i’ve just replaced the slave cylinder (thanks for all tips and advice) and all appears to be well. Clutch appears to work just fine (no road test as of yet, just started and pulled forward and back in the garage).
My question has to do with the amount of ‘free travel’ that I should be able to feel in the clutch pedal. As it is - there is essentially no resistance when depressing the clutch pedal until 1/2 down - at which point I can feel the resistance which persists until the bottom of the stroke.
I’ve seen some pictures where there was a return spring mechanism on the slave cylinder - however in my service manual there is no indication of this - nor was there one in place when I removed the old one (see picture).
If it had no return spring it was likely hydrostatic, where the slave held pressure against the throwout bearing, this was done to remove the need to adjust it. I don’t remember the specifics of when this happened, but I believe toward the end of the series 1. It also has the unfortunate property of wearing out the bearing (it is just a graphite surface), so was fairly quickly discontinued. I don’t think any of the replacements are of the hydrostatic type, so you are going to want to add the return spring.
Before you charged the system, did you feel any resistance in the pedal itself? There is supposed to be a round return spring tucked up inside the pedal box. They are prone to breaking. I’d also add the slave spring as suggested.
Mine’s broken. I’ve got an elastic cord providing that function. the factory spring looks like an SOB to replace with the pedal box in-situ. I’ll change it if I ever have to fiddle with the brake and clutch masters.
The first bit of the stroke you are closing the valve at the front of the cylinder, and fluid exits back to the reservoir. Could this be what you are feeling?
I would rate removal of the pedal box as ‘no big deal’. I probably spent as much time getting everything bled as I did on the R&R of the box.
A stubby impact wrench makes short work of the nuts inside the car (the one task that puts you in an uncomfortable position). The rest is just removal of the reservoirs (fluid mostly sucked out) and undoing the several lines and hoses.
