Clutch Repair

For about a year, I had a slow leak of clutch fluid. On the way to work one day, I began having trouble shifting into the different gears. I managed to get the car to work, but was unsure of how I would get it home. I tried to bleed the clutch to see if that was the problem. I was able to get some clutch pressure and went back to work. That night when I went to leave, I had no pressure. I was able to get the car moving by pumping up pressure with the clutch, and drove the car the rest of the way shifting without the clutch.

I began my troubleshooting and what I found was hydraulic fluid leaking through the front wall down the banjo of the clutch master cylinder. I priced a new one, and decided I couldn't afford it at the time. I decided to try and rebuild the cylinder. When I took the cylinder apart, I found that the cylinder walls had been scored by grit. I honed out the marks with 1200 grit wet sand paper. I then rotated all of the seals and put the cylinder back together. I bled the system and had no luck. I still had a seal leak.

I started searching the junkyards. I found an 87GT that still had the cylinder intact. I pulled it apart on the spot to see if the cylinder walls and seals were good. They were. I paid $10 for it and went home. I bead blasted the outside of the cylinder, (being very careful not to get any grit in the cylinder openings), and painted it grey. I thoroughly cleaned the newly painted cylinder inside and out, and re-installed it. The banjo from the 87 would not fit on my clutch pedal. It has a ring that had to be removed. I took the cylinder back out and replaced the banjo with the one from my original cylinder. I replaced the cylinder and re-bled. I still did not have any clutch pressure. I visited V8Archies website, and read his article on clutch bleeding.Archisms-Clutch Bleeding

During this bleeding, I attempted to bleed the slave cylinder as well. When I removed it and pushed the piston in, fluid poured out of the boot. The slave cylinder was shot, and needed to be replaced.

I bought a new slave cylinder and tried to install it. When I went to remove the old unit, I broke the hydraulic line. The fitting and the line broke. I started calling around for a replacement. The line is a solid piece from front to back. The dealer informed me that it was not available any more. I tried all of the auto stores locally. No one had a replacement fitting. I finally tried an industrial hydraulic supplier. They were not able to get a new fitting, but together we made something work. I had to obtain a new fitting from a junkyard. I had to obtain one with some of the tubing still intact. The shop was not able to duplicate the flare on the tube. I got a fitting with one inch of line still intact. The shop took this and made me a new flexible line. To install it, I had to remove the coil protector, and cut the line with a tubing cutter. I then connected my new braided steel line with a compression fitting.

Once I replaced the line, the rest went very easy. I was able to successfully bleed the clutch, and it worked great. The new line, and cylinders have held up for six months now without a hitch.

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