Vauxhall Corsa clutch issue

Thats the sort of customers you dont need

After all the above and not confident I'd found a fault, I orderd a clutch master cylinder, even though I had done tests on it and in my opinion I didn't think I'd found a fault. I spoke with the customer and advised my concerns and when the boss returned to work I advised him. Today I fitted the clutch master cylinder. I looked up the time on AD and they advised 4 hours. If that time is anywhere near correct I thought then changing this master cylinder will not be that straight forward.

Out comes Google. I could not find anyone who had posted information or a video regarding changing the clutch master cylinder to a Corsa E. I have an old 2010 Haynes manual on the Corsa D with what looked like a similar setup. Reading their instructions the job seemed easy and nowhere near four hours to do the job?

Today I set about changing the cylinder, this is what I did...

1 / Removed the lower dash panel trim and light switch, including the OBD port.

2 / Removed the clutch pedal clevis pin and two 13 mm bolts that secure the master cyinder to the pedal box. 

3 / In the 2010 manual it advises to remove 5 thirteen mm nuts to allow some pivoting of the pedal box. Four of the nuts were readily accessible but the fifth could not be seen.

4 / The steering column can be removed complete, however, be mindful about the weight.

I removed the steering column in two sections to save weight given that it is electric power steering and the motor is heavy.

Make sure if you do one that the ignition key is OUT, and that the front road wheels are pointing straight ahead.

Remove two 13 mm bolts from the frontal upper column area ONLY after disconnecting the SHORT wiring harness. 

Slide the whole frontal column backwards towards the rear of the car and then locate it across the gearstick area.

5 / Remove four 13 mm bolts from the electric power steering module that holds the motor etc to the upper dash frame. DO NOT unbolt the lower steering column UJ from the rack. Now let the electric power steering assembly rest in the footwell.

6 / Looking at the upper area of the pedal box assembly you will now see the "fifth" pedal box 13 mm nut. Remove it using a long 3/8 drive extension.

The pedal box assembly will now move rearwards sufficient to allow the clutch master cylinder to be moved sideways and outwards towards the rear of the car, however, don't forget to disconnect the clutch master cylinder fluid supply hose and feed pipe to the concentric slave.

Installation is the reverse of the above.

If you've not done one before it will take about four hours, however, now I know I'd probably do it in a couple of hours.

Conclusions


I've absolutely no idea if a clutch fault were present or not based on my experience with this car. Had it of been mine I'd of left it well alone. I felt no improvements after the whole job than before I touched it.


Was she right or not?  I've no idea!! 

I would question that decision.
I think the problem would be the seal(s) preventing fluid ENTERING the master cylinder when the pedal is in its returned position OR the pedal is not returning fully. Either way, the master cylinder can not fill correctly from the pressurised reservoir.
I also noted you saying whilst pressure bleeding you operated the clutch pedal, my understanding is - if you press the pedal even slightly then the piston seals go past the fill passage and force the fluid out of the master cylinder, hence the only way fluid could be forced through the system from the reservoir is around the sides of the seals which is not the ideal way of bleeding the system.

I quite often just use gravity to bleed brakes and clutches and let it drip away whilst i do other jobs, if it doesn't drip by gravity then there is resistance to flow, and that is usually on the entry to the master cylinder or occasionally collapsed hoses caused by clamping.