At 03:53 PM 4/15/04 -0700, Howard Battan wrote:
>.... '57 MGA .... rebuild the clutch slave cylinder. .... one part missing
>.... called "clip for boot, small". .... Is its purpose to provide a
>leak-proof fit of the boot around the pushrod?
Not exactly leakproof. If the piston seal leaks, the outer boot will never
retain the fluid. But the small ring on the boot can help to keep dirt and
water out of the cylinder, and therefore delay or retard corrosion of the
bore. This is not so important when the boot is new, but with exposure to
oil they don''t stay "new" very long. The boot is more likely to allow
trash inside as it ages, and then the inside clip can help. The
alternative is to put replacement of the boot on your periodic maintenance
schedule, every couple of years or so (if you drive it much).
>How important is it to find a replacement?
It is worth the effort, and not oo much bother.
Slip the boot onto the pushrod, and measure in assembly the outside
diameter of the boot neck. Find a flat washer with ID that size, or a
little smaller. If necessary start smaller and drill it out to suitable
size with zero clearance or a very slight interference fit on the
boot. Keep the OD of the washer fairly small so it doesn't interfere with
the tapered socket in the piston.
Remove the boot from the pushrod. Work the washer over the neck of the
boot, and then reinstall the boot on the pushrod.
>Since I have been driving since 1975 without one, I assume it is not critical!
>....
If you would like to rebuild that aluminum slave cylinder about 10 years
later, then it is critical. Without the inner clip the thing is likely to
allow water infiltration several years down the road, when you splash
through a rain puddle. Once inside, the water may remain in liquid form
for a long time, and the resulting corrosion of the aluminum bore can be
severe.
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
(and the same slave cylinder since 1986, rebuilt twice already)
http://MGAguru.com
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