00 Jetta - Clutch hit bottom, slave supply line leaking at joint.

[iarp]

Long ass story short, we drove the car home from the local shop with a leaking slave cylinder and a quote for approx $500 to fix it.

After a bit of searching, i removed the air box and found the device and it's leaking line.

The metal line that comes from the master clutch cylinder has a one-piece nozzle on it that fits into the slave cylinder quite tightly. The issue is that the line and the nozzle are very loose. So loose in fact that brake fluid is leaking from between the nozzle and the line(not the nozzle and cylinder). Right in the head itself, somewhere i cannot get to to fix myself. That leads me to believe the cylinder is actually OK, but it's the line connection failing.

We followed the line and found it ended at the master, we are prepared to yank the whole line out and replace it. Anyone have any idea what those lines cost? And/or do i really have to replace the entire line from master to cylinder. I tried to use a mirror to my best but it was dark and hard to see properly, it looks like a solid metal line and a crimped rubber hose at the slave end.

 

[PDJetta]

[Edit] I just did a little more looking. ID Parts does have the slave cylinder O-ring. I bet yours is leaking:

http://idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2114


I've never had the line out, but judging from a picture of the slave cylinder I copied from ID Parts' web site, a clip holds the hydraulic line into the cylinder. Perhaps its a simple seal that is bad:

If you have trouble getting to the clip that holds the line, you can easily unbolt the slave cylinder and its line and slip the cylinder out for better access.

$500 estimate? Wow! The cylinder, new is about $65 and the seal is only $5.

If you end up fixing this yourself when done, to bleed the system, simply fill the brake fluid reservoir (with DoT 4 fluid) right up to its top and still be able to install the cap and float without spilling fluid out the top and with the air filter box removed, attach a clear plastic hose to the slave cylinder bleeder bolt and open it (you have to open it several turns to get fluid to flow). Then you most likely will have to push down on the clutch pedal (it won't return on its own) and then close the bleeder bolt BEFORE you pull the pedal up, using your hand. Do this a couple of times (open bleeder, push pedal to floor, close bleeder, pull pedal up with hand). Check that the brake fluid level is not near to the clutch tap-off line just above midway up on the brake fluid reservoir. You may have to repeat to get a good pedal feel.

--Nate

 

[iarp]

It's not leaking around the oring, it's leaking around the feed line that goes into the fitting that contains the oring.

The head of the feed line that goes into the slave is completely free floating, it can turn 360 degrees on the stationary feed line.

I will take a video/picture when i'm home next so you can see what i mean.

 

[kilobit]

I am having the same problem here. The nozzle and the line will actually twist and leaks at the factory crimp.
What I did was clean it really good and use some liquid steel on it. That is working but now it has also developed a slow leak.

To spend $80 on a part that will do the same thing is insane, so I am having my father in law to weld the line to the nozzle. I will report back when I do.

 

[iarp]

I ordered the part from VW on Thursday, they rushed it for Friday morning for me.

The feed line plus a clip that was bent beyond repair cost $106.

That nozzle is NOT supposed to move. At all. The new line we picked up and installed, aside from the rubber flex hose is completely solid.

 

[kilobit]

I fixed mine with my welder in 5 minutes. Mine was bent all up too. Works great now.

 

[iarp]

I had thought about doing that, but i didn't like the look of the rest of the line. Completely rusted out and felt like falling apart at the plastic clip holding it to the body.

 

[kilobit]

If it was a brake line I would have thought about it more, but the weld is holding nicely. Wonder how many slave cylinders were replaced because of this line

 

[iarp]

Have you had any issue with the clutch not disengaging at the proper level? I'm finding i'm now grinding gear 1 if i'm not careful and slow when engaging.

We've bleed about an entire bottles worth of DOT4 through it trying to get air out, still feels like air in it.

 

[kilobit]

Sounds like you do. First thing I would do is clean entire area with degreaser and make sure you are not leaking at the slave cylinder. Make sure its not leaking internally and dripping into your bellhousing and leaking from the bottom.

If these issues just started then you can rule out trans. fluid change or bent clutch release fork.
I did notice that I had not fully seated the hose to my master cylinder, its hard to get it to click in but you should see leaks there too.
When I bled mine I had my clutch petal about halfway in then used a suction bleeder from harbor freight and kept vacuum on it while I tightened the bleeder nozzle until it was closed making sure no air got back inside.
Hope that helps you.

 

[Electric_Cowboy]

Well, this sucks. Mine just did the same exact thing. Stranded in my driveway now. Does anyone haveba part number for this or another idea to fix this?

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

I think I've got the same problem - Is the solution a new line or is there another option?

I can weld it, however that requires removing the line (which looks like a PITA). What about cutting the bad end off the existing line and cutting the good end off the new line and then just using a compression coupling to join them back together? I suppose I could do the same thing with the old line, just need to be in the same location as the welder when I do it .

At the moment, I've got ~5 seconds of clutch disengagement so need to do something quick!

 

[CoolAirVw]

I think you need to just replace the line.

Edit: (didn't realize you were an awesome fabricator, but for most folks they would probably just replace the line)

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Well, I spent ~$4.50 on a 3/16 compression coupling and spent a little time with a 1/16" tungsten and 0.030" filler on the TIG welder.

Other than dropping the little clip that holds the line in and having to bend one up from a piece of wire, it went well. It's nice to have a fully functional clutch again! The last few shifts were really just a controlled engagement :0

 

[CoolAirVw]

Thats cool! One less place it will never leak.

 

[jakej78b]

I fixed mine by removing the line and using JB Weld around the line in a similar manner to the tig weld above. It has been holding for well over a month now.