Broke slave cylinder bolt

[Stainless]

While attempting to remove the slave cylinder, the passenger side bolt broke off. It wasn't budging no matter how much I tried, so I got a breaker bar to get more leverage and I thought that I had broken it loose, but it turns out that the bolt broke about a centimeter below the head.

Am I screwed? Can the one bolt hold the new slave cylinder in there okay? I'm thinking that I can get by with the one bolt, but I don't know. As if the crappiest job ever couldn't get any worse.

[DMCMW Dave]

Am I screwed? Can the one bolt hold the new slave cylinder in there okay? I'm thinking that I can get by with the one bolt, but I don't know. As if the crappiest job ever couldn't get any worse.

The danger is if you just leave it with one bolt the other will break due to the sideways force over time. You'd probably get away with it for a while.

This is a much easier fix with the transmission out of the car. It can be done with the trans in the car but it is painful and you really need a lift. It will be difficult to drill the hole straight and you won't have much chance of working out the old screw in pieces as you really can't see what you are doing.

You will need to drill/tap/and probably timesert or helicoil the hole in the bellhousing.

[Ron]

I have an auto so I don't know how much room you have to work on it, but when a bolt breaks off up at the head, often times you can spray it with PB (or such) and let it soak overnight (no don't try it until morning) and use vice grips as low as you can get them and it will come on out.

Edit: Looks like Dave nixed that idea :-(

[Stainless]

This has turned out to be the job from hell. Not only did one of the slave cylinder bolts snap off, but the clutch pipe was fused in a way so that the pipe itself rotated when I tried to disconnect the pipe from the slave cylinder, the clutch pipe snapped in half too. It was also fused at the bulkhead connector, so I had to remove the support bracket on top of the transmission in order to get better access to disconnect them from each other.

This job is just taking WAY longer than I anticipated, and now I'm going to have to order a new clutch pipe. What a mess.

I don't have the desire to remove the transmission right now, so I'm going to run it with just one slave cylinder bolt and hope to heck that it holds.

The clutch master cylinder went fairly easy, but the slave is a completely different story. All the threads I read about this job still didn't prepare me for this. On a side note, I have found that working on the slave from under the car is much better than doing it from above. The only thing that I have done from above is use the breaker bar to loosen the slave cylinder bolt, and look where it got me...

[stevedmc]

This has turned out to be the job from hell. Not only did one of the slave cylinder bolts snap off, but the clutch pipe was fused in a way so that the pipe itself rotated when I tried to disconnect the pipe from the slave cylinder, the clutch pipe snapped in half too.

My clutch pipe broke when I replaced my slave cylinder as well. I ordered a new one and later found out the pipe can be bypassed completely.

I never installed the replacement pipe and just decided to connect my stainless clutch line directly to the slave cylinder. You just have to carefully bend the stiff part of it so you can connect it directly to the slave.

You can either bypass the pipe like I did, or buy a new pipe if you want to remain stock. My new one is sitting around here in a box somewhere and I'm willing to cut you a deal on it if you are interested.

Honestly though, I would just bypass the pipe. The less connections you have to make, the less odds you will have a leak.

[Bitsyncmaster]

If the broken bolt still has enough threads exposed then it may hold the slave from moving when you step on the clutch. I would make sure you have a good thick washer on the one remaing bolt to keep the slave from lifting.

These are the reasons I advocate removing the intake to do the slave. Since you can see what your doing, less chance of breaking something.

[rundmc]

Is there a place to get a replacement bleeder screw for the slave? I have removed my intake manifold for other tasks and planned to bleed the slave while in there and I saw the bleeder screw is rusty. The cylinders and hoses were replaced in 2006 by PJ Grady, but the bleeder screw is looking rough.

[Stainless]

If the broken bolt still has enough threads exposed then it may hold the slave from moving when you step on the clutch. I would make sure you have a good thick washer on the one remaing bolt to keep the slave from lifting.

These are the reasons I advocate removing the intake to do the slave. Since you can see what your doing, less chance of breaking something.

I don't understand how seeing the slave cylinder better would have prevented the bolt from snapping. Can you explain?

[Stainless]

My clutch pipe broke when I replaced my slave cylinder as well. I ordered a new one and later found out the pipe can be bypassed completely.

I never installed the replacement pipe and just decided to connect my stainless clutch line directly to the slave cylinder. You just have to carefully bend the stiff part of it so you can connect it directly to the slave.

You can either bypass the pipe like I did, or buy a new pipe if you want to remain stock. My new one is sitting around here in a box somewhere and I'm willing to cut you a deal on it if you are interested.

Honestly though, I would just bypass the pipe. The less connections you have to make, the less odds you will have a leak.

That's great info Steve. $54 does seem steep for a small tube. I didn't even consider that the line was long enough to reach all the way to the slave. I'll give it a try and if I don't feel comfortable straightening the stiff end, I'll reach out to you and see if we can make a deal on the clutch pipe. Thank you.

[David T]

Because of the way the cylinder is held, it pushes against the bell housing, missing that bolt probably isn't quite as bad as Dave S suggests. The bolts only hold the cylinder in position, they do not transfer any force. I would not recommend driving on one bolt but you can probably do it for a long time. I would not even attempt to repair this without removing the engine, or at least the transmission, no room to do it right. As for the pipe, I usually wind up removing the slave cylinder AND the pipe by bending the pipe enough to get both out together. Once on the floor it is easier to get the pipe off. Yes, this job, like many others, can degenerate into a real mess. Especially if it was already done by an incompetent DPO (or their mechanic) who took shortcuts. You may find that the broken bolt was cross-threaded or maybe is too long or not even metric! The S/S line can be made to fit without the hard line.
David Teitelbaum

[Bitsyncmaster]

I don't understand how seeing the slave cylinder better would have prevented the bolt from snapping. Can you explain?

Maybe not the bolt but you would have seen the pipe twisting. I got mine off using an impact wrench.

[DCUK Martin]

I have a bag of fittings for the slave cylinder and make up my own pipe as and when I need to - twisting off is a common problem. If you have a bit of the snapped bolt exposed, it should survive with just one bolt - the bolts do very little mechanical work retaining the cylinder because it pushes onto the bellhousing.

[TTait]

If you're looking to make the best of it without repairing the bolt, you might also be able to find a small clamp you can fit over the assembly. The remaining stud will keep it from shifting and the clamp would ensure everything stayed in place.

[Stainless]

Maybe not the bolt but you would have seen the pipe twisting. I got mine off using an impact wrench.

I was staring at the clutch pipe while attempting to undo it from below the vehicle the whole time. There was nothing that I could have done to prevent it from twisting, so doing it from the top wouldn't have made a bit of difference. Luckily it sounds like I'll be able to bypass the clutch pipe anyway, which is great news.

[DMC5180]

Your broken bolt and twisted pipe sound like typical issues when dealing with Rust and Aluminum Oxide corrosion. Was this your problem? Not that it really matters after the fact. Does your car have significant surface rust on steel parts?

[Stainless]

Your broken bolt and twisted pipe sound like typical issues when dealing with Rust and Aluminum Oxide corrosion. Was this your problem? Not that it really matters after the fact.

That sounds about right. Once I got the clutch pipe removed, I was finally able to disconnect it from the clutch pipe bulkhead connector. Once disconnected, I found a white powder substance along the threads, indicating the corrosion you described. I can only assume that was also the cause for the slave cylinder bolt, but since the threads are still in the bell housing, I may never know for sure.

[Stainless]

I had time to finish the install of the slave cylinder today. I was able to get enough slack out of the SS clutch line to install it directly to the slave instead of getting a new clutch pipe. It seems like the SS clutch line is dang close to the exhaust front pipe. Here's how it sits now:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSCN0360.jpg

Is this too close to the exhaust front pipe? If it is, how have you guys gotten your line further away from it?

By the way, just as an update, the new clutch master and slave seem to working great. That's definitely not a job that I want to repeat anytime soon. Bleeding the system went very smoothly and the pedal is now as firm as ever. The one missing bolt on the slave cylinder luckily is not going be a problem at all.

[DMCMW Dave]

I have a suspicion that the folks doing this mod have headers or other full dual exhaust. That looks too close to me, remember that although the line is stainless on the outside it is still plastic on the inside. The factory pipe does not have that problem.

[opethmike]

I agree with Dave. That thing is going to get exposed to some major heat with how close it is to that cross-over pipe. Not a good thing.

[sean]

I agree with Dave. That thing is going to get exposed to some major heat with how close it is to that cross-over pipe. Not a good thing.

+2

Was it not possible to install it above the crossover pipe? Maybe zip tie it to the AC hose there.

[Stainless]

+2

Was it not possible to install it above the crossover pipe? Maybe zip tie it to the AC hose there.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. The SS line wasn't long enough to do anything but go along the bottom. Even if it was longer to be able to go up and around the exhaust pipe, it would still be very close to it, but just on the opposite side of the pipe.

I'm hoping Steve or David will chime in here since they both said that I could bypass the clutch pipe and hook in directly to the slave. I'd be interested to know if they did this on a stock exhaust like this and what they did to combat the heat coming off the exhaust. I could probably get more slack from the line if I cut some zip ties up further and didn't care if the line wasn't protected by the frame...

[stevedmc]

I have a suspicion that the folks doing this mod have headers or other full dual exhaust.

I did this mod long before I upgraded to Spec .01 exhaust. It appears he didn't straighten out the bend enough. You've got to straighten out the bend in it very carefully. It appears his is still bent at a 90 degree angle.

A slight bend is ok, but 90 degrees isn't going to give him much slack.

I don't have my crossover pipe anymore, but judging from his picture the clutch line should run over the crossover pipe heat shield. Straigtening out the bend will give him the extra slack that he needs.

[Stainless]

UPDATE: I decided to go back to the stock setup and I acquired a new clutch pipe. I'm getting really good at working on the clutch hydraulics since I basically had to do this job twice to get it right.

Here is the new pipe:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/DSCN0376.jpg

I am pleased to announce that the car is finally back on the road after couple of months of down time. I was able to drive it around right before another snow storm came into town. :)

[Chris Burns]

I just caught the tail end of this. I didn't know you could get a pipe as an alternative to the stainless clutch line:shocked: Where did you get a pipe from?

[DMCMW Dave]

I just caught the tail end of this. I didn't know you could get a pipe as an alternative to the stainless clutch line:shocked: Where did you get a pipe from?

http://store.delorean.com/p-8684-clutch-pipe.aspx

It's only the last two feet. Stock design.

I have seen people replace the entire line with hard steel line (generic brake line if you can find the fittings) but I don't recommend it as there is constant movement between the engine and the frame.

[Chris Burns]

http://store.delorean.com/p-8684-clutch-pipe.aspx

It's only the last two feet. Stock design.

I have seen people replace the entire line with hard steel line (generic brake line if you can find the fittings) but I don't recommend it as there is constant movement between the engine and the frame.

Cool. Thanks Dave!

[David T]

I have seen that too. Usually a 2 piece so it can be installed with all of the bends. I agree there needs to be some allowance for movement. Easily accomplished by putting in a coil (several bends) near the motor. Or just a short, flexible hose. Really doesn't pay to go through all that bother since the full length flexible S/S line is available. I suspect the hard lines were done early on before the flexible S/S lines were available.
David Teitelbaum

[82DMC12]

Just thought I would add my own experience to this thread. Recently I had a similar problem where the driver side clutch slave bolt broke off. I didn't care very much because I was going to be dropping the frame and removing the engine and transmission in about a week anyway. The best solution, that anyone reading this might not want to hear, was to remove the transmission, remove the bell housing, bring it to a machine shop and have them drill out the old shank, and then helicoil it. Actually both bolts ended up breaking off and I had to helicoil both of them.

[Stainless]

Just thought I would add my own experience to this thread. Recently I had a similar problem where the driver side clutch slave bolt broke off. I didn't care very much because I was going to be dropping the frame and removing the engine and transmission in about a week anyway. The best solution, that anyone reading this might not want to hear, was to remove the transmission, remove the bell housing, bring it to a machine shop and have them drill out the old shank, and then helicoil it. Actually both bolts ended up breaking off and I had to helicoil both of them.

To circle back on this, according to this thread, I broke one of the slave bolts 10 years ago. I ran the car without any issues for the last 10 years and would have continued to do so had I not had to pull the motor and trans to fix another snapped bolt on one of the motor mounts last year. So a snapped slave bolt wasn't "game over" for my situation. Your mileage may vary.

While I had the tranny out last year for said motor mount repair, I attempted a repair on this broken slave cylinder bolt and ended up with a cracked bell housing. I succeeded in making a somewhat small problem into a larger one. The aluminum just gave way around the bolt hole during the attempt to tap and thread. Long story short, my slave cylinder is now secured in by two bolts, albeit on a new bell housing. :)

[82DMC12]

To circle back on this, according to this thread, I broke one of the slave bolts 10 years ago. I ran the car without any issues for the last 10 years and would have continued to do so had I not had to pull the motor and trans to fix another snapped bolt on one of the motor mounts last year. So a snapped slave bolt wasn't "game over" for my situation. Your mileage may vary.

While I had the tranny out last year for said motor mount repair, I attempted a repair on this broken slave cylinder bolt and ended up with a cracked bell housing. I succeeded in making a somewhat small problem into a larger one. The aluminum just gave way around the bolt hole during the attempt to tap and thread. Long story short, my slave cylinder is now secured in by two bolts, albeit on a new bell housing. :)

One tough aspect of this repair is the holes for these M7 bolts are blind i.e. you can't get to the back side of the bolts for seemingly no reason at all. They just decided to cast the bell housing that way. That means you probably need a M7 1.0 bottom tap rather than a plug tap in order to get enough threads repaired. Or, I see no reason why you can't drill all the way through the bell housing if that makes it easier or opens other possibilities for repair.