Clutch master feed line-- Dante's 10th level of hell

[jaredmac11]

Maybe a bit dramatic.  Im losing my mind on this clutch main feed line.  When the engine bay was empty, I was having issues pressing in the line with the new MC installed. Removed the master cylinder, pressed her in at my bench,  re-reinstalled the MC and moved forward.  Weeks back, getting other things sorted in the engine bay, she popped out and I just left it for another time.  Now is tha ttime and sure enough, I am not having much luck trying to press it back in.  Losing my mind. I can feel the line bending more than I can feel it go in. and if I get it in, a small tweak pops it out.

 

Could I take a brake line nipple, similar to the brake master, press it in, and run a soft hose?  Or am I doomed to remove the MC for a third time? Has anyone figured out a better way?

[Hans]

Memory says grommet first, dry. Then connect nipple to hose, hose to reservoir, lube nipple and press in on angle to start. The nipple flange has to get to near the bottom of the grommet.

['76mintgrün'02]

It sucks trying to do it with the master installed.  I finally pulled mine back off of the puddle box and removed the feed line from the reservoir, so I could get it pushed into the grommet.  You might try rounding the edge of the bottom of the inlet tube.  If it's sharp, it might tend to grab the rubber.

[jaredmac11]

It's in again but it doesnt feel stuck.  Like Hans said, if it needs to hit the bottom of the grommet, its not doing that.

I'll consider taking the MC-- third times the charm as they say.

[esty]

install it out of the car then lower it into position from the top...tie it to something under the hood or get a helper to hold it while you get under the car

 

[Mike Self]

On 3/12/2023 at 3:29 PM, esty said:

install it out of the car then lower it into position from the top...tie it to something under the hood or get a helper to hold it while you get under the car

+1  That's the only way I could ever get that line into the nipple on the clutch M/C...and that was with the OEM metal line as well as the later plastic one.

 

And before you do that--make the reinstall easier by either using manifold nuts (same thread but 12mm wrench size vs 13) to hold the M/C in place, or grind down the M/C housing a bit (plenty of iron in the housing to grind) so that a socket can be used on the 13mm nuts...

 

mike

[MurphinDC]

Just did this a few weeks ago.  What @esty and @Mike Self have said are spot on.  I used a little brake fluid for lubrication and it went in quickly and smoothly.

 

Murph

[Leucadian]

2 hours ago, MurphinDC said:

Just did this a few weeks ago.  What @esty and @Mike Self have said are spot on.  I used a little brake fluid for lubrication and it went in quickly and smoothly.

 

Murph

 

I struggled for hours trying to get it on while on the car, threw in the towel and took it off, bench-installed, back on the car.

 

Brake fluid does wonders, just wear gloves.