Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 00:02:33 -0500
Reply-To: Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Erikson-Coyne <erikoyne@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Clutch Master Cylinder Installation Q:'s
In-Reply-To: <001501c1f820$06772cc0$b33245cf@vaio>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
I just did this and a slave cylinder replacement a few weeks ago. The
archives in general and Sean Bartnik in particular have good procedures for
the entire process. Here are two small contributions to advance the cause:
1) bench bleed the master cylinder before installing. You stick it in a vise
with the holes up and have a small container of brake fluid at ready.
Depress the piston in the rubber boot with a screwdriver and pour a little
fluid into the intake - it will only take a little, release piston to suck
in the fluid. Repeat again and again until no more fluid goes in. You're
done when you depress the plunger and fluid instead of air bubbles begins to
come out. Replace caps (if you got the unit new it will have them) and
install. No caps - use tape or hold it in a no spill position. If you're
clever very little fluid will drain out. Me - I used a lot of rags. Bench
bleeding saves you some pedal pressing time on the subsequent system bleed;
2) the slave cylinder can be awkward to remove. Listees recommend removing
the left rear tire and reaching it from the wheel well. That worked well for
me. But since it involves reaching through structural members which will
chop your arms off if the vehicle drops - make sure your Vanagon is properly
and safely jacked up.
The rear bolt on the s/c is difficult to remove because one end of the bolt
is inaccessible inside a bracket holding the s/c and it may turn freely as
you work on the visible nut. VW - in its wisdom - put a small hole on the
side of that bracket. The hole faces you as you look at the s/c. Take a flat
sided object - wideblade screwdriver; I used a 10 mm allen wrench - jam it
in the hole against a flat side of the (unseen) bolt and put a 12 or 13mm
wrench on the nut above to remove. If the nut is not rusted to the bolt this
will work. Reinstall is the same process and will go much smoother if you
take 30 seconds to clean nut and bolt on a wire wheel.
Just my .02
Tom in KCMO
'82 Westy
> From: Michael Nichols <msnichols@MINDSPRING.COM>
> Reply-To: Michael Nichols <msnichols@MINDSPRING.COM>
> Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 08:41:35 -0400
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Clutch Master Cylinder Installation Q:'s
>
> Hello from Atlanta, Ga. I need to install a new clutch M/C in my '81 air
> cooled---any tips, words of wisdom, time saving steps from the List???
> Thanks!
>
> Regards,
>
> Michael S. Nichols
> 2--'81's
