forester clutch problem

achy · Post by **achy** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:23 pm

Hi all,
I seem to be in a spot of bother with my 98 Forester. Driving home this evening my clutch has stopped working and is pretty much pressed flat against the floor. When I lift it up, it stays up , but when depressed it stays down. I called roadside assist and when they came it seems that clutch fluid is leaking from a pretty major split in the 'hydraulics line'. We refilled the fluid and lightly depress on the clutch but it was no good it drained all of the fluid. So unfortunately my forester is spending the night at a servo and tomorrow I will try and get a mechanic to look at it. Any idea how much this is going to cost, I am pretty clueless and don't want to get ripped off.
Many thanks
Achy

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:39 am

The easiest avenue which I suspect a mechanic might take would be to order a genuine Subaru replacement part which will probably cost $arm&leg + GST. Doesn't sound like an item they would keep on the shelf locally either, might need a long wait from Japan!

However hydraulic lines themselves don't cost much, they are just metal pipes. You can buy it in rolls from brake parts places or even get them to supply you with it bent to your specifications and fittings. I bought a roll from a trailer parts place, about 6 metres worth and it was very cheap.

Seems like a reasonably unlikely diagnosis though, I'm not sure how often the hydraulic lines in cars split (I'm no mechanic but havn't heard of it happening to anyone I know) but I think it might need further inspection. Perhaps it's more likely for a seal within the master or slave cylinders to have gone, they may just need a seal kit put through them.

*Edit - just had a thought. In Subaru's its actually normally a rubbery kindof flexible hydraulic line for the clutch, I was thinking more along the lines of the metal type used for brakes before. The flexible type should cost around $50 including fittings to have a brand new one made up by any brake parts place.

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:18 am

I should think if your pedal is sticking down that it would be the Master Cylinder ?

although i have seen quite a few hydraulic lines split. mostly on older cars though.

t303 · Post by **t303** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:54 am

Same same 99 Forrie 3 weeks ago. Brake place made one in 10 mins $44. Banjo fitting one end, standard flare fitting other. You'll just need a 10mm flare spanner and other standard sockets/spanners

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:28 pm

easy fix, fairly common problem too. not a good feeling tho is it

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:22 pm

Common on the older vehicles new genuine part is around 42 bucks (keep your arms and legs) plenty of stock in oz

hope that helps

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:22 pm

Bloody amazing my 2000 forrester has just done the same thing... On new years eve if you don't mind. Hopefully dealer/mechanics will be open tomorrow otherwise long wait until Monday. Yeah pulled off air filter box to reveal a very wet and oily hydraulic hose, so suspect that this is the culprit. No warning just went suddenly opened bonnet to reveal empty master cylinder which was full last week oh well. By the way what is a flare spanner ?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:30 pm

Geeze with this amount of them failing in such relatively new cars maybe it would be better getting an aftermarket replacement made up rather than going for another Subaru part. The flexible hydraulic clutch line in my RX-7 is still working fine since 1978, and it's squeezing a high pressure button clutch pressure plate these days too.

Busdriver · Post by **Busdriver** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:14 pm

A flare spanner is an open ended spanner with a cut out to allow it to fit over a pipe and then has only four sides to fit the flare nut better without the spanner slipping as much as a normal open end spanner.
Has anyone tried a hose made up by someone like Enzed?
Any idea if its cheaper? I got them to make up a clutch hose for my Suzuki Motorbike once and it was about a quarter the price of an original, but Frogs price doesnt sound too bad.

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:24 am

Just gets better quick phone around this morning, subaru have run out and have them on order (indicates how many they sell !!) and all of the brake specialists are shut until monday (got put through to melbourne on call mechanic when I rang abs) Was quoted $48 from subaru. Bugger I had plans for this weekend being a shift worker and having 4 days off myself. Never mind I'll have to do domestic chores lol.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:47 am

The Enzed or brake places making them up is apparently about the same cost.

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:30 pm

Okay would appreciate some help here, have placed the new clutch hose on (not as easy as it looks flare nut didn't want to budge) and reassembled brakes but it does not want to bleed the air out (clutch pedal still on floor) have gone through the ususal process, any other suggestions for bleeding the clutch. Maybe the hose wasn't at fault couldn't find any obvious splits/holes.

Busdriver · Post by **Busdriver** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:38 pm

Has it stopped leaking fluid out? You mention at the earlier post that the M/cyl was emptied in a hurry, maybe you also have probs with either the slave or master cylinders? Can you pump the pedal and build up pressure that drops off when you crack open the bleeder on the slave cylinder?

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:27 pm

Well the fluid is not leaking out but then it is not getting to the slave cylinder. Can't build up pressure with the pedal unfortunately will leave it overnight and see if some air will bleed out but don't much like my chances. I have read that some clutches need quite some pressure to get them to bleed, failing this i will have to look at the slave cylinder seals etc.

Busdriver · Post by **Busdriver** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:45 pm

Try just leaving the bleeder screw out of the slave cyl and giving the pedal a couple pumps, if still no fluid coming out try leaving the bleeder screw out for 15 minutes or so and gravity should make fluid appear at the hole in the slave cylinder where the bleed nipple sits.

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:51 pm

okay a further check tonight and when i removed the pipe out of the bottom of the master cylinder no brake fluid came out which i would think unusual, could there be grit in the bottom of the cylinder blocking the fluid or is this normal

Busdriver · Post by **Busdriver** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:07 pm

Not normal, maybe just blocked, may need adjusting of the pushrod to give it more free play but unless you have adjusted it recently or changed something on the clutch pedal this should be ok.
Maybe you should start a new thread, seems to me that we have whored this one long enough?

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:50 am

Yep thanks all the same, has got the better of me going to have to call in the professionals I just don't have the time this week. You know how it is "it was going to be a small job" scenario. Gotta get the sube back on the road.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:10 am

Sometimes if it has run completely dry you can't get it flowing by just normal bleeding. Try taking the master cylinder off (only 2 bolts holding it to the firewall), pulling the rubber stopper out the back of it so you can see the seals, and filling it with fluid - then try bleeding again normally. I've seen this work once before so maybe give it a shot.
It's possible the seals in the master cylinder are shot and might need replacing. A kit is very cheap, otherwise you can give the master cylinder to a brake place to have reconditioned. Lots of places keep reconned ones on the shelf for exchange.

tasscube · Post by **tasscube** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:02 am

The washup of all this was, yeah changed the blown hose but had to take it to abs who had 2 reverse pressure flush the system, something i wasn't going to achieve that easily at home. The plunger in the master was also sticking so this was also changed. Finally back on the road now to investigate the clunk noise in the front end. !