Clutch or what?

Advice needed please.

Just happened tonight. Its picked a bad time.
Crunch to get reverse, crunch to engage 1st. Nasty crunches! Clutch feels lighter to depress (I think). Once moving, 1st through to 5th is possible but feels a little clunkier. I can go up or down through the gears as normal, but once stationary engaging first or reverse is noisy and difficult, it feels as though the clutch is not working?

Rockingham on Sat looking dodgy unless it turns out to be something simple - clutch fluid? I know where the brake fluid is topped up but not the clutch. Am I grasping at straws?

sounds like stickin master cylinder - if pedal doesn't return fully due to dirt it will feel light and might have some clutch - if clutch gone ne gear changing possible without double de clutching

there are already a few threads in relation to this - check the search engine and you'll find plenty of info

Also check for wear in the pedal hole where the master cylinder is connected to it. I found that there was far too much slack around the hole, thus not giving the clutch enough clearance.

ps. brake reservoir and clutch reservoir the same, behind the passenger side headlight.

Thanks Liam and Dermot,

I have spent the last hour cutting and pasting every article posted on this site on clutches. Hopefully it will be something relatively simple to do with the master cylinder. Brake fluid well down. Will try and get my french mechanic on it tomorrow but am not too hopeful.

Also the pin that goes through the clutch pedal can wear badly. There is also a twin washered plastic liner in the cluth pedel hole, which on my car they had deteriated and allows the pedel to be a bit sloppy (moves without doing anything).

Brake and clutch are fed from the same reservoir. If fluid level is low clutch does not get fluid. I would think that either your clutch slave or master cylinder would be leaking past the rubbers on the piston, causing the clutch diaphragm to not be depressed fully, and so crunching gears result.

You should be able to see where the fluid is leaking, from either cylinder.
The clutch slave is a tough job on a Turbo.

Might just be low fluid due to brake pad wear.... Has allowed some air into the clutch system and just needs bleeding at the slave cylinder.
Trying to be upbeat!

Trying to be upbeat!

Obviuosly an experienced GTA owner !!!

I am also trying to be upbeat, feeling much better than last night. My french mechanic will have a look at it tomorrow. If it is the master cylinder I may be in trouble as two phone calls today to different suppliers revealed nothing in stock. It is the same one as on a Ren 25 isn't it?

Watch this space tomorrow.

I looked at using an R25 master cylinder when repairing mine .I didn't because the differences were , where the GTA had mounting holes ,the 25 had studs (you could modify your car to suit) but also the stroke looked longer on the 25 and your pedal would sit lower.

I looked at using an R25 master cylinder when repairing mine .I didn't because the differences were , where the GTA had mounting holes ,the 25 had studs (you could modify your car to suit) but also the stroke looked longer on the 25 and your pedal would sit lower.

Hi Chris, its hot here 30 degrees, n my computer is hotter! I am now aware that Master cylinder is almost certainly GTA specific as you point out, but pretty certain slave is R25, trying to source some repair kits for both. Thanks for help.

If you need any of the parts, our Renault dealership is normally pretty quick, and I get cost + 10% on any parts from any of our dealerships (we have almost everything inc 14 different ones on one site!)
I had my master cylinder changed and rebuilt the slave cylinder not that long ago, and I got the parts in about 2-3 days.

I looked at using an R25 master cylinder when repairing mine .I didn't because the differences were , where the GTA had mounting holes ,the 25 had studs (you could modify your car to suit) but also the stroke looked longer on the 25 and your pedal would sit lower.

Hi Chris, its hot here 30 degrees, n my computer is hotter! I am now aware that Master cylinder is almost certainly GTA specific as you point out, but pretty certain slave is R25, trying to source some repair kits for both. Thanks for help.

Yep, I posted this on another thread somewhere, all the UN1s (21, 25, GTA) have the same slave, but the master is an Alpine only part number.

Slave cylinder definately,

Not attempting rebuild will just replace. shouldn't have a problem getting one it will just take time. So no Rockingham tomorrow. Stephen Dell has my entry ticket so if anyone wants to go give him a ring.

I am very disappointed.

On another note we have been trying to sort out my oil pressure guage which flies around like a wild thing sometimes showing 4 bars and other times just above the red or 2 bars when travelling normally. No consistency, sometimes when idling is in the red.

Have just replaced oil pressure switch? (not sure of its proper name) on engine block part no 60 00 007 768 but this has made no difference. We know from testing that the pressure is ok so is it just the guage on the dash, is it electrical or what.

Niggly things, driving me crazy.

On another note we have been trying to sort out my oil pressure guage which flies around like a wild thing sometimes showing 4 bars and other times just above the red or 2 bars when travelling normally. No consistency, sometimes when idling is in the red.

Have just replaced oil pressure switch? (not sure of its proper name) on engine block part no 60 00 007 768 but this has made no difference. We know from testing that the pressure is ok so is it just the guage on the dash, is it electrical or what.

Niggly things, driving me crazy.

Possibly it's just dicky gauges on the dash. Noticed my temp gauge and oil pressure gauges flickering about slightly today. Maybe they're just getting a bit hot in this warm weather or dodgy wires or contacts?