spongy clutch

[jimbob35]

That's probably the best word I can think of to describe the feeling I get from the clutch at some point on most trips. Usually when engines hot and after long periods in 6th, but has happened at most other times.
A few pumps of the clutch in neutral usually clears it for a bit. its fine when car is cold.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
2003 w203 coupe.. manual!

 

[jimbob35]

Shameless bump.

Not many 'manual' users out there im guessing?

 

[markjay]

Errr... guess not. Sorry...

 

[BlackC55]

You would be right!

The clutch pedals on MB's are spondy and generally feel terrible. You may still have a fault though.

Try bleeding the clutch first. If this does not help it may need a slave or master cylinder I suspect. Get a MB tech to drive it first is my advice.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Had issues the same as this recently it proved to be the slave cylinder on the gearbox was leaking a new one was about £20 from Euros, a real bitch to change though straight forward the bolts and brake pipe is a bitch to get at, a cranked 13mm spanner is needed to undo the top slave cylinder bolt.
Are you loosing brake fluid?

 

[219]

I had this intermittently many years ago on my W114 280E , which was one of the very rare 5 speed manual version .

Turned out the hydraulic pipe from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder ran very close to the exhaust downpipe and , despite a heatshield , it seemed that the fluid could boil at times if I had been driving 'enthusiastically' , resulting in no clutch .

Thankfully , it isn't hard to perfect the art of clutchless gear changes , starting off from rest being the only awkward bit .

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

Same issue, it is the slave cylinder in the gearbox (M271.940 with 716.631)
Slave Cylinder costs 212E
Just in case i also changed master cylinder 60E, its a plastic piece of s@%$ and fails quite often!
And by the time gearbox was out of the car i also change the disc and the plate! (Luk)

Especially during these hot days in Greece, i didnt even have to run the car for some time, by the time i was in and driving the clutch was spongy tending to be a brick sometimes!
In the mornings its just fine but then gets worse!

 

[jimbob35]

Thanks for the info fellas. Hopefully its the 'too close to exhaust' issue