no resistance until about the last 2 inches (you have to put your foot underneath and pull it back up), and it won't disengage the clutch, so you can't put it in gear.   It's almost as if a cable has snapped, but as far as I understand it the VR6 has a hydraulic clutch doesn't it?

It has no history of dodgy clutch problems... I've chatted to the mate I bought it from and he can't recall ever having this problem - and I lived with him for a good year while he had this car, before the idea of me buying it ever occured to either of us, so I know about all the problems he's had with it anyway, so he's not just trying to stiff me.

Anyone had this problem?  Any suggestions?

Thanks...

[V_Arse6]

Just had a mechanic buddy look at it (who quite usefully works on the same industrial estate as my office ), and he reckons the clutch slave cylinder has died a horrible death.    Anyone know a good test for this?

Balls.  Looks like the coilovers will have to wait... 

[Thom89]

Bleed the clutch to get it working again, check the clutch master cylinder, for weeping fluid, and also check the slave for the same.. It should be evident where the problem is!
Brake/clutch fluid is hydroscopic, this means that it will "draw" moisture from the atmosphere.. water inside your master/slave cylinders will kill them! water will attack the bores, causing them to go rusty, and premature deterioration of the seals
If the car has not been serviced by the VW dealer for any legnth of time, then its unlikely that the fluid has been changed, and really wants doing at least every 2 years!
If the clutch fluid has not been changed for a while, you must assume that the brake fluid hasn't either, and should be changed ASAP using a fluid that exceeds the existing spec!
Tom

[V_Arse6]

Cheers!...

Been intending to pick up a haynes manual so I know where all the various bits 'n' bobs are...

It was VW serviced Something like 2 years ago...  I'll have to dig thru the paperwork to see.

Managed to get it home from work at least... But I don't think my gearbox will be too happy with clutchless changes for long!

It was a very sudden thing though - it was fine one minute, then just all floppy - surely this suggests it is something like a dead cylinder?  i.e. something failed rather than a gradual loss of pressure due to something else..

[Thom89]

The fluid would have gradually leaked until the reservoir was empty, every time you pushed the pedal, you would lose a little more fluid, until only air is left, It WOULD be OK one minute.. and gone the next,                                                                                            your description "dead cylinder" wether its the slave or the master, all that can go wrong is, contaminated fluid/air in fluid, cylinder bores damaged through corrosion, or the piston seal has deteriorated,, generally all three go hand in hand! very rarely its the pipe that connects the two together or something broken on the pedal!
Tom

[AudiA8Quattro]

Don't assume that because vw have serviced it that the clutch hydraulic fluid has been changed 

[V_Arse6]

It's not short of fluid though.  It shares the resevoir with the brake fluid, and that fluid's above the level of the clutch 'feed' tube anyway. 

If you leave it for a while (few hours), it seems to regain a small amount of pressure somehow, just enough to drive a short distance.  If I hadn't waited until 6:30 so there was no traffic yesterday I suspect I wouldn't have made it home, since it deteriorates so rapidly.  As it is, parking up was tricky, since the clutch was only partially disengaging with the pedal to the floor (nice 'crunch going into reverse), and so was effectively biting within about 5mm of the floor...  a bit sensitive really

Been doing a bit of reading and I'm going to pop out and check for leaks. 

[V_Arse6]

Well, bled the clutch yesterday and It's now drive-able again, but of course I'm reluctant to drive it any distance.  Clutch pedal returns all the way up now, but it still seems to bite much sooner than before.  odd.  .  Still, at least I can drive it somewhere to get it sorted.

Getting it looked at sometime before or on this weekend, so we'll see then....