engine and drivetrain Clutch Master and Slave Cylinders

[vacca rabite]

I need to replace the clutch master cylinder on my car.

Is there a difference between the BMW part and the FTE part that is 2X as expensive?

 

Thanks!

Zach

[TobyB]

Nope, not such that matters- FTE make good components.  You may even find FTE parts in the BMW box.

 

Do the rubber hose between them if yours looks original, too.

 

 

t

 

['76mintgrün'02]

I don't have your answer, but I did replace mine, along with the slave cylinder.

The stinking master leaked within a couple years.

Pretty sure it is FTE brand.  Probably just a fluke, but makes me wanna puke.

I'm not really wanting to drop money on another.  I may pull it out/apart and peek inside; hoping to fix it.

 

I did notice that Sachs makes one.  It is a little more than the FTE.  

I might go that route, but then I try to always take TobyB's advice and if he says "no difference", well...

Tom

[Hans]

I've installed half a dozen over the years, and paid no attention to mfgr. Never had an issue. In many cases, you get same part in non-BMW box for half the price.

['76mintgrün'02]

what are the chances that I could repair my leaky new one?

why would it be leaking already?

any idea?

[OriginalOwner]

Many years ago I bought a "repair" kit which was essentially the internal rubber seal thingies.  I removed the cylinder, disassembled, cleaned it, used some emery paper to lightly scrub the internal sliding surface of the cylinder, then reassembled.  Easy job, just like doing a brake wheel cylinder.

     My local auto parts guy found the kit for me.

 

 Here's another parts source I databased many years go.  I've never bought these parts, so do your due diligence as necessary ......

http://www.saintgeorgeltd.com/Part-Listings/Clutch/CLUTCH CYLINDER KITS.html

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

[TobyB]

Hmm,

master kits USED to be available.  Now I'm not seeing them.  Guess the cars are getting old...

 

An early leaker is usually defective manufacturing, but I too would take it apart- sometimes a bit of

smoothing as Carl describes (or you can use a brake cylinder hone) does wonders.

 

t

 

[OriginalOwner]

When I did the work on mine (let's say 1997 ??), it was all the original-from-the-factory stuff that hadn't been touched since it left the factory.  There was some sludge and such buildup on the inside.  Thus the problem could simply be some sludge causing the inner seal(s) to not seal when sliding on/over the sludge.

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by OriginalOwner

['76mintgrün'02]

Thank you both for the input.  I also feel like I got a defective one, which is part of why I keep bringing it up.  Wayh.

 

I agree that looking at it will likely give the answer.  I love it when it is as simple as sludge.  This was a recent replacement, so it should be clean inside.  It has been several years since I installed it and I don't think I have bled it.  It has been bleeding itself.  Not like the old one though, which left annoying drips.  This is just soaking my refurbished pedal box.  Slowly.

 

Honing cylinders is fun.  I have very old memories of doing that to the wheel cylinders on my old 69 Econoline One Ton Van.

 

You guys are nice, for not just saying, "open it up and you tell me!"

I guess I was just hunting for a little encouragement.

although I'd better not do it today.

thank you again

TOm

[jrhone]

I just did mine. Got an FTE replacement for something like $50. For me what's my time worth?  Is it worth the time to remove it, open it, find the problem, fix the problem, close it up then reinstall or should I just swap it?  Plus the new one is nice and shiny lol. 

[Buckeye]

Input or master cylinder repair kit is still available. Part # 21521102935

output cylinder repair kit for is no longer available. Part # 21521103197

If you decide to replace input cylinder all together, then use original clevis instead the one comes with replacement part. Assuming input cylinder is original to the car

Also measurement "A" is important. should be checked and adjusted accordingly.

 

['76mintgrün'02]

jrhone, that was my thinking too, the first time around... imagining the dirty old thing being garbage.

But, I did not throw the ATE one away, when I put the shiny insta-gratification-new one in.

 

The outward appearance is often deceiving and it is kinda dirty work to remove the crud.

I took the original apart and it looks beautiful, now that I cleaned Carl's sludge out if it.

I may reassemble and install it, in place of the new FTE leaker.

Then give the FTE the same attention.

What is my time worth?  that seems like sort of silly question, yet I ask myself over and over.  

it is worth a little more now that I have a better understanding of how a clutch master cylinder is put together. 

There are more little holes inside than I had imagined.

All the bits were covered in rusty sludge and dirt.

THe bits were not corroded much at all.

The little hole in this photo has an even tinier hole inside of it.

Surely this was plugged up with goo

I find cleaning satisfying and it is cheap fun.

Thank you for the kit numbers Buckeye, but it is too much money for a couple little rubber plunger deals.

I don't need/want the circlip, nor that washer and my boot is fine.

These rubber pieces cleaned up well.  they are basically what the $30-$40 kit has to offer : (

I rubbed them a bit with some No.7 polishing compound and some black oxidation rubbed onto the microfiber rag.

They are soft and shiny, free of deposits.  No visible nicks.  Going back to work.

 

I made a quickie extension for the Dremel wire wheel, to reach the bottom of the bore.

Then wrapped the brush in very fine steel wool and gave it a 'cleaning'

The only part of the bore which is affected at all is the very end, where the rubber bit of the plunger sits, when not depressed, as well as a mark left by the rubber ring on the other end of the plunger. You can see it in this photo

I made a very simple hone, with a turned down 3/4" dowel and some 1200 grit paper

Cast iron sands almost like plaster.  Very easy, though a little slow.  It got too hot to hold a couple of times.

and an attempt at an after shot of the bore

 

I'll bet that most of the ones that are thrown away would work again, once cleaned and reassembled.

I do this in part to rebel against the 'throw away society' that we have become.

In part because I am frugal.  I also enjoy this sort of learning.

I love keeping original parts on the car in good working order.

(this may be a replacement, but original to the car as I found it)

It also builds my attachment to my car... when I 'f#ck with sh!tty old parts', as they say.

especially old ATE brake parts : ) 

I am glad I asked that question this morning.

This site motivates me.

must   resist   disassembling   the   old   slave    cylinder   !

(you can bet I will save it until I get around to it though)

Now for a little black paint 

Tom

[jrhone]

I too kept mine...it failed where the brake lines attaches to the master cylinder.  I thought, Hmmm...maybe just get the grommet and plop it on and keep going.  But again the new one was under $50, and I needed the new pedal attachment part anyway.  So I got the new one.  While I was down there I replaced the spring for the clutch pedal and did a mini pedal box rebuild.  Now the clutch feels amazing and no puddles of fluid under the car.  

 

 

Nice new shiny one...

 

['76mintgrün'02]

Nice.

I had a broken spring too, which came in the pedal box bushing kit.

I got SO tired of the leaking master and slave.

Waited too long to fix them.

This leak is slow, but still frustrating.

Mostly because I put in a shiny new master/slave just like the one in your photo.

I need to lube the end of the push rod on the slave again.

It is starting to make that surprisingly loud creaking noise.

 

 

[Buckeye]

Why new Cllevis is different from original. It appears to me the the original one was forged and machined, but new one seems machined from stock bar.