Slave cylinder replacement

Post by **Doug G** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:10

I have just got a new clutch slave cylinder from Club spares dept - thanks John.

Having never replaced one before are there any pitfalls - big or small - that I should watch out for in carrying out the replacment of the clutch slave cylinder?

Eg filling the cylinder and avoiding air bubbles etc??

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:10

No, replacement is relatively easy, assuming you're going to use the existing hose. The idea is to minimise the loss of fluid out of the master cylinder (some people take the lid off, stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the top of it and do it up again to slow down the dripping). Basically, you undo the bolts holding the old one on to the clutch housing, loosen the hose. Get the other one ready, quickly unscrew the old one from the hose then screw the other one onto the hose, tighten it up then bolt it back onto the clutch cover. Next you need to swap over the return spring bracket on the bleed screw (again don't have the bleed screw out for too long) then re-attach the spring.

That was the easy bit, next you'll need to bleed the air out of the slave cylinder. Hopefully you know someone who can help you do this, its pretty much a two person job and its hard to describe. Essentially you get the helper to press the clutch in and hold it in, while you loosen the bleed screw releasing air and bubbly fluid. Then you tighten the bleed screw and tell the helper to release the pedal. The process is repeated until the fluid coming out stops being bubbly. The trick is to put a piece of clear tubing over the bleed screw into a jar with some clean brake fluid in the bottom so you can see the bubbles.

Before you start bleeding, make sure to take out the piece of plastic wrap you used to seal the master cylinder at the beginning, and its absolutely critical that the master cylinder has brake fluid in it at all times while you're bleeding it, otherwise you'll pump air into the system and have to bleed the whole system not just the slave cylinder.

Once its bled you need to adjust the throw-out stop and return adjustment bolt.

Tim

Post by **Nigel(no top)Sykes** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:28

And be sure to spread plenty of cloth around the area of operations or all that new paint will disappear

gizmoke · Post by **gizmoke** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 21:35

Glue the clevis pin to you finger.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 22:13

gizmoke wrote:Glue the clevis pin to you finger.

That will definitely confuse the situation, there's no clevis pin on the slave cylinder. It would increase the challenge level though.

Tim

Post by **Nigel(no top)Sykes** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:03

MMMM I think he was talking about the master cylinder wasn't he I've only had to do it once in my Moke and it was harder(worse) than doing the Mini one And that takes some doing

Post by **Doug G** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:25

To clarify things and for ease of reference in this OLD picture of the engine bay

http://mokeclub.org/cpg148/displayimage.php?pos=-418

You can see the clutch reservoir on the left
The exhuaust heading downwards at the immediate right of the air intake nozzle(?).

Post by **Doug G** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 13:42

The replacment of the clutch slave cylinder sounds a lot more complicated than I thought it would be.

Post by **Nigel(no top)Sykes** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 15:03

It's NOT complicated - it's just us going off at a tangent and cofusing matters. Basically, replacing the slave cylinder comprises ..............
Undo 2 bolts holding cyl to clutch housing, Undo flexy hose (from cyl), remove spring. Attach new cyl to flexy hose, bolt cyl back onto housing, put spring back on and bleed ...... Job done 30 mins tops