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clutch master cylinder (just changed)-have to rant

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by schmooot, Apr 11, 2009.

  1. schmooot

    schmooot Well-Known Member

    Holy crap!!!

    What a tight job.

    cliffnotes: I wrote it and couldn't care less if you read it or not...now you just wasted a whole 2 seconds reading my useless cliffnotes.


    OKay so the celi has been parked all winter under a 10'x20' shed. Which doesn't leave much room on either side, nor the front the way I had it packed in there. ANyways I sold my house so I have to go and fire her up and move her to my temporary home (a 15 minute drive...illegally because I didn't feel like getting a permit).....I shimmy around and do my pre-flight checklist and then go to fire her up and the clutch pedal goes right to the floor. The car starts but the clutch is stuck in. Master cylinder is dry.

    I go through the next half hour bleeding the system, which involves crawling in through the window, pumping it up, wedging a stick in there, crawling back out, then cracking the bleeder screw and then doing it all over again. (I had to do this 5 or 10 times at least)

    Finally I get a somewhat functioning clutch (releasing about a 1/4" from the floor) and manage to get it to the new home without breaking down or getting pulled over (woot?)

    Fast forward a month and a bit I went out yesterday to change the cylinder (I happened to have one in my parts shed...go figure) Now I haven't even cracked my toolbox open pretty much all winter...apparently my two winter beaters looooove me, so I'm a little rusty. I get started and immediately realize that the nut is in a very tight spot.....I managed to get it with a 12mm ratcheting wrench (10, 12 and 14mm ratcheting wrenches were the best investment I ever made) Next the bleeder screw.....oh where is my 8mm wrench? I know I had one a month ago but do ya think I could find it now? nope. This just adds mud to the downhill slide that was my mood. So I crawl under the dash to get the inside nut, after about 20 minutes I conclude that I cannot get it with my wrench nor with a ratchet/socket before realizing I can go in with a long extension from the front if I remove the lower dash cover (I said I was rusty remember?) So after searching for my lost phillips screwdriver and managing to finally remove the cover I get my extensions and try to get the nut off (headlamp on and the sun was shining right in the corner of my eye....I was ready to lose it at this time) Apparently the reason I couldn't get the socket on it from closer was because I needed a deep socket! What are the chances of me having a deep 12mm socket right now????HUH. SONUVABITCH!!

    I bashed my knuckles, threw a coupla tools around, and finally drove in to town to go and buy some bloody tools. What really made me mad was this was my day off, I had made up my mind that I really did not want to go into town today (15 minute drive plus being a long weekend all the stores were packed to the nuts)

    Fast forward I get back home with the proper tools and promptly cross thread the nut on the stud. After trying vainly for a good 10 minutes to chase the threads and straighten it out I just cranked the bitch on there and was done with it (I'm gonna kick myself if I ever have to change it again) After a quick refill and bleed (using vice grips because I wasn't about to pay 7 bucks for one little wrench) I was finally done with it.

    Total hours -5
    Total cost:
    master cylinder - freebie
    brake fluid - $15 (still have most of the bottle left)
    tools -$15
    gas - $45 (had to fill the truck cuz it was empty..partly the reason I wanted to stay home)

    Not cool.

    Okay I'm done now, car is goin on the road in May...still 3 feet of snow out here and gravel all over the roads
     
  2. Mafix

    Mafix Owner Staff Member Administrator Donated!

    well at least it's done?
    good job in all though.
     
  3. schmooot

    schmooot Well-Known Member

    never again. It feels good now I'm, pretty sure its done.
     
  4. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    Re: Clutch Master Cylinder removal

    Just want to clarify: you reached the inside nut from inside the passenger compartment with an extension socket, after removing the lower dash trim, correct?!
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2012
  5. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    Ok, I figured it out and got that bitch off!!
    This post helped me out, thanks much :)
     
  6. gvillamaria

    gvillamaria Active Member

    I did this a while back on my 86 gt-s it was a bitch I even lost my cotter pin bolt that holds my clutch pedal to te master cylinder hydraulic. For a while I was keeping it up with a bolt and a zip tie Doh! Eventually I got a screw with nylon threading screw and that's what's holding up my clutch now :)
     
  7. Spiderman

    Spiderman Well-Known Member

    :lol Schmooot that was so funny how you explained it, I'm still giggling like a girl ha. I gotta love finger-tip-mouth humour like that ........ GOOD RANT.

    Don't you hate it when shit goes awry like that, after 2 hours I would've packed me bat and ball and outta there and on the piss. Glad I have an auto (sometimes).
     

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