[Ravveendrra]

The Skoda Laura has a hydraulic clutch.

Originally Posted by Gtea

........Btw.. Is it possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch like cable operated ones?
(at least to a small extent??)

I do not think that one can adjust hydraulic clutches for 'play'.

Originally Posted by Gurkha

Before all that, in 1986, the humble Trax introduced hydraulic clutch in India due to their getting the license for OM616 and TX-17 ZF tranny which only takes OEM MB clutch which is hydraulic, mechanical clutches are history due to their being too hard, specially on high power engines with heavy pressure plates, although I would admit, mechanical clutches have better feedback and easier to take abuse. Even on my VFJ Jonga, VFJ had to mod the original Nissan finger clutch to a hydraulic pressure plate diaphragm type due to the HINO engine's low end torque.

My dad's Standard Herald had a hydraulic clutch. These cars preceded the Trax by a couple of decades.

Cheers,

[hellstar]

All verna's comes with a hydraulic clutch ...just confirming !

the best part about the hydraulic clutch is that its self adjusting, but that also means the system decided whats optimal. You cant set the parameters to your liking. things like play etc ...

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by veyron1

Hydraulically actuated clutches are better in most aspects; for one, it gives consistent pedal feel throughout the life of the clutch. Although, when the clutch fails, the pedal WILL show reduced play; same case with the pressure plate as well.

A few drawbacks of hydraulic clutches include risks of master cylinder leakage, slave cylinder leakage, etc. But then, the cable-actuated mechanism suffers from risk of under-lubrication and requires constant care in terms of adjustment as well.

Simply put; hydraulically actuated clutch mechanisms are better suited for handling high-power/ high-torque applications.

What exactly do you mean by 'clutch fail'? Does it mean a replacement of the clutch assembly? I just faced a master cylinder leakage problem in my Getz's hydraulic clutch today
Seems like the entire cylinder assembly has to be changed now (costing about Rs 4k). Can this not be repaired? How does one detect a slave cylinder leakage?

Originally Posted by Gtea

The Scorpio also has a Hydraulic clutch.

Btw.. Is it possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch like cable operated ones?
(at least to a small extent??)

I dont think it's possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch.

Originally Posted by THE OFFROADER

The only trouble i have with Hydraulic Clutches is that they need they seem heavy all the time and need good lubrication for 'you to be happy'.

What kind of lubrication do you mean? Anything other than the clutch fluid level to be checked?

Originally Posted by hellstar

All verna's comes with a hydraulic clutch ...just confirming !

the best part about the hydraulic clutch is that its self adjusting, but that also means the system decided whats optimal. You cant set the parameters to your liking. things like play etc ...

By self adjusting - do you mean that the ECU decides the play and re-adjusts periodically based on driving style?

[sgiitk]

I had an Accent with a Hydraulic clutch. Was fine one day (I drove from Lucknow and then attended a dinner). The next morning it was Kaput. The car had to be towed to the HASS and the clutch cylinder replaced. Still it needed topping up every six months or so.

But then the wire can also break!

I will take Hydraulic any day.

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I had an Accent with a Hydraulic clutch. Was fine one day (I drove from Lucknow and then attended a dinner). The next morning it was Kaput. The car had to be towed to the HASS and the clutch cylinder replaced. Still it needed topping up every six months or so.

But then the wire can also break!

I will take Hydraulic any day.

What signs of kaputness did you notice? It would be helpful for members to keep a look out for these signs, for early detection of the problem.

My FIAT Linea has hydraulic clutch. There is no separate fluid reservoir for clutch. The brake oil is used for clutch too.

[hellstar]

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi

I dont think it's possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch.

What kind of lubrication do you mean? Anything other than the clutch fluid level to be checked?

By self adjusting - do you mean that the ECU decides the play and re-adjusts periodically based on driving style?

No its not possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch....

Lubrication would mean check the hydraulic clutch fluid regularly and top up if required.

The i am not sure if the ECU monitors the clutch position for adjusting the play , the play in my experience is decided by the health of the clutch assembly and the quality of maintenance that the clutch has been treated to . For example the play will be very high if the clutch has not been "bleed" regularly resulting in the presence of air bubbles in the hydraulic system. This will also depend on whether the right bleeding procedure has been used to remove air from the clutch.

[Nalin1]

Let me revive an old thread to ask a question about the hydraulic clutch.

From what I understood the brake and the clutch fluid is the same. The fluid from the reservoir is used by the master cylinder to displace through a tube, to the slave cylinder and thus the clutch is operated.

What happens if you slide down a flyover with bumper-to-bumper traffic at 5 KMPH for about a kilometre in neutral with just applying and releasing the brake?
Does that stop the clutch from being lubricated and results in slight shuddering when normal traffic resumes? Then later on, after a few metres everything is back to normal as the fluid circulation is back ( I think) and the clutch behaves normally.

What do the gurus think about the above scenario?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

What happens if you slide down a flyover with bumper-to-bumper traffic at 5 KMPH for about a kilometre in neutral with just applying and releasing the brake?

What happens? Nothing actually both the brakes and clutch continue operating normally PROVIDED they have been maintained according to the recommended schedule.

Does that stop the clutch from being lubricated and results in slight shuddering when normal traffic resumes? Then later on, after a few metres everything is back to normal as the fluid circulation is back ( I think) and the clutch behaves normally.

The fluid acts mainly as a pressure 'transmitter' from the master to the slave cylinders. It does not lubricate the clutch only the master/slave cylinder components.

[amitabhr]

So its true that Hydraulic Clutches can't be adjusted for play ??

4 months old Creta and I wanted to adjust the clutch to activate a bit earlier. It used to activate on depressing like 2" and is now at 4" or so for some reason.

(FWIW i have shifted from 15 years of automatic to a manual so a lot of seat adjustments & it might be something else...)

Asked the ASS and then my local guy and they both told me 'Hydraulic hai isme kuch adjust nhi hota' ! I seriously thought they are just washing their hands off coz it must be low fee thing

Now i distinctly remember dad had a standard heral which had 2 cylinders of break / clutch fluid if you open the bonnet and we did have the clutch adjusted for play few times. That was like 30 years ago so i could be wrong.

But even if the mechanism which moves the clutch plates is hydraulic, pressing the clutch moves a shaft in the fluid cylinder where if i add or remove fluid the activation should move up or down?

Coz i have to like depress it all the way to 1" from the bottom where it will smoothly change to/from 1st gear. Bit of a trouble in Mumbai while inching around on WEH for 30 min. without auto.

Other gears don't have that much of an issue (as most of the time you are almost matching the gear & wheel speeds while changing)