Help! replace clutch master cylinder

[garyg]

What is the secret to accessing the spring clip on the push rod under the dash. I dropped the hush panel and access to the push rod attachment to the clutch pedal is almost impossible. The clip must be removed before the clutch master cylinder push rod and the master cylinder can be removed. It seems to be virtually out of access under the dash.

 

[MatthewMI]

What is the secret to accessing the spring clip on the push rod under the dash. I dropped the hush panel and access to the push rod attachment to the clutch pedal is almost impossible. The clip must be removed before the clutch master cylinder push rod and the master cylinder can be removed. It seems to be virtually out of access under the dash.

I am working on mine right now. I used a long flat blade screw driver to push the clip up and off. I had to reach up there and rotate the clip until the open end faced down where I was going to push on the clip from with the screw driver. Came off first try. Getting it back on was not as easy

 

[garyg]

replace clutch master cylinder on a 1988 C4

I am working on mine right now. I used a long flat blade screw driver to push the clip up and off. I had to reach up there and rotate the clip until the open end faced down where I was going to push on the clip from with the screw driver. Came off first try. Getting it back on was not as easy

Thanks for the response,I definitely will try this.

 

[garyg]

There must be some special way to access the push rod of the clutch master cylinder under the dash, so far I have used a remote lighted camera on a flexible arm, a lighted mirror on an arm and I can always visually locate the push rod clip but am unable to use a long screwdriver to contact the retainer clip. There simply isn't enough room. There is a maze of wiring there. Do I need to disconnect any of the fittings?

 

[MatthewMI]

There must be some special way to access the push rod of the clutch master cylinder under the dash, so far I have used a remote lighted camera on a flexible arm, a lighted mirror on an arm and I can always visually locate the push rod clip but am unable to use a long screwdriver to contact the retainer clip. There simply isn't enough room. There is a maze of wiring there. Do I need to disconnect any of the fittings?

I can see mine without anything other than putting my back out getting my head down at the brake pedal. The clutch safety switch was harder to see than the pivot to the master. I actually just removed it again yesterday to install the bushing that I forgot the first time. Total time 5 minutes.

 

[MatthewMI]

There must be some special way to access the push rod of the clutch master cylinder under the dash, so far I have used a remote lighted camera on a flexible arm, a lighted mirror on an arm and I can always visually locate the push rod clip but am unable to use a long screwdriver to contact the retainer clip. There simply isn't enough room. There is a maze of wiring there. Do I need to disconnect any of the fittings?

So, I was just working on my clutch safety switch and realized why mine is so easy to get to. Remove the cruise control switch off your clutch and unplug. You should now be able to see the pivot point on the master cylinder for your clutch. If you remove the brake light wire, you will gain a little more too

 

[garyg]

After much cursing and stretching I was able to get the clip off the push rod using a 3/4 wide chisel which worked better then a plain flat blade screwdriver. To remove the clutch master cylinder I did have to remove the car battery for access to the inner cylinder mounting bolt. Installing the new master cylinder went pretty smoothly .

I will have to get the car to a service center via a flatbed tow truck to bleed the slave cylinder, raising it with my hydraulic jack and a jack stand simply isn't high enough to adequately reach and service the slave cylinder.