Brake master cylinder/clutch master cylinder?

dweisel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Location
Wheeling, West Virginia
TDI
dweisel isn't diesel anymore!
Now I am confussed...............everyones thoughts were that the master cylinder was bad on my 96 B4 Passat Wagon. I looked up the parts and the different auto parts stores show a brake master cylinder and a clutch master cylinder. I was under the impression that they were combined as one unit. If they are seperate, where is the clutch master cylinder located? If they are the same which part do I order??? Also if they are one unit wouldn't it not only affect my brakes,but the clutch function also.

Thanks, Dweisel
 
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lost1wing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
USA, Georgia, Homerville
TDI
2003, 2003, 2002, 2000 ,2000
If it like my 03 Jetta, they share the same fluid from the brake master cylinder. The clutch master cylinder is mounted on the transmission.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
lost1wing said:
If it like my 03 Jetta, they share the same fluid from the brake master cylinder.
Yes!

lost1wing said:
The clutch master cylinder is mounted on the transmission.
Actually the clutch master is on the firewall, next to the brake master, ~4-6" to the right, when facing the brake/clutch master cyl. What you refer to is the clutch slave cylinder.

HTH

Tony
 

lost1wing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
USA, Georgia, Homerville
TDI
2003, 2003, 2002, 2000 ,2000
TonyJetta said:
Yes!



Actually the clutch master is on the firewall, next to the brake master, ~4-6" to the right, when facing the brake/clutch master cyl. What you refer to is the clutch slave cylinder.

HTH

Tony
After I put down the crack pipe, I realized what I wrote. TonyJetta, thanks for the correction.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
lost1wing, no worries....You should see some of my posts late at night! :rolleyes:

Tony
 

codeblue

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2003
Location
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
TDI
98 Vento GLX TDI
Hey guys, question.....

how often do these things need to be replaced? I am still currently on the originals and am planning a brake fluid change this summer and wondering if they should be replaced.

I know the seal around my clutch slave cylinder is toast so I will be replacing that, but I know nothing about how the master cylinder works.
 

lost1wing

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
USA, Georgia, Homerville
TDI
2003, 2003, 2002, 2000 ,2000
It depends on if you change the brake fluid as required (every two years). Moisture will lead to corrosion, which leads to failures. Also note that if you top off you brake fluid, you do it with the proper type (never mix fluids).
 

FOG

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Location
Hatfield, PA
TDI
'02 Golf GL 2-Door
codeblue said:
Hey guys, question.....

how often do these things need to be replaced? I am still currently on the originals and am planning a brake fluid change this summer and wondering if they should be replaced.

I know the seal around my clutch slave cylinder is toast so I will be replacing that, but I know nothing about how the master cylinder works.

:) How do you no if the clutch slave cylinder is toast, is it leaking?

:) The Brake and Clutch fluid need to be replaced every two years and use Dot 4 type only.
The clutch and brake master cylinders work the same. You push on a piston and it moves fluid and a piston (clutch) pistons (brakes) on other end.

Walt:)
 
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ColoTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2004
Location
Denver, Colorado
TDI
96 Blue Passat Sedan
Having clutch problems as well

As of this last Monday, I was unable to down shift and then, when stopped at a light, it would not shift into (any) gear. I shut it off, put it into first, and started the car when the light turned green. I was able to up shift with relativly no problems. Then on Tuesday, I started the Passat, and tried to shift into reverse. Again, it didn't want to shift into any gear. :( However, this time when I tried to shift it into reverse (with the car still running and clutch depressed) it started to move backwards without fully going into gear.

I can only visibly see the brake master with reservoir. I checked it and it's at or just below the MIN mark. Is there a clutch reservoir, and if so, where do I find it? I looked just to the right of the brake setup on the firewall, but don't really see anything.

Does this sound like a master/slave problem, or more like a full on clutch replacement? :confused:

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I can probably post pics if needed/wanted.


Thanks.
- Norm
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
Might that be the same trans that's in a B4?

Hmmmm?????

Tony
 

ABHORRANCE

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
TDI
Jetta TDI '06
ColoTDI said:
As of this last Monday, I was unable to down shift and then, when stopped at a light, it would not shift into (any) gear. I shut it off, put it into first, and started the car when the light turned green. I was able to up shift with relativly no problems. Then on Tuesday, I started the Passat, and tried to shift into reverse. Again, it didn't want to shift into any gear. :( However, this time when I tried to shift it into reverse (with the car still running and clutch depressed) it started to move backwards without fully going into gear.
I had the same problem last night! But when I restarted the car, the brakes failed to work. The pedal is super stiff and the ABS is obviously unresponsive. I can shift gears, but it feels very forced. I was at least able to move the car off the main road to a safe place.
 

Mrg-images

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Location
Port Charlotte, fl
TDI
1996 Passat TDI
Hello.
1996 b4 tdi 5 speed 178,000
Thread is old but thought I would give it a shot.
I'm looking to replace the clutch master cylinder and slave. I've been reading a lot on it and just have a couple questions.
1. When I remove the master am I supposed to add dot 4 fluid directly to it to prevent air before installing back?
2. The slave cylinder bleeder, do I bleed all the fluid? It does look old. If I leave the bleeder open will all the fluid come out? If I bleed all the fluid will I have more issues with my brakes since they share the same reservoir? Thank you!
 
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