I have been battling these bad masters and slaves for over 2 years.
Here's my history:
4/28/04 97432 Replace slave and master cylinders
7/9/04 102545 Replace slave cylinder
12/4/04 106444 Replace slave and master cylinders
4/10/05 107556 Replace slave cylinder
5/7/05 107607 Replace line between slave and master cylinders
(precaution since I installed a new clutch)
3/06/06 111303 Replace slave cylinder

The system has failed again, I pulled the slave and it is not leaking.
The way the pedal feels, it feels like the master.
Can't find any leaks around the firewall and doesn't seem to be any fluid loss.

What master cylinders are you guys using with success? Part # and source? Anyone come up with the bullet proof answer?

 

Rex,

did you look at www.zfdoc.com to see the issues?

Did you pull your Slave apart and check the orientation of the Seal? I am guessing you may have gotten the slaves with the seal installed backwards. in this instane the Slave will work and then degrade over time and quit working. I am betting your latest Slave has the reversed Seal

Check these links for info
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1402043

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/ZR1_tr....htm#clutchact

http://www.zfdoc.com/CHS_Actuator_Seal_Fault.htm

 

John
I installed my 5th slave last month.
Brand new "Genuine GM".

I took it apart prior to installation and the seal was installed backward.

I corrected it and for the first time in 3 years, I am comfortable with the clutch hydralics. Just cruised to Maine & back with no problems.

 

My slave cylinder worked fine with the seal backwards, minor seepage. I then flipped it, and it still works fine. No issues with the Master cyl yet.

 

I read all of the recent posts. I pulled 2 slaves that were replaced and changed the seal. Both are GM units.

I'm going to do the master, since I think that is where the problem is.
Should I stay stock?

I did pull the current slave and it was not leaking (this time), again why I think it's the master. The current slave will be taken apart to check that seal.



Larry, I think I remember that you recently did several, hope the corrected on lasts.

 

I went through 7 Masters from Car Quest ( Various leaks in different areas) inside of 4 months.. I ended up taking the guts of the last master and installign them in my 8 year old Master. My clutch is all good now..

If you go other then stock get the Cast Master (wagner)

 

John, when my master was leaking the fluid followed the actuation rod through the firewall into the inside of the car. It collects in foam on the bottom of the dash, and can collect quite a lot of fluid before it drips off the dash.

I got a GM replacement.

 

John,

I guess you too have a collection of expensive paperweights! The various defects that can possibly happen to slaves and masters can exist in a finished unit in any combination of defects to cause the units to eventually fail or fail right out of the box. There is one other thing that Mr. Boudreau has discovered. The angle that a C4 firewall has and the stock spacer used to compensate for that angle is not optimal. Mr. Boudreau might fabricate a "corrected angle" spacer to replace the OEM spacer. This problem causes the master's seals to wear & fail prematurely....the clouding up of the reservior fluid is the result of the seals abrading over time.

I used a wagner cast master....their particular defect seems to be that the reservior nipple sometimes is not formed correctly causing an air leak on the return stroke. If you buy one and the reservior looks to be askew return it. If the reservior is sitting plumb then the nipple is okay.

The slave I used was one of my OEM style DOM slaves. I picked one with the best bore....both with respect to scoring and bore ID consistancy and bore surface appearance with respect to potiential porousity. I then bought a cast slave from AutoPartsWarehouse.com. I believe it was a Federal Mogul part?? P/N F120165. The cast flange was 2.5x thicker than the DOM slave flange so I had to transplant the guts from the F/M unit into my best DOM/OEM style slave. I've had good use but the fluid is now cloudy and I can feel the degradation of the M/C's seals so I expect my gear clash symptoms to return in the future.

Untill GM and TRW decide what to do about Q/C issues I think we are on our own as to fixing our C4's. JMHO.


Tom

 

Was hoping there would be a solution by now! Car has just been setting. Guess I will have to buy another slave and see if I can get back on road!

 

UPDATE:
I took off the slave and the seal was backwards, no big surprise. The plastic spacer on the outside, under the boot was wasted. Flipped the seal and used the outer rod assembly from the most recently replaced slave and reinstalled.

Still had a bad pedal and no clutch. Ordered the Wagner master from RockAuto and installed it. Reversed bled the system with my Mity Vac (easy to do no problems) and I have a good pedal and the clutch is working.

Lets see how long this lasts!

 

Got a PN for the Master Kit?

 

RockAuto's PN: CM120165

$72.79 plus shipping

FWIW: "Looks" like a quality part....time will tell

 

Hopefully this will finally fix the problem.
We need you to lead us to the Grand Canyon at the end of the month.

 

damn, John... you have more bad luck with these parts... I hope it's fixed this time.

 

Don't worry I have a back up

 

Good luck John!


Tom