Technical 2007 Ducato MultiJet 160 (3.0L) weird hydraulic clutch issue.

[GMcK]

Hello all.......new here so bear with me!! Our Fiat Ducato frame motorhome runs really well until we drive for about 100 miles and then the clutch pressure goes. I can drag the pedal back up and pump it and it then works fine if I keep using it (city driving etc.), but if I drive for 5 or 6 miles the pressure goes and I have to pump again. I drove all the way back from Alicante to Edinburgh doing that. We lost the clutch pressure all together about 3 months ago and had the slave cylinder replaced so I'm hoping it's not that. The clutch fluid reservoir is full. When I pump the clutch when stationary there doesn't seem to be a leak (no fluid coming out). Could it be the master cylinder? (would that effect the brakes? no problem there) It's weird that it doesn't happen until I've driven about 100, almost like it's temperature related. I parked the van for 5 weeks having pumped the clutch to get pressure. After 5 weeks the van started with full clutch pressure. Then I drive 100 ish miles and the pressure goes again.......any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jackwhoo]

Yes could very well be the clutch master cylinder

 

[Communicator]

Hello all.......new here so bear with me!! Our Fiat Ducato frame motorhome runs really well until we drive for about 100 miles and then the clutch pressure goes. I can drag the pedal back up and pump it and it then works fine if I keep using it (city driving etc.), but if I drive for 5 or 6 miles the pressure goes and I have to pump again. I drove all the way back from Alicante to Edinburgh doing that. We lost the clutch pressure all together about 3 months ago and had the slave cylinder replaced so I'm hoping it's not that. The clutch fluid reservoir is full. When I pump the clutch when stationary there doesn't seem to be a leak (no fluid coming out). Could it be the master cylinder? (would that effect the brakes? no problem there) It's weird that it doesn't happen until I've driven about 100, almost like it's temperature related. I parked the van for 5 weeks having pumped the clutch to get pressure. After 5 weeks the van started with full clutch pressure. Then I drive 100 ish miles and the pressure goes again.......any help would be greatly appreciated.

It shoud not affect the brakes. While the reservoir is common it is internally subdivided by weirs to separate fluid supplies to two braking systems, and the clutch.

I changed the master cylinder on my 2006 x244 several years ago, due to a trace of leaking fluid on the outside of the cylinder, and originating from the piston rod. I envisaged some difficulty when lining up the piston rod on the replacement cylinder, to insert the clevis pin. My concerns proved to be unfounded.

 

[GMcK]

Thanks for that. I'm going to take a closer look at the master to see if there's any evidence of leakage. Very helpful.

 

[jackwhoo]

They can fail internally without any sign of leakage

 

[GMcK]

It's sounding like it's the master cylinder.....thanks

 

[Gazman66]

Hi GMcK
Im interested to know if you resolved your issue with the clutch pressure?. I have a 2008 Fiat Ducato camper 3.0ltr manual.
We lost the clutch pressure about 6 weeks ago, thought it was the master cylinder so replaced. However after running like your issue around town continually running through the gears with no problem it failed again with no pressure. We have continued to find air within the system so only thought was the pipe entering the master cylinder which has an oring. We replaced the oring which gave a tighter fit then again we completely re-pressurised the system. Again it’s running good around town but feel the pedal beginning to drop and lose pressure again.

Any thoughts anyone? The only practical approach is now a costly one - likely replace the slave cylinder ?

 

[GMcK]

Hi GMcK
Im interested to know if you resolved your issue with the clutch pressure?. I have a 2008 Fiat Ducato camper 3.0ltr manual.
We lost the clutch pressure about 6 weeks ago, thought it was the master cylinder so replaced. However after running like your issue around town continually running through the gears with no problem it failed again with no pressure. We have continued to find air within the system so only thought was the pipe entering the master cylinder which has an oring. We replaced the oring which gave a tighter fit then again we completely re-pressurised the system. Again it’s running good around town but feel the pedal beginning to drop and lose pressure again.

Any thoughts anyone? The only practical approach is now a costly one - likely replace the slave cylinder ?

Hi, Gaz, Initially I had a problem where the clutch pedal went to the floor and died!! I couldn't pump it, it was gone. I replaced the slave cylinder at that point (£800) and everything seemed fine until we drove for some distance, same issue you have now. Our camper goes in for repair on 8th Jan so I'll let you know what they find.