What Is Clutch Master Cylinder and How to Know If It Is Failing

What Is Clutch Master Cylinder and How to Know If It Is Failing

If you’re having trouble with clutch and transmission, there could be a problem with your clutch master cylinder. Look for these signs.

Found in vehicles with manual transmissions, clutch master cylinders can fail with time. However, there are some signs that you can look out for, just to be on the safe side. Let us discuss.

How Does It Work?

As already mentioned, clutch master cylinder is found in vehicles with manual transmission, serving as a pump for the clutch system that is operated hydraulically. When the driver presses the clutch pedal, clutch master cylinder forces the fluid through the system towards the clutch slave cylinder in order to disengage the clutch. Since, they happen to be hydraulic, clutch master cylinders can sometimes leak and it would become difficult for it to displace fluid.

Whenever there is a problem with the clutch master cylinder, you will experience problems in gear shifting and clutch pedal. With respect to that, there are some signs that pop up when the clutch master cylinder system is failing or about to fail that you could watch out for.

1. Low or Dirty Clutch Fluid The first problem associated with a clutch master cylinder going bad is low or dirty clutch fluid in the reservoir. It can be due to the seals inside that can break down overtime and result in contaminating the fluid. In addition to that, when seals age, they become vulnerable to leaks as well. Therefore, if you happen to observe that the fluid level is low, there might be a leak occurring somewhere in the system, either where there is the clutch master or the slave cylinder.

2. Hard To Shift Another symptom associated with a failing clutch master cylinder is difficulty in shifting. Since the clutch master cylinder happens to be hydraulic in nature, internal leakages can sometimes result in not allowing the cylinder to displace fluid properly. If incase the cylinder is not able to properly create pressure, it will not be able to disengage the clutch, whenever the pedal is pressed. This may lead to grinding while shifting gears and in some cases, the transmission may also pop out as well.

3. Abnormal Clutch Pedal Behavior If the pressure produced by the clutch master cylinder is abnormal, it might also indicate a potentially failing clutch master cylinder. In case of any issues taking place internally, it will have a direct impact on the feel of the pedal. It in some cases will feel spongy or mushy whereas in worse scenarios, the pedal might literally sink down to the floor staying depressed.

Thorough Inspection Is Needed If you are continuously experiencing something fishy with the clutch pedal or especially if the fluid is low, you should get it checked from a specialist at the earliest. This is a transmission related problem and if you happen to ignore it, it will lead to expensive repairs down the road. Therefore, take benefit from the opportunity that you have at hand and do not ignore it just to save a few bucks.

Conclusion In the end, it is suggested to replace the clutch master cylinder entirely with a new unit, there might be someone who can fix it for you but since it is directly related to the transmission system, you should not be taking any chances.