Let me start off by saying that this job has been significantly harder than I originally thought. I worked on it a few hours today and hope to finish up tomorrow but have a few questions.

First off, how do you get the bottom bolt off the master cylinder? Top bolt was easy, but the bottom one has the brake booster right next to it and I can’t get a wrench on it. Once that’s out-I’m not sure I’m going to be able to get it out. The cruise is in the way, which I tried taking out and ran into some difficult bolts on too.

The retaining clip for the clutch pedal to master cylinder connecting rod popped off when I pushed a little with a screwdriver, and disappeared. I can’t find it anywhere. I didn’t even feel it let loose, it just disappeared. I don’t think I’m getting that back, so what do I need to use in its place? I’m hoping it’s a standard part I can buy at an auto parts store? Knowing the vette that’s not terribly likely though...

i got the slave cylinder off, but the hydraulic connector on it has me slightly confused. It’s just got a bracket with a 15mm bolt going into the slave, with the line going in underneath it? Should I just undo the 15mm bolt? Or is there a trick to it? Just want to make sure.

Also, a small rod that wasn’t attached to anything else fell out when I pulled the slave cylinder from the rubber housing. I assume it is what connects the slave to the clutch-is there a trick to getting it back in correctly?

Sorry if I’m being a little whiny here-just a little confused and feeling in over my head.

 

no responses? Lol. Sorry for how whiny I was. This has been a frustrating week for me and this clutch is just the icing on the cake.

Anyway...I got it all apart and then back together. I added some brake fluid, and...there is ZERO resistance on the clutch pedal. I've pumped it 100+ times easily, and it's not getting any more resistance at all. I'm wondering if I've done something wrong? There's no fluid leaking anywhere, the fluid level isn't dropping at all in the master cylinder. I'm sure there's probably some air in there, but...isn't this system supposed to be self-bleeding?

Also, the Slave cylinder I bought was slightly different-the hydraulic line input is at a 45 degree angle rather than going directly into the slave cylinder sideways. It meant I had to twist the rubber line around a little bit, but it appears to be ok now. Could that have something to do with it?

Help???

 

When I did mine I primed the slave on the bench and then left the banjo bolt on it loose until fluid flowed through the hose. Then I tightened down the banjo bolt. Been good so far. (5 years now?)

Edit: I had someone pump the master a few times to get it to flow.

 

what is a banjo bolt?

 

The bolt that goes through the flat plate on the slave cylinder. The one that passes the fluid through it.

 

This is is the configuration that finally got the lower master cylinder bolt off, btw.

i did not prime the slave cylinder, and it was quite the job getting it all on there-I’d very much like to avoid doing that again. Have I screwed myself over? Do I have to take it all apart again?

 

Ok thank you. That one was quite difficult to get back on. I would very much like to not take it off again. Is it possible to put it on wrong somehow?

 

If you just loosen it and let the fluid run down you should be able to get it as well. Once the fluid flows it should self bleed the rest out. You could take out the line and fill the slave from under the car with a syringe or something as well.

 

Thank you for being patient with me-so I can just loosen it a bit and it will flow out? Do I need to pump the pedal or once it’s loosened should fluid flow freely?

 

If it is primed fluid will flow. If it is air locked you'll have to pump the pedal. Once it starts going it should gravity feed and it will drain the master so you'll have to hurry.

It isn't the right way to do it but it should work. I'm one to make it work if I have to.

Edit: and once you get it working you can use the bleeder on the slave to get it the rest of the way.

 

I prefer the right way but after an hour of cursing this blasted thing trying to get that banjo bolt in, I really don’t want to take it apart again.

 

Just loosen it up a bit then. I don't judge.

 

Just curious if this is diffferent from opening the bleeder valve?

 

Mine wouldn't go with just the bleeder valve iirc.

 

good to know. I’ll do the banjo bolt. I’ve never done anything hydraulic before so trying to understand how it works (I get the general principle, but I mean the specifics of how to work on it).

 

It's just like brakes really. Nothing too bad about it if you treat it that way. There is just more travel involved is all

 

Sounds like I’ve just got a ton of air in the system right now. I’ll try all this and report back. Might be a day or two before I can. Thank you for all of the help. I’ll beat this thing yet!

 

All I remember is that it was frigid cold. I had just spent 10 hours doing the heater core and the next day this took a dump. 17 year old me just wanted the thing fixed. I know for a fact no matter what way I tried the master it wouldn't move fluid until the banjo bolt was loosened. But that could be a problem on my end too for all I know. Doing the bleeder like brakes should work once fluid is in the line. Actually it should gravity feed at that point. My trouble was getting it to go. Really you should be able to press in the clutch and crack the bleeder and have it start purging the air. Then close it and let off and repeat. After an hour of trying to get it to bleed that way I went with the banjo bolt. It took a lot for me to "cheat" Don't worry about it though. You'll get it.

 

Ended up letting a shop bleed the system for me-it's been 20ish degrees outside here, and I don't have a heated garage to work in. $50 later and she's back up and running! Pedal is significantly stiffer than the day I bought the car, and I realized how much I've missed driving this car!

Thanks for all the help everyone!