Clutch Master Cylinder Removal
 

The car I’m working on is an 84 GSL-SE. I’m fairly new to 7’s and this forum, so I have no idea if these procedures apply to all FB’s or not? I’m not a mechanic and don’t claim to be so take this post for what its worth.

I started this project the same way I’ve started all of my FB projects thus far, I searched this site to see what I could find. What I found was that this was going to be a fairly easy job, until it’s time to remove the top master cylinder bolt. Then it becomes one of the biggest PITAs' you’ve ever seen! Big surprise right? However, the given suggestions for removing the top bolt have been……lets say less then desirable. A number of members said they scratched up their hands and arms and eventually got that it out. The Haynes manual is real useful right up until you have to remove the two bolts. It says “move to the inside of the car and remove the two bolts…”??? No SHIT, that’s real helpful!

A number of members suggested grabbing your favorite 12mm wrench, contort your body, load up on an EXTREEEEEEEM amount of patients, be willing to lose a few layers of skin and eventually you’ll get it out of there? I live in the Phoenix AZ area, spending an hour or more in a hot garage fighting a losing battle with one bolt isn’t the best idea. Not to mention getting the damn thing back on again with any holding force! Another suggestion was to remove the clutch pedal. WHAT!! No way! I’d much rather have it towed to a dealer, pay the ridiculous labor changes and have them remove and install the master cylinder. A somewhat more reasonable idea was to remove the actuator rod by removing the E clip and pin that holds the rod to the back of the clutch pedal. Not a bad idea, but you could spend a ton of time getting that E clip off and on. Again, not an ideal way to spend your time?

So here’s what I did. In applying the KISS theory, the problem is (obviously) the actuator rod. It’s in your way. So remove it right? IMO the best way to do that, is loosen the locknut on the rod that is used to adjust free play, then turn the rod until it backs all the way off the clutch pedal linking mechanism thingy. :D Sorry Haynes doesn’t have a name for it. :) Now you have full access to the top bolt to use your favorite 12mm tool. If it takes you more than 2 minutes to remove the actuator rod and top bolt, you’re doing something wrong.

Again I did a search and found a lot of very useful info (didn’t read all of them) but not much detail on how to actually remove the top bolt. If this if out there somewhere then forgive me for reposting it. If I left anything out please feel free to add to this post.

thanx...i'll be doing this very soon

Thats how I took mine out. I'm not sure why no one else on here mentioned taking the rod off or why the haynes doesn't say it either. I can't see how you'd get it any other way. Glad to see you got it out though, its not fun, even with removing the rod.

All you need is a deep socket, a universal and two long extentions. Set a light in the floor so you can see use your right hand to place the socket and keep it on use the left to remove. Now dont have the ratchet in the floor have it up and to the left of the stearing.

Done it 3 times in one day.

that is a great idea. i got mine off without doing that. but my main problem was i didnt have a deep enough socket. so i had to tape the socket to the wrench so make it deeper.

Man it's too damn hot out here to spend any length of time in the garage. My visits have to be short and to the point. I can't waist time trying to get the correct angle on a deep socket and ratchet. I tried for about 30 seconds, then desided there has to be a better way.

well you know,,what ever works for you. it's not that difficult to get too , and remove that top 12mm bolt/nut. To get to either one of the nuts one just has to accept the fact that one has to climb on his/her back up in there under the dash. A light is a good idea too. A 12mm deep socket, 3/8's inch drive, a u-joint and an extension and get that sucker. the lower nut use a 12mm open-ended wrench.
you've done it 4 times now,,right ? or is that right ???? and if you think getting to those nuts/bolts is a pita.. these cars have tons of hard to get-to parts/nuts/bolts.

No I only tried once. Once I was in there with a light I tried getting at it with a deep socket and an extension. I considered removing the pedal. Nicked that idea. Way to much crap to move first. At the suggestion of a forum member, I started looking at the E clip & pin and noticed the lock nut. One 12mm wrench and 30 sec later the rod was out and the top bolt followed shortly there after.

I'm sure there's a ton of crap on this car that will be a PITA to get too. But why reinvent the wheel when you learn from the mistakes or mishaps of others?

bump. THIS SHOULD BE ARCHIVED!!! i got it out within five minutes...id been working on it for a good hour. thanks OP

bump. im not gonna quit

this does need to be archieved. i searched for it for a while and i couldnt get it to come up since the search function isnt working properly. the only way i found it was by searching for posts by perfect_circle

+1 vote for archiving this thread.

I got mine out with a deep 12mm socket, a u-joint connector, and like a 12" extension. Was trickier getting the nut back on.