Christmas Day breakdown woes...

cmc

ohhhhh yes.
Sep 13, 2002
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Hi all

Well there I was merrily driving down to my inlaws for my Christmas dinner about 40 miles from home when I heard a loud crack and snap as my clutch pedal collapsed under my foot. I coasted to the side if the road and waited to be towed back home :cry: and called for a curry Instead!

The recovery guy said that he's pretty sure the master cylinder I'd still intact and it just needs a new clutch pedal and clip. He says he seem it loads on VAG cars.

I've done a search and read the posts about this common fault and they all make reference to a white clip whereas the part that failed on mine was a black one (see pictures below).

imageajej.jpg


I can get the part number for this from it but I was looking for some help in the following:

1). Where is the white clip people refer to failing and can someone help with a part number as I want to change this too.

2). Will the clutch pedal be a dealer only part. I searched the ECP website and it should no results.

3). Should u change anything else other than the black clip above, this white clip and the clutch pedal?

Any help on the above would be Much appreciated As I am completely carless at the moment.

Cheers

Cmc
 

cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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Lol I did have a read at those... Honest gov.

I wasn't clear what parts I needed though.

The parts diagram on the golf forum us useful but I need to find out what parts to get and whether vw part numbers differ from Seat numbers.


Cheers
 

Seatmann

Rough around the edges
Sep 16, 2010
5,568
9
Scotlanda
Gives your part numbers and I'll check them on vagcat but I think they'll be the same.



Going by that link to the mk4 site though I'd say a pedal and that thing you found, I think the plastic thing probably fell off because that other bit broke.
 

andycupra

status subject to change
i havnt looked at the links, but i can say for sure that its not the black bit thats failed.
The black bit you show clips onto the pedal to make good contact with the clutch pedal sensor when you are not depressing the clutch.

Whats happened is the actual pedal has failed.
The rod from the cylinder (brass in colour) has a white clip on the end which clips into the pedal. However when you depress the clutch pedal the white clip pushes against the back of the pedal. The back of the pedal has a small fold of metal and poor weld. This part of metal prevents the white clip being pushed through the pedal, and it is this bit of metal on the pedal thats failed. This allows the white clip to be pushed through the pedal when depressed.

The black plastic part you show clips onto the back of the pedal over the part thats failed and so comes off also. This black plastic is not a load bearing part, its simply there as a cover and to give a surface for the clutch pedal sensor to rest against and if it was removed the pedal would still work fin, the ECU might not get a confirmation the clutch is off and cruise control woudnt work. But the clutch pedal mechanics would be fine.

you need a new pedal or find the metal parts thats broken off and get it welded on properly.

100%.
 
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cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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Thanks seatmann, that would be appreciated.

I reckon the parts I need are the pedal, the stop for the switch (part 7) and the mounting (part 25).

Cheers
 

cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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Andy

That now makes sense as it chimes with what the recovery guy said yesterday. I reckon ad the parts are so cheap I'll just go to the dealer and replace with new I was instead if going down the welding route.

Cheers

Cmc
 

andycupra

status subject to change
think from memory pedal is around £30.
new white and black clips while you are there may as well be done, but its not 100% they are damaged.

however its a PITA to do the change. think dealers take out the front seat to do it.
spring on pedal is the issue and makes like difficult.
if you can compress the spring it helps alot. some have held it compressed with good quality cable ties and cut once fitted. others have siad they removed the whole machanism, pedal and back bracket which probably makes more sense.
 
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cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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I heard it's a nightmare job. My mate who's an RAC patrolman is doing it for me and I've warned him it could take 3-4 hours with the seat out.

Thanks for the advice.

cmc
 

LEE69

Stage 2 Revo'd
Dec 10, 2004
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You cant remove the pedal assembley without disconnecting the master cylinder.
The pedal can be removed with the seat in place

3-4 hours? More like an hour tops!
 
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cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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Some of the various threads have been quoting 3-4 hours and saying the dealers will bill 4 hours labour ad it's a nightmare job.

If it can be done in an hour then that's a result. Just budgeting for the worst case.

Cheers

Cmc
 

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
How long it will take depends on how good you are at working upside-down in the drivers footwell. As has been said above, the pedal has failed. The resultant bursting out of the master cylinder pushrod usually breaks one or two clips on the pedal - one (usually white) that goes inside the little box on the pedal to keep the pushrod centered, and the black one you have shown.

Be aware that the force of the master cylinder piston hitting the end of the cylinder can cause the seal to start to leak. The symptom you'll see is a slow loss of hydraulic fluid, as it leaks out of the end of the cylinder and under the carpet. There is no seal kit - the master cylinder will need to be replaced.
 

Seatmann

Rough around the edges
Sep 16, 2010
5,568
9
Scotlanda
This is a common fault on the ford focus too, stupid weld gives up but snaps the rod into the master cylinder at the same time and there's no clips, you have to fit a new master cylinder. I googled it and got the same BS results, take the seat out, takes hours etc etc but it took less than an hour with the seat in place. Go figure.
 

andycupra

status subject to change
one tip id give, is when you remove the old pedal, the main pivot point which the bolt passes thorugh has little metal sleeves inside it, one at each end.
New pedals dont usually have these! so transfer them over or there will me more play than there should be.
 

cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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Cheers Andy I'll pass that in to my mate. I felt around the carpet but there's no obvious sign if a leak from the master cylinder. Is there any other way u can check?

Ordered a pedal and both clips today for £33 from the dealer and pick then up tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help by the way. I must say having been a member for over 10 years and owned my Cupra from then, this forum has saved me a small fortune.

Cmc
 

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
When this happened to me in my Mk.2 Ibiza, the only way I noticed the fluid leak was that the clutch started to fail again, but this time it had run out of fluid!

The clutch system is supplied with hydraulic fluid from a point on the side of the shared reservoir on top of the brake master cylinder. So, as you run out of fluid (or as it runs out of the clutch master cylinder), the clutch fails before the brakes. A good design point - if it was deliberate. The brakes are obviously supplied from the bottom.

So I'd recommend keeping an eye on the hydraulic fluid level in the reservoir. A couple of times a week should be enough, if you aren't seeing an obvious gushing leak. If it drops, slowly but consistently, you've got a leak somewhere, and it's most likely the abused master cylinder that's leaking.
 

cmc

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Sep 13, 2002
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thanks for all the help on the above. Car now sorted and back on the road. Took my mate an hour without the need to take the seat out thankfully, although he did find it a bit awkward. Thankfully the master cylinder was OK too.

Andy - you were right, it was the metal fold at the weld that failed. The white plastic clip was still intact.

cheers
 
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