My clutch was acting a bit weird and slipping very slightly as described in my previous post, so i adjusted the eccentric bushing for maximum elongation, made little or no difference. So i drove to town, and it slipped slightly, but was fully driveable Turned the car off, and when i re-started a few minutes later, there was no clutch at all, and the pedal had a weird vibration when pushed all the way in. No motion at all in any gear. So i towed the P.O.S. home and am baffled. After several tries, it got to where the pedal only goes down about half way. WTF?

Check if your clutch is engaged with the slave cylinder removed. If not then it's tranny out time



Sure I'd be pissed if my clutch didn't last 80 years but only 40 years

I just put in that slave cylinder about 4 years ago, so not anxious to remove it. Looking for more ideas as to what the problem could be before i start wrenching in the current winter weather.


Thanks.

The vibration and partial pedal movement suggest something has failed mechanically. Could be the release bearing, the release arm, pressure plate, clutch disk, who knows. It sounds like you're in for pulling the trans to find out. Nothing lasts forever, if it was the original clutch you got a long life out of it.

__________________
Current stable:
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1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
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the reason why I suggested to remove the slave cylinder is not because I think it's bad but because this will help you narrow down the problem.

With a slave cylinder completely removed (not attached) to the transmission your clutch should engage.

Don't start the engine if you're doing this test

This way you will find out where the problem is. (if it doesn't engage then the problem is mechanical in the bellhosing. If it engages then the problem is on the hydraulic side of the system)

I am pretty sure i will need a clutch, but it seems Pelican has only one brand: Sachs, and the 2 reviews they have both say it was poor and short lived.


Wonder if anyone has recommendations as to a better clutch. I note that there are at least three other brands available; Perfection, Luk, and AMS.


Thanks!

There is also available the remanufactured clutch plate from the dealer or online dealer parts departments.
Google the MB Part Number 010-250-34-03-80.

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79 W116 300SD 'Stormcloud' RIP 04/11/2022

What brand slave cylinder did you use?

I would recommend replacing the fluid, master and slave cylinder (with the 2 rubber hoses) first. I experienced a similar issue with the clutch only returning half way.

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Sachs is a good brand. LUK is fine as well.

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Chris
84 280sl
82 300d euro

It seems that the Perfection clutch kits are about $50 - $75 cheaper than LUK or Sachs. Has anyone used one of those?



I think i am going to pay a Mechanic to do the job, as it is beyond my expertise and i don't have a lift. I was quoted $400 if i supply the parts.

Stick with Sachs or Luk. The extra fifty is worth it for piece of mind. I've not heard anything about those other two. All the mechanics I've been around use Sachs.

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Chris
84 280sl
82 300d euro

What is the mileage? I've seen the push rod from the slave cylinder wear a hole in the clutch fork on three different occasions. It happened to mine at about 310K. The symptoms were a slipping clutch for a while until the rod pushed its self the whole way through, then Clutch would not dis engage.

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Patchouli Wagon - 2004 E500 - SOLD
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400 seems a good deal to me. Well worth it if you have the money to get your weekend back and not stress messing something up.

They have shops that make clutches all day long for big trucks and heavy duty vehicles. I took my old one to Tennessee clutch and it was like 75.00 for clutch and throw out bearing and pressure plate and they surfaced the fly wheel and checked it and gave me alignment tool. Best service I ever got and had it back in a day or two.

I’m a fan of the heavy duty local machine shops. They don’t mess around and no crap factory Chinese stuff. I Don’t remember total price but It was cheap compared to 300 Luk kit or whatever.

My mechanic said he thought the Perfection clutch was OK, so i ordered it. The world is obviously coming to an end anyhow, so chances are even the cheap clutch will outlast the human race.



The clutch will not engage, so i think it is not the hole in clutch fork syndrome.


Thanks to all who have given me good advice.

Not having a lift, i did not feel up to trying to change the clutch. Spent the $400 (plus $169 for the clutch kit).



Turns out the throwout bearing was completely fried, and one of the springs on the clutch disc was broken and partially disintegrated. The actual wearing material on the clutch wasn't that bad; had those two metal parts not failed, could have had quite a bit of life left in it.


I think the above mentioned shop is good, Rob the owner, says he owned and worked on some W123's years ago.