Easy fix for leaky Hydraulic clutch reservoir??

[rexxxy]

As topic states, my Hydraulic clutch in my $hit box 1980 Celica is leaking. It needs topping up every couple of days.

There is no way on this earth that im going to pul the damn thing apart as it looks like a bitch to get up under the dash etc... It seems to be leaking on the cabin side of the firewall as there is evidence of cluthc fluid on the carpet in the drivers footwell.

I would sell the car, but im too honest to lie about the problems with it..

So, I want to plug the leak, or at least slow it right down.

Can i fill the res with something like Auto Tranny fluid stop leak? And maybe it will find the leak and plug it?

The car is used to drive 10 minutes each morning to the train staion, and home again at night.

I do not care about the car, I just dont want to have to keep topping it up with fluid. And not leaking onto the carpet would be a bonus!

Any suggestions apprecaited

[GTSBoy]

It's not your reservior that is leaking. It is the clutch master cylinder itself that is leaking. It is bypassing fluid around the piston seals, which then runs out the back of the cylinder, along the pushrod, down the pedal and onto your foot/carpet. This is exactly what happened to me in the R32 just a few months ago.

Believe me, you need to get it fixed. Very shortly you will likely have no clutch at all. I tried to adjust my clutch because I hadn't noticed the leak (it was still quite small) and had just become aware that I had lost all the freeplay in my clucth pedal. You know how it is when things degrade slowly, you don't really notice until something severe happens. Anyway, it was when I went under the dash to adjust it that I found the leak, and I adjusted it anyway in order to get some free play back until I could get a new cylinder into it. The frigging around with the pedal stroke chewed up what was left of the seal and I was left with very little clutch at all. Yours could easily degrade like that on it's own.

Bad news. But cheers anyway.

[phreeky]

i had big dramas with my clutch hydraulics. in my opinion you're probably best off getting clutch master + slave done at once. also good to flush the whole system out with metho before you top her back up again (let the metho dry out for a bit too!)

my dying seals had put think 'gunk' all through the system

[rexxxy]

ok, so how much is it going to cost me to get my seals done?

Its a 1980 RA40 Celica.

Now just to put things into perspective, the car cost me $100. So far I have spent about $300 on Battery, EXhaust and Servicing.

Do I sell the car?

[VLCalais]

i know its dodgy but fill it with atf, its slightly thicker than brake fluid so it takes up leaks. I ran atf in my brakes on my $500 shitter meteor cause the pedal sank to the floor, a bit of atf and presto a nice firm pedal.

ps i do not endorse the use of atf instead of brake fluid, use of atf in your braking system my lead to seriuos injury or death. :D

[5KIDMA]

No offence, but your an idiot if you put atf in anything thats designed to have brake fluid in it, it causes all the seals to expand does a pretty good job of stuffing them too. Do the job properly and get either a kit or a replacment master cyl for your clutch, sometimes the kit costs more than a whole new unit but either way it should cost you less than $100 for a brand new unit. And yes using ATF in a braking system quite possibly could lead to injury or death so just DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

[dattoman1000]

ATF or any oil based product should never be around brake fluid seals.
As mentioned above the seals swell and cause everything to lock up solid and either burn out the clutch/brake or cause a nice newsworthy accident.

RA40 Celica uses a JB1140 master cylinder which is one of the cheapest cylinders on the market. Just buy a new one. I retail them for $24 so you should be able to get one around that price if you shop around.
Don't even think of putting a kit in it cause it won't be worth it.... the bore will be rooted and you'd probably reassemble it wrong anyway.

[rexxxy]

Just as a follow up. Ignored everyones advice and put oil in the res and take a guess what happened?!

Fuck all, except ofcourse the leaking stopped. Havent had to lift the bonnet on the piece of shit for months.

Clutch works fine.

[Nathan Tinkler]

Good on you for sticking it up the people who gave you sound advice.

Why not slap them in the mouth next time :knock:

[carazy]

who cares? It's the clutch not the friggen brakes.
It may stuff it up but then, it's stuffed already and it's only a piece of shit junker.

Now go get a camera and perform stupid stunts in said junker for the enjoyment of all.

[Nathan Tinkler]

It was the smartarse tone that I thought was a little unnecessary.

[Jim]

I don't like the way you typed that muz, watch it mate....

[carazy]

You get 'em muz.
If there is one thing I can't stand it's "internet hard cunts!" (TM)

[Stix Zadinia]

I ran atf in my brakes on my $500 shitter meteor cause the pedal sank to the floor, a bit of atf and presto a nice firm pedal.

why not use water? it also has a hydraulic effect, and it's cheaper.

[rexxxy]

Sound advice?

If the advice was sound, I would be dead right now by all accounts.

Not trying to be a smartarse, perhaps im helping to dispel the myth that You cant put oil in the clutch res on a 1980 RA40 Celica and live to tell the tale!

[Nathan Tinkler]

Good mate, you proved us wrong. Way to save $24.

I am not saying that you did the wrong thing in your case either, just that a lot of people seem to think that atf is a brake fluid replacement, and the standard of stuff in the tech section here is usually pretty good. It is fine to bend the rules, as long as you understand what you are doing. Bit like the welded spring steel thread.

Anyways whatever.

[rexxxy]

I used Cooking oil, well actually Flakseed oil.

[dattoman1000]

Darwins theory will hopefully prevail

[rexxxy]

Some people seem to be way to upset by what I have done. If it makes anyone feel any better. I will be driving the Celica to the wrekers soon as the rego is about to run out.

dattoman1000, im sure you have plenty to offer the future of the human race, so I hope Darwins theory applies.

[dattoman1000]

my meager contribution will go unrecognised I'm sure
at least you can be safe in the knowledge that I have chosen not to breed so my ethics will not be passed on to future generations