oil leak - what's it from & how do i stop it?

[kevtherev]

I think I bent a spanner specially to get in.

It's a common issue thats why you never want to go back there... best change the slave cyl altogether

[Ian Hulley]

Most of us in this game for the long term have a nut welded on the underside the bracket anyway so small bolts can be used from the top in future.

Ian

[jamesandtheopenroad]

All done! Yay!

Thank u all for your help - as ever, wouldn't have been able to do it without u.

Learning stuff as u go can be a bum clencher, but the sense of achievement (& untapped masculinity) at the end is great.

[getunder]

Had a problem unscrewing the union into the slave cylinder as I expected the tube to neck and instead just cut the pipe, made up a new pipe union and joined it again with a pipe connector obtained from Merlin Motors at Castle Combe Racing circuit. From memory it was a different diameter tube to brake pipe but might be wrong, was a long time ago .Check with them what they have first before cutting if you go down this route. They do useful unusual bits for motor racing types to fabricate one off things on their racing cars. Think they do a catalogue but might be on line. They are very helpful people and it helps to be only 15 miles from them.

[getunder]

Re. Master and slave cylinder relationship. When you fully depress the piston to bleed the brakes or clutch the piston can go further into the parts of the cylinder than normal. There may be a ridge at the point it normally reaches or bad corrosion beyond it. In the past I have twice had Master Cylinders go after bleeding the slave cylinder and this was the final straw for old seals.

[getunder]

P.S. My reason for cutting the metal pipe to the clutch slave cylinder was that I wanted to remove the engine without undoing very corroded clutch pipe unions risking necking. Also by doing this you could then put the clutch slave cylinder on a bench or in a vice and be able to deal with it in comfort and hopefully more successfully. I remember having difficulty with the inaccessible bolt but can't remember how I did it but to reassemble I think I modified the bracket with an angle grinder. Nil desperandum carborundum !

[kevtherev]

The clutch hydraulic line self bleeds.

Simply open the nipple and the fluid flows
no need to pump.

[Ian Hulley]

Once swapped over top up the fluid reservoir (under the dashpod) open the bleed nipple (7mm ring spanner) and go for a coffee, quite often they self-bleed.

DO keep up at the back

[kevtherev]

Ah but did he see that post eh eh ?
I was correcting some misinformation