Need help with a Diagnosis.

[snakeftw]

Hey guys.

I was pulling into a parking space this afternoon and I pushed in the clutch pedal to put it in neutral and the pedal itself got stuck all the way down. I had to pull it back with my hand to get it back up. After that I couldn't get into any gears. I let it sit for a minute and tried starting it. It started and I managed to get it in gear and back down the street to my cousins. I drove about 20 all the way back and I had difficulty getting it to catch from a stop and getting it into second. I noticed 15 minutes after I got back that it was leaking fluid from under the engine. All the same symptoms from when the clutch went on my stepdads 99 A4 Turbo(besides the leaking part). What do you guys think?

[coreyb26]

Sounds like the clutch master cylinder went. I dont think anything on the clutch, Slave end could cause the pedal to stick down.

[x2xtreme360]

Get up under the dash in your car and check the plunger that goes in towards the firewall. Check the rubber boot for leakage. A leaky master cylinder will cause this. You can rebuild the master cylinder with a rebuild kit. The chances that the cylinder itself is damaged is slim.

OH... and btw, fix is ASAP. Did I mention I have to double clutch into second gear now? lol

[jstarr427]

When this happened to me, it was the slave cyl. almost the exact same symptoms. Clutch went to the floor and didn't come up on it's own.

[x2xtreme360]

Pretty much any leak will do this I'm pretty sure. Leaky flex line, slave cylinder, or master cylinder. I replaced my flex line with a stainless steel line and rebuilt my leaky master cylinder. Way cheaper than buying a new one and hasn't leaked in 3 years.

[marshallh]

I had all three parts take a dump around the same time. The slave cylinder was leaking, master wasn't leaking but made metallic grinding noises, and flex line had pinhole leaks.

The sooner you fix it, the less you'll screw up your synchros.

[snakeftw]

Thanks for all the input.

Today it stopped leaking but it was still very difficult to get it into gear and the clutch pedal was acting up again. It's in the shop now, I should know for sure by sometime tomorrow. I'm really hoping you guys are right because I don't feel like paying for a new clutch.

[snakeftw]

OK I have the car back. Apparently the slave cylinder needed to be replaced. 170$ not bad I guess. Anyway, I'm still having trouble getting it into first gear from a stop and the clutch pedal is very loose and really doesn't do anything until I have the pedal halfway down then it starts to engage. Also, the gas pedal is now a lot more sensitive? I'm thinking maybe I need to break in the new cylinder.?????

[x2xtreme360]

Sounds like it hasn't been bled correctly. Bleed the entire system until you see clear fluid squirting out and DON'T forget to keep topping off the reservoir or you'll have to redo the entire thing. When you're done, tighten the bleeder screw and fill the reservoir to the line mark. Your clutch and brake cylinders don't work in unison so your brakes shouldn't be any different unless they did something to them.

[snakeftw]

^ Thanks for the input. The car is now shifting a lot smoother, I think the problem has been solved. Thank God, now I can get that Bomex Lip.