Hydraulics in the summer

[Tailhappy]

After yesterday afternoon spent changing my brake and clutch fluid (2 yearly) and 'enjoying' the heady mix of sweat and DOT 4 I got to wondering why the clutches on skodas go all manky in the Summer heat. Parked out on a hot day, the pedal goes soggy yet hard at the same time. I fitted new cylinders - no change - and this happens on all my rear engined cars, so I feel that it is a design fault. Yet other cars with such systems do not seem to be bothered by the heat....

What is it that causes the near failiure of the cluch on the hottest days? Can it be rectified?

Thanks, Ian

[rigsby]

Mite be an idea to fit the clutch with a seperate resevoir so the fluid doesnt get a heat build up from the brakes. I did this to my last rapid, plus it keeps brake and clutch problems seperate

[daverapid]

I'm not doubting you, but in the 18 years I've been driving rear engined Skodas I can honestly say that I've not had the problem you describe. [Had plenty of other problems!]

[skorob2007]

Originally Posted by daverapid

I'm not doubting you, but in the 18 years I've been driving rear engined Skodas I can honestly say that I've not had the problem you describe. [Had plenty of other problems!]

You can now virtually guarantee Sod's Law will intervene and it'll happen to you after mentioning it!

Many years ago after reading about Skodas recall of the Estelles/Rapids due to the rear wheels falling off, I casually mentioned to my mate ' That'll never happen to me, probably happened to less than 1%. I ate my words less than a week later when this black minilite alloy went bouncing past the car on the A47 between Wisbech and King's Lynn.....
Looks just like mine, I said.Then, THUD, SCRAPE etc as the back end hit the deck passenger side.Luckily, my heavily pregnant girlfriend didnt go into premature labour, but i definitely should have worn brown trousers!

Funny thing was, we were off to the Skoda GB Import Centre at King's Lynn at the time.

[Tailhappy]

Interesting Dave. Perhaps it is a bad batch of cylinder rubbers from CZ - it seems worse on my Mum's 130 after replacing the leaky original items and fitting new - on my 105 (factory fitted cylinders) the clutch is not so badly affected - but it is still a bit worse in summer.