How To: Replace Clutch Master Cylinder
04-21-2003 | 06:58 PM
#1
Thread Starter
it's my D in a B
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 24,787
Likes: 1
From: Your Mom's House
clutch master cylinder
Hey everybody! I just replaced my clutch master cylinder today, and I thought I'd go over the procedure, in case anybody is wondering. If your master cylinder is leaking, and you're worried about doing it yourself, dont fear!
Step 1
Drain clutch hydrolic system.
To do this you take the little rubber cap off the bleeder valve located on the slave cylinder (on the front of the tranny by the radiator). You open up the valve with an 8mm wrench and put a hose on the valve. Put the other end of the hose in a pan to collect the brake fluid. With the cap off the MC resevoir, it'll drain pretty quick.
Sep 2
Disconnect the resevoir and hydrolic line.
To disconnect the resevoir, just unbolt the 2 mounting bolts, loosen the hose clamp and pull it off. To disconnect the hydrolic line just unbolt the flare nut on the top of the MC and pull it out. It might help to use a little penetrating lube for this one. At this point you'll want to prop the hydrolic line somewhere out of the way... the brake MC vacuum hose works well for this.
Step 3
Under the dash.
Pry out the cotter pin that holds the cluth pedal pin in the pedal and pull out the pedal pin. A needlenose pliers should help here. Then unbolt the 2 clutch MC mounting nuts.
Step 4
Pull it out.
Go up front and just pull it out. You kinda have to wriggle it around to do this. If its being tricky, go back under the dash and push on the mounting bolts. No biggy.
Step 5
Put the new one in.
Step 6
Back under the dash.
Bolt up the MC mounting bolts and put the clutch pedal pin back in with a new cotter pin. At this point you'll want to apply grease to the MC pushrod and the pedal pin.
Step 7
Reattaching everything.
Reattach the clutch hydrolic line. Attach your new resevoir and hose with a hose clamp
Step 8
Refill and bleed hydrolic system.
Fill the resevoir with DOT 3 or 4 fluid (but don't mix), put the cap on, and pump the brakes for a few seconds. Take off the cap, top off the resevoir again and pump the pedal a little more. You'll need to do this a few times until there is no more air in the system.
Thats it, you're done! The whole process took me a touch over an hour, and all I paid was $60 for a used MC with resevoir. Considering the shop quoted me $205 for this job, I'd consider it well worth DIYing. It really wasn't hard at all. The only thing to look out for is being careful with your brake fluid, as it can screw up any painted surfaces and is really nasty to mother earth if you spill it. Hope this helps!
Step 1
Drain clutch hydrolic system.
To do this you take the little rubber cap off the bleeder valve located on the slave cylinder (on the front of the tranny by the radiator). You open up the valve with an 8mm wrench and put a hose on the valve. Put the other end of the hose in a pan to collect the brake fluid. With the cap off the MC resevoir, it'll drain pretty quick.
Sep 2
Disconnect the resevoir and hydrolic line.
To disconnect the resevoir, just unbolt the 2 mounting bolts, loosen the hose clamp and pull it off. To disconnect the hydrolic line just unbolt the flare nut on the top of the MC and pull it out. It might help to use a little penetrating lube for this one. At this point you'll want to prop the hydrolic line somewhere out of the way... the brake MC vacuum hose works well for this.
Step 3
Under the dash.
Pry out the cotter pin that holds the cluth pedal pin in the pedal and pull out the pedal pin. A needlenose pliers should help here. Then unbolt the 2 clutch MC mounting nuts.
Step 4
Pull it out.
Go up front and just pull it out. You kinda have to wriggle it around to do this. If its being tricky, go back under the dash and push on the mounting bolts. No biggy.
Step 5
Put the new one in.
Step 6
Back under the dash.
Bolt up the MC mounting bolts and put the clutch pedal pin back in with a new cotter pin. At this point you'll want to apply grease to the MC pushrod and the pedal pin.
Step 7
Reattaching everything.
Reattach the clutch hydrolic line. Attach your new resevoir and hose with a hose clamp
Step 8
Refill and bleed hydrolic system.
Fill the resevoir with DOT 3 or 4 fluid (but don't mix), put the cap on, and pump the brakes for a few seconds. Take off the cap, top off the resevoir again and pump the pedal a little more. You'll need to do this a few times until there is no more air in the system.
Thats it, you're done! The whole process took me a touch over an hour, and all I paid was $60 for a used MC with resevoir. Considering the shop quoted me $205 for this job, I'd consider it well worth DIYing. It really wasn't hard at all. The only thing to look out for is being careful with your brake fluid, as it can screw up any painted surfaces and is really nasty to mother earth if you spill it. Hope this helps!
04-24-2003 | 11:23 AM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 600
Likes: 0
From: so cali
yea I used to have a leaky master cylinder on my other car. Can you believe this one? A girl I know had a leaky master cylinder, so her clutch wouldnt engage etc and she towed it to a shop, they billed her for a clutch replacement/labor etc..... A few days later it happened again, so what they probably did was just fill the master cylinder up and let her go, and she asked another friend who knew and he told her what it was(I didnt know her at the time this happened by the way) Anyways, the least they could have done was change the master cylinder and sad to say it they would have gotten away with it, glad to hear that she got her money back though.......
04-24-2003 | 06:38 PM
#5
Thread Starter
it's my D in a B
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 24,787
Likes: 1
From: Your Mom's House
Originally posted by preylude99
yea I used to have a leaky master cylinder on my other car. Can you believe this one? A girl I know had a leaky master cylinder, so her clutch wouldnt engage etc and she towed it to a shop, they billed her for a clutch replacement/labor etc..... A few days later it happened again, so what they probably did was just fill the master cylinder up and let her go, and she asked another friend who knew and he told her what it was(I didnt know her at the time this happened by the way) Anyways, the least they could have done was change the master cylinder and sad to say it they would have gotten away with it, glad to hear that she got her money back though.......
yea I used to have a leaky master cylinder on my other car. Can you believe this one? A girl I know had a leaky master cylinder, so her clutch wouldnt engage etc and she towed it to a shop, they billed her for a clutch replacement/labor etc..... A few days later it happened again, so what they probably did was just fill the master cylinder up and let her go, and she asked another friend who knew and he told her what it was(I didnt know her at the time this happened by the way) Anyways, the least they could have done was change the master cylinder and sad to say it they would have gotten away with it, glad to hear that she got her money back though.......
Funny thing is, now that the new ones in, the clutch is engaging properly, but it still doesn't hold well. I'm pretty sure my actual clutch is on the way out.... I'm just hoping it lasts until swap-time this summer. If not, **** it, I'll just park the car and work till I have the money.:thumbup:
