Hey everyone, I just tried to drive my car after being out of town for two weeks to find out when I depressed my clutch, it just fell to the floor and did not come back up. There is absolutely no resistance.

I checked the fluid level and it was still in range. My whole braking/clutch system may have a small leak somewhere as I have to add some brake fluid every now and then. Any thoughts on what it could be? Maybe a bad clutch release lever? There had never been any clutch problems before this.

Thanks for any help!

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1976 240D Manual (W115)

Could be a bad clutch slave cylinder or even a leaky clutch master cylinder. I had this issue on an older prelude on the freeway one time, granted it was a POS honda and not an older tank merc but could still be the same issue. After I replaced the clutch slave cylinder and bled the system of all air it worked fine. Try bleeding your clutch first to see if that helps.

Goodluck.

Wouldn't the slave cylinder be a gradual deterioration? The loss of any resistance just came out of nowhere.

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1976 240D Manual (W115)

Shouldn't the clutch pedal have a return spring?

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Yea, that's what I was thinking too. Maybe it broke off the clutch release lever and therefore wont return.

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1976 240D Manual (W115)

sounds like you have a leak and the clutch cylinder has gone dry. It feed from a nipple on the rear portion of your master cylinder so if you have a leak in the rear system it will starve for fluid especially if the clutch line has a leak too. Also could be a shot hydraulic on the clutch system.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I think I'll target the clutch cylinder. Maybe that's where my slow leak is. I just don't understand how it could be dry if there is still fluid in the reservoir and the brakes work.

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1976 240D Manual (W115)

probably bad master or slave. MB designed their hydraulic fluid reservoirs so if there's a leak in either the brakes or clutch systems, the clutch system goes dry or gets a gulp of air first so the clutch fails before the brakes fail. Smart engineering. It could be a leak in the brake system also.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Why doesn't the clutch pedal return though?

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1976 240D Manual (W115)

the spring over centers. without the hyd pressure it never gets back over to the front so it will actually have spring pressure down

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

When I first got my 240D and it had a bad slave cylinder the clutch pedal would go to the floor and not come back up on its own. Working it back and forth a dozen or so times was enough to get it to self bleed and work, but I also had a noticeable leak at the slave cylinder.

Edit: Slave cylinder was bad, not the master.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

last year my clutch fell to floor and wouldnt come back up. i replaced my slave cylinder last year and all better now!

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'85 Euro 300D - 258k 4 spd manual
'85 300TD Wagon - 180k - SOLD
Always looking

Pull the carpet down between the pedals and reach up and feel the hard line coming from the clutch master cylinder. If its leaking you'll feel it. If its not leaking then its probably the slave which is easier and cheaper to do. Some people say to replace them both if you do one, but I haven't found that to be necessary. Good luck.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"