Doing the Brake/Clutch System Overhall

[EricH]

Should I do the clutch master and slave or just the master?

The slave is easy to do any time so the only thing you save by doing it at the same time as the master is the annoyance of bleeding the clutch system and some downtime if the slave dies shortly after the master.

I wouldn't do the slave unless and until it needed it - but that's me and I won't argue with anyone who tells you to do it all once.

If you choose to do the clutch slave replace the hose as well. Consider dropping ten bucks on a speed bleeder for the clutch slave.

 

[geekdaddy]

Inspect wisely...

I'm doing the masters and decided to do the clutch slave as well since I'm certain that it's never been done and the car is 30 years old.

Prior to pulling the cylinders, my clutch was functioning. And the slave cylinder and hose looked like they were in ok physical condition.

However, after I pulled the slave and got a good look at it, I found the underside of my hose was badly cracked and starting to weep some fluid, and the inside of the protection boot was cracked and broken.

Moral of the story is you should probably replace the slave if it's never been done and/or you should very carefully inspect it, even if it's working...

 

[budgetzagato]

Wow, that's bad...

I don't think I've ever seen a clutch hose look like that, or a brake hose either. I think it must have been abused physically or chemically to get that way. Hoses are rubber and have some flexibility but are not indestructible.

 

[geekdaddy]

Yeah -- kinda strange

I think my brake hoses are also original and they looked much better than the clutch hose...

I don't think I've ever seen a clutch hose look like that, or a brake hose either. I think it must have been abused physically or chemically to get that way. Hoses are rubber and have some flexibility but are not indestructible.