My brake fluid resevior, which runs the clutch too, keeps draining as the car sits over night, leaving the clutch pedal dropping to the floor the first push the next day. I'm fairly sure it's not the brakes by the way it stops draining at the level of the clutch hose, but can't find enough dripping anywhere to account for all the lost fluid. Could it be going into the tranny? Getting good at bleeding the clutch though.

When mine went it was because the supply hose had come out of the master cylinder. It's between the master cylinder and the firewall, so you really can't see it, and is just a press fit into a rubber grommet. If that's the case with yours, then check under your carpet for the missing brake fluid.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Thanks, but nope. Felt around in there and it's dry. The newest is now one can see the drips coming out of where the bell housing joins the back of the engine. I've got a clamp on the hose coming out of the resevior to keep it all from draining down, but fear it's something serious. Just when I thought I was getting this thing squred away...

240dnewbie,

There are two cylinders to look for leaks. One is on the bell housing and is the unit that pushes on the actual mechanical lever that pushes the throw-out bearing against the clutch mechanism and the other is inside the car, above the clutch pedal. When the one outside leaks it shows up on the ground. When the one inside leaks it shows up under your floor rug as the fluid runs down the firewall to floor boards. It is a source of potential future corrosion problems if you don't clean it up good and make sure the floorboard is still protected. Brake fluid is not friendly to the paints and coatings on the floor.

This happened to me too. I rinsed the floor throroughly with water, and tried to make an assessment. I was not sure if the flooring was ok or not as the paint and other coatings had become a little soft and smeary. I did not know how to get this slightly gooey stuff off completely, so I wiped it down with rags as well as I could, although it was still tacky (to the touch). I did not think the stuff was good to paint over, and did not want to cover up any problems to let them fester out of sight so I wiped the area down with engine oil (Mobil 1, for you guys wondering about what kind was good enough). Well, ten years later the oil, refreshed now and then by WD40, seems to be holding up or at least preventing the floor from rotting. The carpeting underlayment did not get along to well with all this stuff though, and kind of disintegrated over time. I bought a used set of carpets a year or two ago and they seem to be ok. Good luck and I hope this helps. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Ok then it sounds like the slave cylinder. 2 bolts and it's out, then you can see if it's leaking. If you replace it, make sure to order the correct one for your VIN - there are two different styles. I got one for $4.99 from the local junkyard, but no luck, it was the wrong style.

__________________
Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Both the slave and master clutch cylinders are easy to rebuild. Just hone the bore until its smooth and put in a rebuild kit.

P E H

Ya gotta like this, I ran into the guy I bought the car from, and before I can mention the clutch he says "hey I got the spare tranny for that car out of storage and it's in my trunk". So now I have a second slave cylinder to swap in. Any tips on what the leaking fluid may have done to the tranny would be great. Thanks for the help so far.










I love the smell of biodiesel in the morning, it smells like......victory

When I replaced a leaking clucth master cylinder on my 115 240 D on my first trip to town new cylinder blew out the slave cylinder.I had to drive home 40 miles through mts. without clucth pedal working.I put in new slave cylinder and now clucth had bad chatter from dousing with brake fluid, I took slave back off and sprayed clucth with a can of brake cleaner then reinstalled slave cylinder ,has been chatter free for years.....
William Rogers..........