[tricmatt]

Hey all,

So I was driving to work this morning and all of a sudden the clutch pedal lost all its pressure (totally soft / no resistance - yet it is not stuck) and the gears became very crunchy and I could tell something was wrong. I managed to drive a couple of km's down the road in 3rd gear, with a couple of crunchy low gear changes before finding a safe spot on the side of road (peak hour traffic - stress levels were rising). After this time I couldn't get a gear at all and stopped.

With the engine off I can select gears, but when you try to turn the engine on in gear it chugs and lurches forward like violently.

I noticed a previous post about the clutch/brake fluid reservoir top being stuck as I also tried to fill it and no fluid would subside into the chamber.

Note, I have only just got home and haven't been down to check anything further as yet. (please dont mention the towing ordeal that presided this mornings problem hah', and before anyone asks I was nowhere within miles of a service station)

Is this something you can all help me with, offer advice etc?

Given that the car was driving fine one moment and suddenly lost pressure I am hoping it the hydraulic fluid issue rather than mechanical.


Cheers in advance.

 

[halftone]

Indeed - classic symptoms of hydraulic failure. Most likely the slave cylinder. They all do that, sir. Search the forum for (much more) info.

 

[JON156VELOCE]

Yes it sounds like the clutch slave cylinder though there is a slim chance it could just be a leak in the pipework to it. You should be able to see where the fluid has leaked from, if its from between the engine and gearbox it will be the slave cylinder which unfortunatly on the twin sparks is inside the bell housing so will need the gearbox removing to get to it.

 

[ransoman]

This is exactly what has happened to me! - http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-andamp-gt/956418-my-first-breakdown-clutch-help.html

Being a V6 with a different type of clutch and gearbox my symptoms are slightly different. I can't get into gears at all as it feels like a block in the way but only while engine is running.

you have a TS though. The slave is inside the gearbox and it is a gearbox off/subframe off job to replace. Try replacing your master cylinder first then. If you poke your head under the dashboard you might be able to see the master cylinder and any fluid leaks.