I know I know... I probably shouldn’t be doing vehicle repairs on Christmas Eve but I swear it won’t take long..... I say that everytime and maybe 1 out of 10 take less than a couple hours to complete.
Last week my clutch master or slave cylinder failed. I knew something wasn’t right and I was hoping it would make it past Christmas. After 156,000 miles and being 21 years old, God only know how many times that clutch has been pushed in with someone’s left leg. I’ve probably done it a million times myself. Lol With our spare car needing new front wheel bearings, this repair was going to be the cheapest of the two... I think??? Being that it is Christmas time I gotta go with the cheapest and fastest route.
After searching online and talking with my Dad, repairing the Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder is going to be the best route. For those that don’t know, the master and slave cylinders work together hydraulically with the clutch pedal to engage and release the clutch of the transmission from the flywheel of the engine.
When either of them fail you cannot get your manual transmission into gear when the engine is running. I mean you can but it isn’t going to sound very nice or feel to good. There are ways to make it happen but they aren’t fun at all. That is how I got it home, it was an interesting drive to say the least.
My Dad is retired but still can get a good discount at a local Napa AutoParts store. You know he knows a guy :wink:wink He ended up getting the part I needed and just said,
I read about doing this repair very minimally and very quickly found that the part I ordered was the best way to go. Already filled with fluid and all the air bled out of it. Just get the old out and pop the new in, just like that...you know.....I hope!!
Let’s Do This Shall We?
First we need to locate the master cylinder which is in the engine compartment bolted to the fire wall. It sets really close to the brake master cylinder on the driver’s side.
There are 2 - 13mm nuts that hold the master cylinder in place. One on the top and one on the bottom.
I used a ratcheting box end wrench, since I couldn’t get a socket to it because the reservoir was in the way.
After unbolting the Clutch Master Cylinder from the fire wall, I need to go inside, under the dash and locate the linkage that the Master cylinder is connected to. In amongst the mess of wires I find it. It helped to have it removed from the firewall first because it let some light through. DING DING there it is. Just that tiny bit of light helped big time.
It wasn’t located right behind the clutch pedal. It was actually just to the right of the brake pedal oddly enough. Now I “should” be able to pop the arm right off of the mechanism that is attached to the clutch pedal. With a little prying with a screwdriver it popped right off.
But it won’t fit through the firewall with this sensor attached to it. So it has to be removed. I swear sometimes you have to be quite the contortionist to get under the dash and get two hands in there to do what you need to do. Good Greif!!!
I looked at the new sensor that came with the kit, to figure out how to attach and detach it. The rod lays in the middle and has a cover over it. The cover needs to be snapped up and tilted toward the back of the rod, then removed. This will free the rod and it will slide out of the sensor, then out of the firewall.
Now that the Clutch Master Cylinder is free and removed from the firewall, just hangin’ out, it’s time to get under the truck and locate the Slave Cylinder. It is on the driver side of the transmission, right behind the engine, or just follow the tube from the Master Cylinder.
It has a retaining clip that it is mounted to it that just snaps into place. So therefore it should just snap...out of place....right? Well let’s just see about that idea.
Using a screwdriver pry horizontally away from the transmission. It’s going to take a little bit of force but you will feel it pop out of its fully seated position. Give it a few wiggles and she pops right out of there.
When I would push the rod in, fluid would shoot out. That tells me that the seals inside went bad. No wonder when I checked the level of the fluid it was empty. lol.
Now the whole Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder assembly is free from the truck. There are a couple clips that hold the tubing in place, other than that it if Free. Then gently pull it up and out of the engine compartment.
Most times removing the part really helps you to know how it goes back in. Well not really how but makes it easier to get back in and together. Knowing how it comes apart helps to know Hot to put it together....wait a minute....that works both direction. Lol.
I didn’t chose to go in the exact reverse order like I usually do and here is why. When installing the slave cylinder, there is a retaining cap on the end of the rod that makes contact with the clutch fork. It has 2 bands that hold it in the compressed position for ease of installation.
If that pops off I wasn’t sure if it would mess with the master cylinder install. I was probably being a little paranoid but hey that happens. So I saved it for last and installed the Slave Cylinder into the firewall first.
I did notice a change in the new slave cylinder reservoir. It’s is tilted to one side to make it easier to access the mounting nut.
I don’t see this sort of stuff very much, you know where the manufacturers of the replacement parts make changes to make things easier. I mean really who would do such a thing. What a concept huh
So I have been slowly and surly writing a little bit at a time throughout the day. I haven’t had a chance to test drive it but the clutch does feel 100 times better. Before it would basically push to the floor with no resistance and sometimes stay on the floor.
Well it’s time to get the presents wrapped up for the kids and watch one last movie. I hope you enjoyed another DIY Automotive project done by yours truly. I have never done this sort of thing before and I was a little hesitant but upon looking at it, it wasn’t so bad.
Until next time...