"Mrcheerful" wrote in message
m...
R D S wrote:
The clutch on our Multipla gets very crunchy after prolonged use and
gets to the point where driving becomes a real pain in the arse.
The clutch itself is approx 1yr old and the slave cylinder was
changed just prior so I wonder if the master cylinder needs changing.

That said I wonder if the fluid needs changing as there is *very*
jerky feedback from the brakes in the wet and if I understand
correctly the clutch and brakes share the same fluid. Would a need to
replace the fluid create the symptoms above?

In either case I would appreciate advice on replacing the fluid or
changing the master cylinder.

Cheers,

Rick

Fluid condition will not make any noticeable difference to clutch
operation, it would work for a while at least with water in the system.
Clutch and brake fluid should be changed every two years or so as it
attracts water, effectively the fluid in the clutch circuit doesn't go
anywhere and the fluid down at the slave cylinder must be quite fresh as
you had a new one quite recently.

If the clutch is apparently not disengaging when hot then it means that
either the clutch is not disengaging fully or the main shaft of the
gearbox is being dragged along by the engine.

There is a slim chance of a ballooning flexible hose, possibly the release
mechanism on/in the gearbox is stiff. Possibly the clutch itself is
faulty, incorrect grease application during clutch fitting can give the
same effect. if it uses one, the crankshaft spigot bearing may be at fault
and drags the mainshaft with it (this was common on some fords) although
many vehicles no longer have a spigot bearing.

Thanks for the above.

If it makes any difference the problem is notably worse on a hot day.

I am sure it is fluid compression related as it occasionally gets so bad
that I can't get the car in gear unless I switch off the engine for a moment
and then fire it back up again.