clutch and UJ question

[jumpy]

Hey all,
just a couple of quickies -
For the clutch to function correctly given that it is hydraulic, does the seal on the fluid reservoir screw top have to be airtight? If I tighten mine up it breaks the thread seal and has to be screwed down again carefully.

How much of that lithium based grease stuff can I expect to squeeze into the propshafts & universal joints? I'm getting a new grease gun (more toys whoohoo) for the job soon. Will 400g be enough :confused:

[thepoacher]

Not sure about the clutch but with the UJ's just pump the grease in until it starts to squirt out the sides of the joint, and then a smidge more.
Hope that helps a bit.
Cheers,
Pete.

[littledude]

The clutch cylinder does not need to be airtight. The cap is there just to stop cr*p getting in and damaging the seals and to stop the fluid spilling onto your lovely paintwork and striping off.

Early ones even had a breath hole in the top of some of them.

The fluid, of course has to be at the correct level though, to stop air being drawn into the line and affecting it's operation.

[TEMPL4R]

As soon as you hear anything from the UJs, stop pumping or you will damage the seals in the cups. Usually, just a couple of pumps is enough.

The reservoir must vent as the fluid level lowers as the brake pads wear and the pistons move out.

Chris

[lynalldiscovery]

400g will last you for ever!

Technically you are meant to keep greasing until clean grease comes out, but i do as said, as soon as it gets a little harder to pump and you can hear grease escaping i stop.


Lynall

[Snagger]

Hey all,
just a couple of quickies -
For the clutch to function correctly given that it is hydraulic, does the seal on the fluid reservoir screw top have to be airtight? If I tighten mine up it breaks the thread seal and has to be screwed down again carefully.
No - the cap is just for the reservoir, which is never pressurised. The seal is merely to prevent spillage and dirt/water ingress.
How much of that lithium based grease stuff can I expect to squeeze into the propshafts & universal joints? I'm getting a new grease gun (more toys whoohoo) for the job soon. Will 400g be enough :confused:
Just buy a tub of LM grease to fill the gun, and apply the grease to the UJs until it emerges from the seals. One tub will be fine.

[jumpy]

Thanks chaps.
I've had a succession of cars with cable operated clutches, where amongst other things it's pretty easy to gage the wear on a clutch by the biting point or the adjustment of the cable itself. How can you assess the wear on a discovery clutch (other than when it starts to not do it's job correctly = replace)? The haynes big book of lies tells me nothing here. The biting point on mine is right near the top of the pedal travel. I know they're self adjusting, but is that right?
New toy ought to be here by next weekend, so armed with grease gun and the helpful advice from here I shall mostly be conducting merry war upon the universal joints :p

[TEMPL4R]

When you fit a new clutch, the fingers are in, when it's nearly worn out, the fingers are out and resting your foot on the pedal can make the clutch slip. If you test drive a car, if it bites high up, the clutch it on it's way out. The slave is right back and there is no free travel.
If you can't see on an external linkage, you can take the slave off and see where the arm lies. The nearer to the slave mounting hole, the more wear in the centre plate.

Chris