Clutch master cylinder going south

[Panzer909]

Hey guys-

I was driving home from New Jersey after the holidays and the brake fluid light came on. Topped it up and about a week later, it needed another fill (went from MAX to MIN in about a week). Since I just bled the system about a month ago, I figured that it was a loose bleed nipple. Checked 'em and......nope. Did a search on this board for mystery brake fluid loss, and it led me to check under the driver's side dash. Sure enough, it was wet with that tell-tale brake fluid smell from right above the clutch pedal, and underneath the carpet.

So, now that I have isolated the problem, I have a few questions. They are:

1. Exactly what parts will I need to replace? Any recommendations for the best clutch master cylinder prices? Any secondary parts/repairs that I should also do?

2. How difficult is this fix - anyone here do this before? Easy or will I be dropping F-bombs? Any instructions anywhere?


Its just that this comes at a time when I'm flat broke and it was 4 degrees out the other day. This makes working on the P-car a cuss-filled chore during the winter months. I'm gonna dream about a warm garage tonight........................

[divezic]

This has happened to most of us. Do a search on this BBS for clutch master cylinder and you'll get a lot of hits. Try this thread for my write-up (about half way down the thread).

clutch slave cylinder.. do master at the same time?

The minimum parts list is a new master cylinder and a new bottle of brake fluid. I suggest you look at the reservior-to-cylinder tube and the master-to-slave cylinder tube and make sure they are in good condition. Replace them if necessary at the same time. I also strongly suggest that you replace the slave cylinder now. Generally, if one fails then the other will within a year. My slave died 5 months after the master. It'll take about an hour extra to change the slave with the master or 2 hours to do it in 6 months from now. Bleed the system once or twice.

The fix is not difficult. In fact, it is about the most straight-forward fix I've done on my 944 yet. Although, it could be a bit of a knuckle dinger. I suggest you find a friend with a warm garage, especially if you are going to do the slave cylinder (you need to be on your back under the car for it).

[Smile]

Hey Panzer,

Make shore that you A.S.A.P, clean up everywhere where you have gotten the brake fluid. Its VERY agressive on e.g paint.
I dont know if you have to take away the carpet and clean benith it, maybe some one else knows!?

Brake fluid=acid almost!

[Panzer909]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to buy and replace both the master & slave cylinders. I just hope that I bleed it corrctly as I'll have to drive back home from the garage that I'm "borrowing" for the job. Yeah, the entire carpet area in the footwell is going to be flushed. And all this time I just figured that the wetness was from the snow/ice/salt that I was tracking in the car from outside. Winters and all the elements that come with them just plain suck