In a message dated 7/24/00 10:00:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
saidel@crab.rutgers.edu writes:
<< Yesterday, on the way home with my SO in my '76B, the clutch MC blew. Made
it home in 3rd through the 10 mph streets where I live. An interesting
experience planning my movements for turns 150 yards ahead. And I thought
the drips on the garage floor were engine oil!
Anyway, I am planning to attempt it myself. 2 years I've had the car and
every repair is new to me, so as a newby to this problem, what kind of a
job is a clutch MC and is it in the realm of home repair? Now I've read
numerous notes on the list about clutch MC repair successes but no one
really says what they knew before they started. >>
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Clutch MC is a relatively simple repair. I have a Midget, so YMMV.
Buy a rebuilt MC. (They are cheap, so it's not worth the trouble to rebuild
one.)
Take the tube off the old MC.
Remove the old MC.
Fill the new MC with Castrol GT LMA brake fluid, wrap a rag wround it and put
it in a vise. (Not too tight.) Press in the pedal rod until fluid comes out
the tube fitting. (Careful, it will squirt quite a distance.)
Install the new MC. (Use new lockwashers and cotter pin. Check the clevis
pin for wear and replace in worn.)
Put the tube on the new MC, making sure not to cross the threads. Start
threading it by hand until you know it is in correctly. Don't overtighten it.
Fill the MC and bleed the system.
Bleeding is best done with a partner. One is under the car opening and
closing the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder. The other presses the pedal
when the bleed screw is open, and lets it up when the bleed screw is closed.
Do this until NO bubbles come out.
WARNING! If you let the MC reservoir run out of fluid, you have to start all
over again. Pump down and up twice, then refill the MC reservoir.
You should be able to do all this in a short period of time, depending on how
difficult the MC is to get at. (Sorry Grammar Police. I know, it's behind
that preposition.)
Hope this helps.
Allen Hefner
SCCA Philly Region Rally Steward
'77 Midget
'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport
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