GM clutch master cylinder installation DIY issues and notes
06-24-2014, 06:12 AM
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GM clutch master cylinder installation DIY issues and notes
After waiting a damn month for Tick to ship my adjustable master cylinder (got tired of waiting, cancelled order.)
And then waiting a week for NAPA to ship my regular master... which they cancelled without any notice to me... (second time NAPA has screwed me like this, never dealing with them again.)
Today the dealership finally got my master cylinder in. GM original part. Ended up being cheaper than NAPA since I didn't have to pay for shipping.
And no sooner do I get the package in the trunk than it starts pouring--actually flooding. Great timing.
Anyway 5 minutes after it stopped raining I got to work.
Step one: remove the access panel behind the front driver's side wheel. The only DIY I've found (the Tick installation instructions-- at least those guys were good for something!) says the wheel needs to be off for this, but I managed to get it off without doing so. (which is good because I don't have a jack that fits under the vette yet.)
Step two: Pop the hood and take off the driver's side engine cover to give your fat arms a little more wiggle room.
Step three: Raise the steering wheel as high as it will go, because you're going to be awkwardly laying on your back with your head in the footwell. Remove the plastic piece just above the pedals by prying the infuriating plastic anchors out. (Whoever decided those were acceptable on a $60,000 car should be flogged.) Prop the panel out of the way by the gas pedal-- be careful of the wires, but don't remove them unless you have to. Remove the clip that holds the master cylinder rod to the post on the pedal, and slip it off of the post.
Step four: In the engine compartment, grab the reservoir and pull upwards. you may need a screwdriver to pry the tab on the back-- I didn't. Then, reach under the very inconveniently placed brake booster, grab the master, twist clockwise, and pull. You may want to put down a rag under the connector, because there will be a little spillage. I didn't, because I couldn't get the damn thing under the connector and still get at it. grab your flathead screwdriver and pry the clip off the quick connect. don't lose it. pull the connector apart. Then all you've got to do is figure out how to get the whole master cylinder assembly out. be careful not to bust open the reservoir!
Step 5: My master came pre-bench bled. yay! Put the push rod through the firewall--but not too far otherwise the rod will get stuck on the wrong side of something. Go back to the interior, grab the end of the push rod, put it on the clutch pedal post, and put the clip on. Then you've just got to twist the master counter-clockwise. I had to get my dad to pull on the pedal to get it to twist. Only part that required a helper.
Step 6: push the quick disconnect back together partway. replace the clip. at this point I used a 3' long piece of wood about 3/4"x1" and shoved it between the brake booster and the outside wall of the engine bay to block the connector on one side--that sucker takes some pushing. it clicks audibly when you finally do push hard enough. At this time I checked the pedal feel. so good. It hasn't ever felt like this. firm from the top all the way down. fantastic.
Step 7: remember you spilled brake fluid while repeatedly attempting to connect the master. panic. grab the paper towel you had in your pocket for some reason. wipe up as best you can. hope it doesn't mess anything up, and be thankful that it was on the interior of the engine bay. hose it off when you're done.
Step 8: decide you don't want that spring messing up the feel of the clutch, and pry the sucker off with a screwdriver. clutch feels much more linear now. hopefully not having that spring won't bite you in the *** down the line.
Step 9-- the only problem I ran into: the rubber grommet. **** that grommet. 2/3 of the time I spent on this job was that stupid thing. tried from above and below. spent 2 hours on my back, arm shoved through the access panel hole around the window washer bottle. It's still just sitting on there loose, because I couldn't get it to pop into the firewall.
anybody know how to get that thing on? once you've got that on, you're done.
So that's the step-by-step on how to replace the stock master with an identical part. time would be about an hour, hour and a half if the grommet fit.
And then waiting a week for NAPA to ship my regular master... which they cancelled without any notice to me... (second time NAPA has screwed me like this, never dealing with them again.)
Today the dealership finally got my master cylinder in. GM original part. Ended up being cheaper than NAPA since I didn't have to pay for shipping.
And no sooner do I get the package in the trunk than it starts pouring--actually flooding. Great timing.
Anyway 5 minutes after it stopped raining I got to work.
Step one: remove the access panel behind the front driver's side wheel. The only DIY I've found (the Tick installation instructions-- at least those guys were good for something!) says the wheel needs to be off for this, but I managed to get it off without doing so. (which is good because I don't have a jack that fits under the vette yet.)
Step two: Pop the hood and take off the driver's side engine cover to give your fat arms a little more wiggle room.
Step three: Raise the steering wheel as high as it will go, because you're going to be awkwardly laying on your back with your head in the footwell. Remove the plastic piece just above the pedals by prying the infuriating plastic anchors out. (Whoever decided those were acceptable on a $60,000 car should be flogged.) Prop the panel out of the way by the gas pedal-- be careful of the wires, but don't remove them unless you have to. Remove the clip that holds the master cylinder rod to the post on the pedal, and slip it off of the post.
Step four: In the engine compartment, grab the reservoir and pull upwards. you may need a screwdriver to pry the tab on the back-- I didn't. Then, reach under the very inconveniently placed brake booster, grab the master, twist clockwise, and pull. You may want to put down a rag under the connector, because there will be a little spillage. I didn't, because I couldn't get the damn thing under the connector and still get at it. grab your flathead screwdriver and pry the clip off the quick connect. don't lose it. pull the connector apart. Then all you've got to do is figure out how to get the whole master cylinder assembly out. be careful not to bust open the reservoir!
Step 5: My master came pre-bench bled. yay! Put the push rod through the firewall--but not too far otherwise the rod will get stuck on the wrong side of something. Go back to the interior, grab the end of the push rod, put it on the clutch pedal post, and put the clip on. Then you've just got to twist the master counter-clockwise. I had to get my dad to pull on the pedal to get it to twist. Only part that required a helper.
Step 6: push the quick disconnect back together partway. replace the clip. at this point I used a 3' long piece of wood about 3/4"x1" and shoved it between the brake booster and the outside wall of the engine bay to block the connector on one side--that sucker takes some pushing. it clicks audibly when you finally do push hard enough. At this time I checked the pedal feel. so good. It hasn't ever felt like this. firm from the top all the way down. fantastic.
Step 7: remember you spilled brake fluid while repeatedly attempting to connect the master. panic. grab the paper towel you had in your pocket for some reason. wipe up as best you can. hope it doesn't mess anything up, and be thankful that it was on the interior of the engine bay. hose it off when you're done.
Step 8: decide you don't want that spring messing up the feel of the clutch, and pry the sucker off with a screwdriver. clutch feels much more linear now. hopefully not having that spring won't bite you in the *** down the line.
Step 9-- the only problem I ran into: the rubber grommet. **** that grommet. 2/3 of the time I spent on this job was that stupid thing. tried from above and below. spent 2 hours on my back, arm shoved through the access panel hole around the window washer bottle. It's still just sitting on there loose, because I couldn't get it to pop into the firewall.
anybody know how to get that thing on? once you've got that on, you're done.So that's the step-by-step on how to replace the stock master with an identical part. time would be about an hour, hour and a half if the grommet fit.
03-25-2017, 08:28 PM
#2
Pro
Damn....I'm glad I just had mine done at the Dealership for free under the #14717 for Clutch Master Cylinder replacement. Didn't know it was gonna be so much fun for them to do it.
03-25-2017, 09:11 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Tacos, I feel your pain on replacing a master cylinder. I install the first version Tick on my C5 9 years ago and it was a pain in the ***.
03-25-2017, 09:29 PM
#4
The first clutch master I did was on my 2000 SS Camaro. That was the worst. You have to loosen the brake booster to get it out. Even then it's super tight. I had a lot of difficulty with that stupid U-bolt that holds it in.
Later I did the one in my Z06 and it was way easier and not just because I had done the SS but because you could get more than one hand on it at a time. I seem to remember getting the washer reservoir lose to make things easier. And I had already installed a clutch bleeder line (without pulling the torque tube! Another fun story!)
There were two reasons the last/second time I did the master on the SS was easier. That fact that I had done it before was a definite plus. But more important was that I had the transmission out so I could do the work from inside the tunnel! The SS really didn't need a new clutch, the lining was 90% as thick as the new one. But the slave was completely shot and took the fun out of driving the car. It was a big job but I had help from my buddy who used to be heavy truck mechanic. One fun thing I did was to remove the master+slave as a unit.
The clutch feel on my Z06 intermittently has that "not so nice" feel to it and I've resigned myself to either sending it out or doing it myself.
Later I did the one in my Z06 and it was way easier and not just because I had done the SS but because you could get more than one hand on it at a time. I seem to remember getting the washer reservoir lose to make things easier. And I had already installed a clutch bleeder line (without pulling the torque tube! Another fun story!)
There were two reasons the last/second time I did the master on the SS was easier. That fact that I had done it before was a definite plus. But more important was that I had the transmission out so I could do the work from inside the tunnel! The SS really didn't need a new clutch, the lining was 90% as thick as the new one. But the slave was completely shot and took the fun out of driving the car. It was a big job but I had help from my buddy who used to be heavy truck mechanic. One fun thing I did was to remove the master+slave as a unit.
The clutch feel on my Z06 intermittently has that "not so nice" feel to it and I've resigned myself to either sending it out or doing it myself.
03-26-2017, 03:53 PM
#5
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Member Since: Feb 2012
Location: West Chester Ohio
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I have been trying to get the quick disconnect back together to no luck. I just cant get enough leverage to get them back together. I tried using the wood on the outboard side of the car, between the brake master cylinder and frame rail. I put the clip back in the quick disconnect before putting back together. Is that wrong?This is starting to really get on my nerves.