1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Phil,
I just replaced the clutch m.c. on my '84 900S this weekend (well, I put the m.c. from my parts car onto my daily driver, so same difference).
Anyway, here goes:
Tools:
--pressure bleeding equipment (I used, from advice on this board, a bike innertube and bike foot pump with innertube cut about 12-18" away from valve stem, tie knot in end closest to valve stem. Stretch other end over brake reservoir opening. Secure with worm clamp around reservoir mouth. Pump. Open bleeder screw at clutch slave cylinder. Curse cheap innertube and retie knot because it leaks.)
--needlenose pliers
--flashlight
--phillips screwdriver, regular size (#1?)
--DOT 4 brake fluid (do NOT use DOT 5; it will ruin seals, I'm told)
--13mm wrench/socket
--13mm brake line wrench, optional
--ratchet handle for socket(s)
--one-man brake bleeder hose & valve (what I used instead of an assistant--I got mine at local Napa store; it consists of a clear hose and slips over brake/clutch bleeder screw and has one-way valve on opposite end. Neat!)
--old cardboard to lie on while working in footwell
--clean rags, for mopping up brake fluid
Procedure: (I swapped pedal along with my m.c. because it and clutch m.c. fork holes on the pushrod had been drilled out slightly larger and a new clevis pin installed. This was done to correct "pedal slop" or play in clutch pedal by Tom Townsend of Townsend Imports. I don't think you need to remove your clutch pedal.)
1) Push driver's seat bottom all the way back, as far as it will go. (Remove it, if you wish, for greater access room, but I didn't.)
2) Remove Phillips head screw which holds the driver's side left edge of the heater duct up against the knee bolster's bottom edge. Screw is near the bend in the heater duct. Bend heater duct down--it IS pliable plastic, even on my '84--and tuck it underneath the clutch pedal. This saves having to remove the whole duct and center console, if equipped.
3) Bend down the foam insulation sheet and tuck out of the way.
4) Shine a flashlight up undernenath the dash above the pedals. You will see the clutch m.c. fork on its pushrod and a clevis pin through clutch pedal arm and m.c. fork with "cotter pin" keeper in end of clevis pin. Remove cotter pin with needlenose pliers and save it. Then, push the clevis pin out and put it in a safe place, too.
5) Using 13mm socket (or wrench), turn clutch m.c. mounting nuts counter clockwise to loosen them. Remove nuts. You don't need to hold the bolt in the engine bay--I thought this at first--becuase the bolts are made into the m.c itself, kinda welded in place. Else, you'd really need a helper...
6) In engine bay, remove the black rubber fluid supply hose AT THE CLUTCH M.C END by pulling if off; quickly pinch or plug the hose end and hold its end ABOVE the level of fluid in the brake reservoir or it will continue to drain. (My daily driver 900 didn't have clamps on hose ends, but parts car did, so don't tug on it until you feel of hose end--hard to see--and check for hose clamp.) I got hose to stay put by placing it against the brake booster. It stayed there and didn't drain. NOTE: If all the fluid drains out of brake fluid reservoir, you get to bleed the whole brake system!!!
7) Using 13mm wrench, unscrew the metal high pressure line to the slave cylinder AT THE CLUTCH M.C. END. BE CAREFUL! You are working near the alternator and you may want to disconnect the battery neg. cable before doing this step, for safety's sake. This fitting/nut gas a fine thread and take several turns to unscrew--seemed like forever to me because I had my arm "in" engine in front of the inner fender and turned back toward firewall, in between alternator and fender. Very tight place.
8) Next, push the metal clutch fluid line forward, toward radiator, about 1/2 inch or so. There is a little clip on the inner fender to hold line in place, but I didn't have to loosen mine in order to slip line forward.
9) Pull out clutch m.c. toward radiator negotating it around the metal fluid line, being careful not to disturb rubber fluid line which you carefully propped up out of the way.
10) Place new m.c. in mounting holes, fluid supply nipple pointed UP.
11) Installation is the reverse of removal.
12) Bleed clutch m.c. with bike innertube setup, use 13mm wrench. NOTE: I used a brand new 26" inner tubeI got at the local Wal-Mart--NOT the "stop leak" type tube with goo inside!!!. The tube was regular type, but it was lightly coated with some sort of white powder, both on it and inside it. (I guess this stuff keeps the tube from sticking together until its installed.) I was afraid this powder would contaminate my brake/clutch fluid, so I went ahead an tied end, as above. Then I forced all the white powder out of by pinching off opposite end and pumping up tube with bike foot pump and, once pressurized, letting pinched end go. White powder flew out several times and I kept doing this until I deemed it "clean." You could avoid all this by simply buying a coolant system pressure tester to bleed with, I suppose, but where's the adventure in that?
Keep an eye on fluid level in the reservoir when bleeding. You must remove tube and top up fluid every so often. I used ATE (German, pronouned "ah-tay") fluid, DOT 4. I did this because DOT 4 is called for in SAAB owner's manual AND it has a higher boiling point--when pedal goes soft during repeated hard braking--than DOT 3 fluid.
Hope this helps!
--Micah in NC
posted by 216.77.239...
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