C3 Picasso Clutch Issues

[Huskyxantia]

Looking at mine yesterday its driver side & can be seen and looks like there's just enough room i will remove the scuttle panels as this will let more light in plus give even more room if needed, now i know brakes are not effected that has got rid of the niggle i was having . Maybe i need to stop doubting myself i guess.

[Huskyxantia]

Anyone know how to remove the dash panel above the control pedals do i just pull it out with force or does it clip onto something ?

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, I've completed the guide and can be found in the Resources section, link here:

C3 Picasso - Removing / Refitting Hydraulic Clutch Control

I suggest you have a good read through before starting!

Thanks for posting that Marc... I hope I don't need it just yet but will keep and eye...

A supplementary question if I may? The procedure speaks of an ancillaries battery. Is that separate from the main battery and if so where is it located? I see only one battery under the bonnet and that's well tucked away!

Thanks

They mean the main car battery Jim as opposed to a 'traction battery' for hybrids / EVs.

Edit: Just seen Richards's post - I hadn't read all the in-between replies, just responded to my notifications.

[GiveMeABreak]

Love the way it goes into excruciating detail about draining the circuit, but then goes full Haynes BOL at the end with "Bleed the clutch circuit" but no indication of how to actually do it

It's a separate procedure Richard, but thanks for pointing it out. Had they actually linked to it like they usually do on other associated procedures, I would of included it or put a separate link to it.

@Husky: I'll now write up the bleeding procedure and put a link to it in the main article as it's another large procedure and best to keep it separate as some may only need the bleeding operation and not the replacement of the hydraulic clutch stop itself.

[Huskyxantia]

Thanks marc that would be useful .

[Huskyxantia]

So I've removed the panels in question to gain space to where i need to get to its still tight be can be done. First panel right side has 1 t15 screw remove then panel pulls out , the panel next to it has tabs , push these inward with small screw driver if you don't have the panel tools there are 6 to 8 all round pull free each time you depress the little tab or it will lock back into position, remove lower cloth trim 3 push fit clips , then pull the heater pipe toward the driver door rotate or turn then it comes out , you now have space to see and do. Some photos of whats what ......

[GiveMeABreak]

Thanks marc that would be useful .

All done, I've edited the original procedure to include a link to the secondary procedure for the bleeding operations at the appropriate part near the end.

Please note that although some of the images and part of the procedure are replicated from the replacement guide, there are other different bits of info there.

[Huskyxantia]

Heres my findings so far. Hope they make sence

[CitroJim]

They mean the main car battery Jim as opposed to a 'traction battery' for hybrids / EVs.

Thanks Marc, that makes perfect sense in these modern EV dominated times...

[Huskyxantia]

The part has arrived & so has the snow.....

[Huskyxantia]

Love from the ufc

[CitroJim]

Ahh, at least you know what sort of bleeder you have now Husky How difficult was it to strip everything to get to that level of access and how long did it take?

Any 'gotchas' along the way?

[Huskyxantia]

Started about 10 , had to got out at midday , got back at 1pm nearly finished at 4. Had to take front bumper off then bonnet slam pannel then undid all plugs to the rad fan . Lifted this complete unit out of the way , bags of room to work on the slave cylinder part. Removed driver headlight that opens up a nice big working space. Heres the bit people will tutt at, the ac system was knackered the dealer said they tried to recharge but it leaked all the stuff out so they flushed it then blew it into some machine to collect the stuff that it uses , so knowing this i stripped the whole set up out of the car leaving the pump as to act as a pulley for the belt route. Now this opened up mord room and this helped me to get the old master cylinder out & the new one in, you know when you got it in the correct way as it falls into the cut outs easy then you turn it towards the driver side , right hand drive cars, then it clicks into place, i then popped the arm onto the clutch pedal lug bit fiddly you sort of get them near each other by moving pedal up and down a little then finger through the housing hole pop with a push on the cylinder rod pops. When you bleed the system dont do what i did i left the fluid bowl lid off and didnt have any pedal amd was bleeding for over an hour wasnt till i screwed thd lid on and then went over the bkeed process again hey presto i now got a clutch, gears are like a new car, i will be finishing off the rest of the bits removed friday i hope, oh yes remove the sir box too so you can then see even more and have more room to get your arm down to the master cylinder , all of the front scuttle panels remove them too let's more light in and opens up the working area, as i say its the stripping of things that eats up the time , invest in a cheap rattle gun mine is a god send.

[Huskyxantia]

Last three pictures are the old master cylinder it had no resistance in it at all and full of white grease it fell apart.

2 above that the new one sitting in its new home ready to be clipped to its pipes, the ribbed pipe has a locking rubber grommet that sits in the end , make sure this is pushed back into the pipe then push the whole lot onto the new cylinder

Very top picture the 2 clip system having bleeding time !

Photo 2 showing the room gained when the airbox is out of the way

[Huskyxantia]

I cannot belive this car has a complete new clutch its about a year old & for the sake of less than £30 & knowing these new parts have a 60,000 mile service life the garage which i really should name and shame could not be bothered to change the master clutch cylinder , the slave is new ! The former keeper was a lady so well we all know mechanics and lady owners and the fobbing off processes happens a lot. I hope what I've done and documented on here might help people who one day need to undertake the same repairs. Id say if the clutch engaging into 1st isn't smooth walk away from the cat unless your confident enough to do a simple job yourself , the hardest part is removing some much of the car to get to where the part is.

Thrust bearings can cause the same feeling when putting the car into 1st gear, but your also have the horrible scrapping or rattle noise, if there is no noise or rattle sound then the master cylinder is the problem, if the slave cylinder on the gear box is dry on the rubber boot then this part is ok, if its wet , change that too. Good luck your need it & a clear head, plenty of tea helps too.