Clutch Slave Cylinder Removal and Installation Instructions - 1967 e-type series 1 LHD

In the interest of the next newbie facing this project I thought I would write up the steps I followed… If I’m missing anything important please let me know.

Before starting bleed the line and reservoir (if the fluid hasn’t all leaked out already).

Tools:
Standard SAE plus set of flare wrenches and (important) “socket cap set” for low profile access.

Step 1: Before loosening up anything else - loosen the top rigid tube connection (connects flexible hose #5 to rigid tube #4). Easy to access and easy to loosen.

Step 2: Remove the bolt that holds the bracket (at #8) in place above this top connection. Now completely undo the top connector for the rigid tube (#4)

Step 3: Remove the push rod assembly from the slave cylinder

Step 4: Using a 9/16" socket and the hex cap remove the top bolt holding the slave onto the transmission (without the hex cap or similar I found this to be impossible)

Step 5: Using regular 9/16" socket remove remaining bolt holding the slave on and remove the slave from the transmission.

Step 6: IMPORTANT: Immediately photograph and ‘sketch’ the exact curve and angle that the rigid tube leaves the slave cylinder from. When you reattach the rigid tube to the new slave this exact orientation must be recreated or you will either not be able to get the slave attached to the transmission or you won’t be able to connect the top of the rigid hose to the flexible hose above.

To replace simply reverse directions.

Key for me was to not even attempt to remove lower rigid connection from the slave while still in place and to loosen the top rigid connector and then remove the mount bolt and then disconnect the rigid supply tube completely. This order was important. Also key was finding (making) a drive that allowed me to turn the 9/16" socket in spite of not having the clearance for a standard socket wrench.

Reassembly required getting the rigid tube into the correct orientation and then putting the slave in place loosely (no nut tight) and leaving the bracket mount nut loose. This gave me enough wiggle room in the system to easily get the rigid tube connector to engage with the flexible hose connector. Once this was done the rest was fairly straightforward.


Diagram from www.sngbarratt.com

Bill and all interested parties,
When I tried to remove my slave in situ, I found the stud was coming out of the clutch cover before the but would let go. It further restricted movement in this very tight space. So I replaced the studs/nuts on the clutch cover (Bell Housing) with course thread hex bolts. Makes it so much easier to install and remove.

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The step I should add was to spray each piece that needed removing with penetrating oil first… Not sure if that would have helped in your case but I had read about the bolts getting stuck and wanted to avoid that …

don’t try and use that diagram to remake lines 9 and 4, cause 9 will go through the valve cover and 4 will go through the passenger floor

Probably not the best diagram but best I could find online… I think the bits are all in their relative position.

Looking at that schematic it would be hard to bleed, surely the feed should come from the bottom?

:smile: that’s they way they made it. You couldn’t get to the bleeder valve otherwise, so “…what the heck we’ll just put it on the wrong side and be done with it”

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I had no problem with doing a gravity bleed, easiest system I’ve ever done.

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Couple of follow up points on the installation.

  1. adding a return spring results in the clutch disengaging at about the halfway point in the clutch depress stroke (which makes it easier to drive). Without the return spring and relying instead on the “hydrostatic” nature of the slave cylinder resulted in the clutch disengaging within 2" of the start of the clutch pedal depress. This could probably have been addressed by changing the length of the push rod, but the return spring was easier…

  2. The rubber end cap on the slave fit so tightly on the push rod that every time I depressed the clutch it popped off. I had to add a hose clamp in order to keep it in place…

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I’d think you would be better off with keeping the return spring, having the throwout bearing in constant contact with the release fingers is just going to wear time consuming to replace parts out.

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Then… the tail lights…,

The day before Earl’s Court: someone notices they had COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN to put tail lights on it…Merde!

“Let’s just gin up something!