[apex]

Thought I'd share some pictures of my recent master cylinder replacement. Please forgive the low-res cellphone images - ugly but they get the job done. I would think anyone armed with the Clarke-Garage how-to and these pics should have an easy go of it.



Mostly I wanted to share how much easier this job is if you remove the fusebox first. Just remove the two screws at opposite corners, and lift and twist the harness to create as much slack as possible - the wires are thick and bendy and used to being pretzeled up - be gentle! I used a bungee to hold the fuse box under tension away from the opening it wanted to pop back into - protect your fender!

Here's a shot of after removing same - you can see right down through to the carpet.





A shroud covers the clutch pedal. Remove a coupla plastic nuts and it's off.







So ahah! there it is... very easy now to remove the clip holding clutch pedal linkage to the master cylinder shaft coming through the firewall. Now - while we're looking at this I want to say that replacing the spindle through the linkage and new clutch cylinder plunger was NOT EASY - contortionism is not possible to avoid under the steering wheel. I found the sheet metal housing surrounding the fuse box and supporting the top pivot point of the clutch linkage left *almost zero* clearance under which to re-insert the spindle into and through the lower, clutch-side pivot point. Eventually, somehow, it went in but I had a bear of a time doing it. Maybe it was the fact that I was upside down on my back with the brake pedal a millimeter from my right eyeball with a shop light clenched in my teeth and with no room to move my arms that cramped my style. Comes *out* real easy, though. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />





Here's the new cylinder ready to install.





The factory manual gives a precise measurement between firewall and center of spindle... the Clarke's Garage tutorial translates this into mm you can measure *prior* to installing. Much, much, easier than lying on your back under the steering wheel. In my case, the measurement of the old master cylinder matched the CG spec exactly - nice. That's Clarke's nice write-up under the tape.





Here's the new cylinder on the engine side of the firewall ready to be fixed with two nuts. Paper towels keep any brake fluid drips off the paint.





Just for fun - here's my version of the famous Flash Stainless Steel Clutch Pressure Hose - just waiting for my Brand New Porsche-Branded Rubber Clutch Pressure Hose to burst.





Hope you find this helpful or informative.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[S_Cal968]

Ya but then you don't have the fun of pulling the drivers seat and working on your back... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Interesting idea, I wish I knew about this 6 months ago. Thanks for the pics..

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[flash]

well, it certainly seems to be the long way around the job, but you got there nonetheless, and in a rather ingenious way



others have done it too, but i'm curious why you bothered to make a hose rather than just buying one, either stock or ours, but whatever



having already had the "pleasure" of having to lift the fuse box out of its home, i am not particularly inclined to do that again, just because of the extra 2 hours of time involved in the process - but, if you don't have the stereo i have, which requires over an hour of tuning time every time you disconnect the battery, as you would have to do to do the job this way, i see the obvious advantages in access facilitation



not sure it is any better, but certainly another way to go about it, and eliminates the time on your back, and substitutes the time bent over



just a note though - doing it without removal, first time out, was a total of 2.5 hours, including the slave cylinder AND the clutch line AND full bleeding - yes, that included jacking the car up and all of that

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[apex]

My phobia about the seat-out-me-under-the-dash thing is such that I'll gladly take the scenic route when I can. Thanks for your replies.



Flash - I made the part only 'cause I had a busted one sitting around and found a new shop eager to make hoses for me. Power steering pressure line is next - porsche is flat out of stock - getting new rubber swaged to my existing line will be cheaper than purchasing new. Finally I'll have an almost-leak-free car! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[xrad]

NICE WRITEUP! LOVE THE PICS!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Ryan]

Thanks for the NEW perspective on the job. Love the third picture with like 8 extensions on your wrench.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[apex]

[quote name='Ryan' post='58492' date='Aug 28 2008, 10:43 AM']Thanks for the NEW perspective on the job. Love the third picture with like 8 extensions on your wrench.[/quote]



Haha - yes - this job demonstrates the Porsche mechanics mantra - if you can see it you can't reach it - if you can reach it you can't see it!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.