Hello everyone. I'm really in a desperate situation and need all the advise I can get. I have a Hyundai i30 2007 petrol 1.4 which has been good as gold until recently about 3 months ago I noticed that there was no clutch fluid in the reservoir and that the remaining residue was green. Stupidly I made matters worse as I topped up with power steering fluid and not brake / clutch fluid. Yes I did look at the manaul but even so I still got it wrong. I never really noticed a problem but about 2 weeks ago it felt like it was getting more difficult changing gears. The car has just been serviced and passed the MOT and I also got the breaks bled. Soon after noticing these problems I then started to investigate and I looked in the manual again and realised what I had done so I then decided to to try and clean and bleed out the clutch. I located the slave cylinder and opened the valve and had someone pump the clutch. Some fluid came out and then the clutch went very soft, I suppose it is because I had little fluid due to draining. The problem I've got is that I now cannot get the pedal to be firm no matter how much I pump. I have been opening the valve while somebody pumps and then I get them to hold the clutch down as I close the valve again. This is not making a difference as I notice that not much fluid comes out and the reservoir which is always topped up never drains it just stays at the same level all the time. I've have had a mechanic come out and have a look and he says that its my master clutch cylinder, I checked before I called him and can see that it had a little leak, the slave cylinder is also with a small leak. He has advised me to change both. I have been searching the net for days and ended up buying one from eBay. The part arrives and it is completly the wrong fitting although the seller assures me that its right one. I have been looking around again today and the only master clutch I find is the same one I got from eBay. I'll try and add a few pics for you guys to view. Later on today I discoved that the only place to get one is Hyundai direct which is about 3 times the price, finding the slave cylinder was easy but the master was a challenge. I'd like to know if anyone can tell me if this could actually be the problem and  when replacing both cylinders and cleaning out the system would actually resolve my problem. Car does not go into gear only with engine off. Pedal really soft. Could there be something else? I mean all I did was open the valve and pump the clutch, the mechanic reckons it's because I've damaged the rubber seals in the cylinders causing them to inflate just like the rubber seal in the reservoir cap, which is all mangled and distorted. Please help sorry for the long. Post. Cheers guys

[tw2005]

I've skimmed through that wall of words and this is what I think.

Firstly , the system is contaminated and brake fluid is water soluable, hydraulic fluid is not.

I would replace the entire system + hydraulic lines or if it's possible to flush the lines with some non residual solvent, I don't know.
If you don't it could cause the system to go again.

The seals used that would be suited to brake fluid  are most likely not real happy being bathed in power steering fluid and  I suspect these have failed .

Maybe a wrecker could be a way to go but new may be better in the long run.

416052H900





   
4171023000

Thank you it's more or less what I thought and what the mechanic told me. I'm gonna bite the bullet and buy a new master cylinder. I've already got the slave. Cheers

[tw2005]

Thank you it's more or less what I thought and what the mechanic told me. I'm gonna bite the bullet and buy a new master cylinder. I've already got the slave. Cheers

yeah, afraid so

Right, just giving an update, new master clutch cylinder and new slave cyliber, flush out on the hyrolic pipes and new clutch fluid, my jam jar can go back in gear and feels great. Won't try and do it myself again as it cost me around £350 quid with parts and labour. Least it's done now. Cheers

[tw2005]

Right, just giving an update, new master clutch cylinder and new slave cyliber, flush out on the hyrolic pipes and new clutch fluid, my jam jar can go back in gear and feels great. Won't try and do it myself again as it cost me around £350 quid with parts and labour. Least it's done now. Cheers

good for another 11 years

[Dazzler]

Right, just giving an update, new master clutch cylinder and new slave cyliber, flush out on the hyrolic pipes and new clutch fluid, my jam jar can go back in gear and feels great. Won't try and do it myself again as it cost me around £350 quid with parts and labour. Least it's done now. Cheers

Well that was quick! Thanks for getting back to us. Good, but expensive result.

Hoping for happy, trouble free motoring...