Fitting Clutch Master Cylinder.

[Guest]

Hello.



One of the jobs I will be doing this weekend ( apart from trying to find a knock from the front bottom of the suspension ) is to replace the Clutch Master Cylinder, Clutch Slave Cylinder and replace the hose with braded stainless. I admit I have not looked too closely but the new Clutch Master Cylinder mounting holes have a thread. A quick look at the one as fitted has bolts that go through the Master Cylinder mounts and into the bulkhead ( Into the pedal box ? ).



My question is when I fit the bolts to mount the Clutch Master Cylinder when I tighten the bolts when the bolts get to their end they may not be tight on where they go into as the bolts will be at the end of their travel and so the Clutch Master Cylinder will not be tight against the bulkhead. If the Clutch Master Cylinder had holes without threads the bolt would go through the hols in the Clutch Master Cylinder and into the bulkhead ( pedal box ) and allowing them to “push” the Clutch Master Cylinder tight against the bulkhead. Or are the nutsthat the bolts go into loose so allowing the Clutch Master Cylinder to be pulled tight onto the bulkhead ?.



I hope my explanation is clear. Am I missing something ( apart from brain cells ) or is it as easy as just removing the old one and fitting the new one. I know it is “fun” removing the clevis pin on the Clutch Pedal and also make sure that the bleed nipple on the Slave Cylinder is at the top.



Many thanks, Don Kennedy

[Arbman Al]

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Hi Don,

The bolts go through the bulkhead from inside the car and locate into the threaded holes on the master cylinder.

You have to be a bit of a contortionist to get under the dash to get the bolts through, and it is handy to have someone to hold the cylinder in place on the engine side whilst you tighten the bolts.

Rgds...Al.

[Guest]

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Hi Al,

Many thanks for the reply and information. Just had a closer look and what I thought was a bolt head is the nut that holds the fluid reservoir bracket. I should have looked a bit closer.

Many thanks, Don Kennedy.

[Giles]

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check your reservoir before disturbing it - mine used to bet a little wet but never leaked - the fluid level never dropped. I assumed it was the hose so ordered a new one. When I did the job the bottom of the reservoir had rusted through and fell to bits so I ended up with the car off the road until I could get another one.

[Guest]

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Just fitted the Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder completewith stainless braided hose. It was one of those jobs that should have taken a couple of hours, eight hours later sorted !. Took about 1 ¼ hours to fit the parts but I could not get the hydraulics to bleed. I have never had a problem with bleeding hydraulics but this time it was a struggle. Done all the “normal” things, eazibleed, slave cylinder removed and above the master cylinder, bleed nipple at the top etc but still no joy. During this process I noticed that only a small amount of fluid was being pumped through. After a lot of buggering about it proved to be the new Master Cylinder. With the new Master Cylinder if you pushed the rod in pressure could be felt at the outlet with the pipe removed but when connected only a small amount of fluid was being pushed through, the original Master Cylinder felt the same when not connected but pushed the fluid through and I was able to bleed the hydraulics in a couple of minutes. I’m sure that this is a one off but possible advise is to connect the pipe to the Master Cylinder before fitting just to make sure all is OK as to fit the Master Cylinder while not difficult takes some bending and stretching, and if you are an old fart like me takes it’s toll on old muscles ( Try replacing a Clutch Master Cylinder on a Mini Cooper, to fit the clevis pin to the pedal is “fun” ). Fortunately I was able to get the bits and sort my existing Master Cylinder so it looks like the new one as supplied will be returned for a refund.



Don Kennedy.

[richardthestag]

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hmmmmm sounds like i have an identical issue. I'll bung the old one back and if it is working within 5mins the new unit is going back. Having checked out the old cylinder the bore is fine so i'll go for new seal kit