HELP! Cannot break free the fluid fitting on the old slave cylinder..

[s2mikey]

Geeshus lord. This is crazy. That thing is welded in there. I tried about a bottles worth of two kinds of penetrating oil, channel locks, vice grips and just about every other !@#$% method. The slave cylinder is loose and just hanging there but that !@#$% fitting that the hose gose to.... its not coming out of there. The nut is dangerously close to being chewed up - I dunno what else to do.

Can I cut the hose right where it slides onto the fitting and at least get the old slave off the car to better ddeal with this? Will missing about an inch of hose screw everything up?

Ugghhh.....

[Sparky]

Bolt the slave back on, then use vice grips. You need a solid platform!

Is it a red hose? If so, remove the hose too and buy a braided one - it's a standard upgrade.

[Rich H]

Missing an inch won't hurt but you will never get the fittings back on the pipe....

[s2mikey]

Bolt the slave back on, then use vice grips. You need a solid platform!

Is it a red hose? If so, remove the hose too and buy a braided one - it's a standard upgrade.

Tried bolting the slave back on - there isnt any room to get a vice grip in there. Great idea, but thats why I removed it in the first place. Plus, the bleeder fitting gets in the way of the wrench/vice too. Unbelievable.

Thats all right - this is why I dont work on cars. Its always something...nothing can just happen like its supposed to. Should have never tried it in the first place. I knew better and I just *had* to try it - its regarded as an easy job too. Oh well. Tow truck looks to be the next step. At least I know never to mess with anything ever again. $90 bucks an hour is cheap compared to pissing away an entire afternoon and getting nowhere. No biggy - the car has been very good to me so I expect parts to need attention. Im not angry at the car, just wish I would have taken it to people who know what they are doing in the first place. You read a lot of DIY info though and they make things sound pretty doable but they dont factor in the idiot variable that non-mechanics have. That would be me.

Missing an inch won't hurt but you will never get the fittings back on the pipe....

I figured as much - that would have made it easier and we know that cant possibly happen.

Edited August 16, 2011 by s2mikey

[77 esprit]

Mike,

Do you have a stock master? Is the red hose connected to it with a "J" shaped tube? I'm driving up to Buffalo tomorrow. Returning up Route 490. Do you want some help? Maybe just a second opinion? I've already rebuilt the master in my S1 twice in 34 years. Can't be that much different.

Lyn

esprit@frontiernet.net

Edited August 17, 2011 by 77 esprit

[s2mikey]

Nah - A friend came over and saved the day. The bleeding procedure was a pain too - took us a while to get that sorted. Is anything ever easy? Guess that adds to the fun, doesnt it.

It seems to be sorted out now. No more sticky pedal or trouble getting into 1st and reverse. It actually shifts really nice and the pedal feels perfect. Whew.

Thanks for the offer, Lyn. Maybe some other time although Im not much of a DIYer.... if you couldnt tell

[77 esprit]

Thanks for the offer, Lyn. Maybe some other time although Im not much of a DIYer.... if you couldnt tell

Mike,

Neither was I till I bought my first Lotus. In our location, the nearest Lotus dealer is actually in Toronto! Hope to see you at the next breakfast in Geneseo on the 28th. My car is still not running. Probably won't go to the UK Car Day with out it.

Lyn

[s2mikey]

Mike,

Neither was I till I bought my first Lotus. In our location, the nearest Lotus dealer is actually in Toronto! Hope to see you at the next breakfast in Geneseo on the 28th. My car is still not running. Probably won't go to the UK Car Day with out it.

Lyn

Yeah - breakfasts havent worked out too good lately. I missed the last 3-4 due to being at the inlaws cottage and various other summer activities. The one meet in Brockport didnt work becasue I freaked when I saw road construction all through Rt 19. Then, this Sunday the threat of rain scared me away. Always something! See ya soon.