R400D Clutch Hose Failure.

[Manstein]

Anybody had the misfortune to suffer the above? I've got the replacement hose from CC but am doing a bit of head scratching as regards detaching the hose at the gearbox end.

[DJ.]

On my Sigma car the hose is a push fit into the plastic connector on the bell houding and secured with a metal clip that fits in a groove in the hose fitting.

[Manstein]

Thanks DJ but its different on the Duratec. The hose disappears into the bell housing via removable plate. Not delved further but appears to need the skills of a gynecologist to detach the leaking hose. Gearbox removal was suggested but surely its more straightforward than that. First time I've seen a braided hose fail.

[DJ.]

That doesn't sound very encouraging

I was cheesed off having to remove my engine last year when the slave cylinder failed, but to have to have the engine out just to swap the hose seems crazy.

Duncan

[Manstein]

At least the car went tits up in my yard and not on the moors last week!

[Manstein]

Car fixed by local tractor dealer gratis in return for ride up Hartside and back! Why do calls to Caterham parts and service always remind me of the Vatican scenes from Father Ted!

[John Vine]

Glad to hear it's fixed.  For the benefit of other Duratec owners (me included), can you tell us what the repairer actually did? 

JV

[ScottR400D]

Yes, I'm sure a few would be interested in that. When my kit was delivered the clutch pipe was loose at the CRB end. I removed the bell housing from the engine and it was easy to secure but not sure how one would do it with the car assembled. 

I cut down an 8mm goose neck ring spanner for accessing the bleed nipple, I guess some sort of special tool is needed to access the hose nut itself?

[Manstein]

Cut off hose at leak and ditto end of new hose and joined both together with a union. The leak occurred exactly where the hose rests on the metal edge of the pedal box although no abrasion visible on the metal sheath. Tractor man says vibration over a period of time can cause point failure in hoses. Hope this helps.

[DJ.]

What a good idea

[John Vine]

Thanks, Manstein, that's very helpful -- neat repair!  I think we were all wondering how the tractor man got at the slave-cylinder end of the hose!

I've just checked my hose.  It doesn't touch the pedal box at all, but runs down via a sticky-pad tie-point to the bell-housing:

JV

[Manstein]

John he left the slave cylinder end of the original hose in situ and joined that to the new hose minus one end. When asked about removal at the slave end he descended into broad Cumbrian which alas I cannot repeat here. He enjoyed the drive up Hartside!

The failure in the hose was exactly at the metal edge to the right of your sticky pad tie.

cheers

Chris

[DJ.]

Deleted, sorry missed last post on my phone.

[John Vine]

The failure in the hose was exactly at the metal edge to the right of your sticky pad tie.

Ah, I see.  Do you mean here:

If so, I think I ought to wrap the hose with a rubber sleeve....

JV

[Manstein]

That's the place.

[John Vine]

OK, thanks for that.  Was your hose tied down like mine, or was it free to move?

JV

[Manstein]

It was loose but as stated no abrasion on hose or worn paint etc at contact point with metalwork. I've put a clip in place as per your photo but not tight just to let the hose have a bit of 'float'.

[Geoff Brown]

In the past three years or so Caterham has advocated that a split rubber fuel pipe is attached to the hose.

This is primarily to pass the dreaded IVA but as a secondary effect stops the braid from being worn away or the inner core being continually shock loaded by vibration from any edge it may rest on.

As suggested earlier the split hose option is the only way to go.

Covering the braided brake hose to the De dion is a good idea as well.

[John Vine]

Just spotted this photo in CC's IVA guidance:

The text refers to the fuel hose, but the photo also shows a rubber sleeve on the clutch hose.  This is the very mod I'm about to apply.

JV

[DJ.]

After reading this thread, I checked my car and found that Caterham had added that short length of rubber hose to my Sigma clutch hose during the post build check. I'd forgotten the clutch one, but I remember them covering the chassis to De Dion brake hose in a rubber pipe at the same time.
 

[Jonathan Kay]

I've put a clip in place as per your photo but not tight just to let the hose have a bit of 'float'.

If the failure is through external abrasion wouldn't it be better to do the clip up tight on the hose and add the float between the clamp and the fixed point? (As with exhausts.)

Jonathan

[Manstein]

Had a look at the CSR in case of similarities but the bell housing has a connection as described by DJ on the Sigma.