Clutch took a dump!

[bigrob]

I was going to go to DMV for a VIN inspection & when I went to put her in gear........no clutch. The reservoir started leaking when I pushed down on the pedal several times. I am getting no movement by the tranny when the clutch pedal is fully pushed down. Am I gonna have to do this job through the vent hole? & what are my options in terms of fixing or replacing the master cylindar?

Thanks!!

[Pete Munroe]

OK, how many miles on the master cylinder?

If the car is brand new going to the DMW for its first registration, this won't be much help.

Leaking from where? At the firewall from the actuating side of the master?

We replaced the master cylinder on a early BackDraft, about 10,000 miles.

The master is mounted so the pedal actuating push rod is way out of line with the piston bore. The angle is too sharp and the pedal push rod drives the master cylinder piston into the top of the bore. Lots of wear, eventually no pressure as the bore is egged to far out of shape to seal.

Very little room to work under the fender, we had trouble getting the master hydraulic line back on to the master on an earlier occasion. It was actually easier to run a new steel-braid flex line over the back and down to the slave cylinder than try to salvage the slightly bunged up fitting on the original steel hardline.

The headers do cook the master cylinder and fluid, but on the early BD cars at least, the master cylinder/pedal rod geometry will ruin the cylinder bore pretty quick.

Got to be a ritual to bleed the master after/during an open track weekend, fluid would be black. After thinking about it maybe less the "cooked fluid" and more just a "worn out" cylinder bore that HAD to have new fluid to barely be able to work with a shot seal.

Pete M

[bigrob]

Originally Posted by Pete Munroe

OK, how many miles on the master cylinder?

If the car is brand new going to the DMW for its first registration, this won't be much help.

Leaking from where? At the firewall from the actuating side of the master?

We replaced the master cylinder on a early BackDraft, about 10,000 miles.

The master is mounted so the pedal actuating push rod is way out of line with the piston bore. The angle is too sharp and the pedal push rod drives the master cylinder piston into the top of the bore. Lots of wear, eventually no pressure as the bore is egged to far out of shape to seal.

Very little room to work under the fender, we had trouble getting the master hydraulic line back on to the master on an earlier occasion. It was actually easier to run a new steel-braid flex line over the back and down to the slave cylinder than try to salvage the slightly bunged up fitting on the original steel hardline.

The headers do cook the master cylinder and fluid, but on the early BD cars at least, the master cylinder/pedal rod geometry will ruin the cylinder bore pretty quick.

Got to be a ritual to bleed the master after/during an open track weekend, fluid would be black. After thinking about it maybe less the "cooked fluid" and more just a "worn out" cylinder bore that HAD to have new fluid to barely be able to work with a shot seal.

Pete M

She is BDR # 126 & was built in '04. Has 12,800 miles on her. It is leaking from the reservoir somehow. dripping down onto the header. The " no pressure " part is where I'm at. I am pretty ready to by the direct replacement from Backdraft for $53. Running a new line sounds like a good idea. I may have to do that. I will only be putting about 2000-3000 miles a year on her, so the wearing out part I can live with if it is years down the road before a problem arises. I wont be tracking the car, only the spirited bursts once in a while during normal driving. I have removed the grill & it seems like a fairly easy job to replace it.

Thanks for the info Pete!!