Thanks for the video. It helped me. One thing you should add is when working with the fluid like fittings, it’s best to use a line wrench instead of the box wrench. That metal is soft and too easy to strip. I learned the hard way.
Thank you! And thanks for the tip. You're right - flare nut wrenches are probably best used in this scenario. It's always something with these Vanagons, man!
A general warning, I don’t know who is making the slave cylinders, but I have had three fail in a row. It has been an absolute nightmare, like failing immediately one after the other.
And then there are cases where that 12 mm or 13 or 14 hydraulic just will not turn, and then the flex hose breaks at the body ! That's were one of of us is at the moment, now waiting on parts. 615mm is the length of the flex. FYI and the pipe is 124 inches long... mine had a washer under each bolt and IDK, mine was original and did not want to come apart, it was not leaking, but vanagon had been parked at least 11 years, I think it's time to replace it, especially since all the metal lines have rusted...power steering was leaking and so were brake lines....fittings so rusted, you had to cut them off with a die grinder wheel.
There’s always going to be those projects that don’t go quite as easy! It’s always a bit more difficult when vans sit around for a long time. Best of luck getting it swapped out and back on the road. Sounds like you’ve got it figured out! 😁
@@BluffCoast Both Bus Depot and J Bugs shipped parts quickly, rear brake circuit 90% done, and working on Front brake circuit ! Then clutch line. FWIW. Hope welder works in driveway (voltage drop), then gas tank and coolant lines in and back on the ground - could be today 7/30/23.
Yes - bleeding the system is definitely a necessary step after replacing the slave cylinder. You can watch other videos about the general bleeding procedure, but it’s just a matter of pumping the clutch a bunch of times while allowing any air to get out of the system/lines!
How did you know it needed to be replaced? I have an 82 diesel that I suddenly have to pump the clutch to get it to downshift. Shifts fine when off and shifts up fine when driving. Just downshift have to double pump. I'm trying to pinpoint the issue and thought it might be this but don't know how to tell if it's bad
Hey Dakota! I wasn’t able to get into first gear from neutral when I realized something was wrong. When it happened, if the van was off I was able to shift into any gear without any problem, but once the van was on it wouldn’t let me shift… sounds like this could be your issue! Another way to check is to squeeze/check the rubber boot on your slave cylinder and see if there is any leaking fluid from it. If it’s leaking it’s likely gone bad.
Dude, nice job. I've got an 82 converted to a 2.5 subie and an 84 vanagon transmission that needs a slave cylinder replaced. Lost so much fluid that my clutch isn't working at all. What's the bleeding and reintroducing fluid like?
Thanks man! Yeah, I was having similar issues with mine and this cleared it up fortunately. Reintroducing the fluid seemed complicated at first as I had never bled any brake/clutch system before, but it was very simple. Fill your brake fluid reservoir behind your instrument cluster, loosen bleeding nut on slave cylinder, attach a clear tube to that and submerge it in a bottle/vase/etc, and basically pump the clutch MANY times until you're no longer pumping any air out of the system, just more brake fluid. Maybe I'll do a video on this!
@@BluffCoast HI Eric, thanks for this. There is a known problem with T3s where the clutch pedal locks in the up position - & putting too much pressure on the pedal then blows the nylon line off the banjo bolt on the master. Apparently something breaks or goes wrong inside the clutch release mechanism that locks the pedal high ;-(. Have just acquired an interesting T3, and its has this problem, Do you know about this, & what is the cure? Easy. ;-)? or otherwise? ;-( Thanks, Stuart.
@@stuartsaunders3238 Hey Stuart, thanks for following along! Unfortunately I don’t know much about this problem... It sounds like you could undo the fitting at the slave cylinder first to try and push the clutch pedal without blowing it out. I would guess that replacing the slave cylinder and master cylinder would be a good place to start (without “too” much work/cost) to see if either of those is the culprit. Best of luck with it!
Yes, that’s a whole job itself! Have someone pump the clutch pedal repeatedly while using a tool on the clutch slave cylinder or attach a clear tube to the bleeder and submerge the other end of the tube into a vase or container with brake fluid in it!
Nice video to check out before doing the repair.
Thanks for the video. It helped me. One thing you should add is when working with the fluid like fittings, it’s best to use a line wrench instead of the box wrench. That metal is soft and too easy to strip. I learned the hard way.
Thank you! And thanks for the tip. You're right - flare nut wrenches are probably best used in this scenario. It's always something with these Vanagons, man!
top man, thanks for this Eric.
Glad you could benefit from it! Happy to help.
A general warning, I don’t know who is making the slave cylinders, but I have had three fail in a row. It has been an absolute nightmare, like failing immediately one after the other.
Well dang, that’s a bummer! Not exactly sure what would be causing that. Mine has been fine since replacing it in this video.
And then there are cases where that 12 mm or 13 or 14 hydraulic just will not turn, and then the flex hose breaks at the body ! That's were one of of us is at the moment, now waiting on parts. 615mm is the length of the flex. FYI and the pipe is 124 inches long... mine had a washer under each bolt and IDK, mine was original and did not want to come apart, it was not leaking, but vanagon had been parked at least 11 years, I think it's time to replace it, especially since all the metal lines have rusted...power steering was leaking and so were brake lines....fittings so rusted, you had to cut them off with a die grinder wheel.
There’s always going to be those projects that don’t go quite as easy! It’s always a bit more difficult when vans sit around for a long time. Best of luck getting it swapped out and back on the road. Sounds like you’ve got it figured out! 😁
@@BluffCoast Both Bus Depot and J Bugs shipped parts quickly, rear brake circuit 90% done, and working on Front brake circuit ! Then clutch line. FWIW. Hope welder works in driveway (voltage drop), then gas tank and coolant lines in and back on the ground - could be today 7/30/23.
Wait, aren’t you supposed to bleed the lines or something? Is eric not supposed to get in there?
Yes - bleeding the system is definitely a necessary step after replacing the slave cylinder. You can watch other videos about the general bleeding procedure, but it’s just a matter of pumping the clutch a bunch of times while allowing any air to get out of the system/lines!
How did you know it needed to be replaced? I have an 82 diesel that I suddenly have to pump the clutch to get it to downshift. Shifts fine when off and shifts up fine when driving. Just downshift have to double pump. I'm trying to pinpoint the issue and thought it might be this but don't know how to tell if it's bad
Hey Dakota! I wasn’t able to get into first gear from neutral when I realized something was wrong. When it happened, if the van was off I was able to shift into any gear without any problem, but once the van was on it wouldn’t let me shift… sounds like this could be your issue! Another way to check is to squeeze/check the rubber boot on your slave cylinder and see if there is any leaking fluid from it. If it’s leaking it’s likely gone bad.
Dude, nice job. I've got an 82 converted to a 2.5 subie and an 84 vanagon transmission that needs a slave cylinder replaced. Lost so much fluid that my clutch isn't working at all. What's the bleeding and reintroducing fluid like?
Thanks man! Yeah, I was having similar issues with mine and this cleared it up fortunately.
Reintroducing the fluid seemed complicated at first as I had never bled any brake/clutch system before, but it was very simple.
Fill your brake fluid reservoir behind your instrument cluster, loosen bleeding nut on slave cylinder, attach a clear tube to that and submerge it in a bottle/vase/etc, and basically pump the clutch MANY times until you're no longer pumping any air out of the system, just more brake fluid. Maybe I'll do a video on this!
@@BluffCoast HI Eric, thanks for this.
There is a known problem with T3s where the clutch pedal locks in the up position - & putting too much pressure on the pedal then blows the nylon line off the banjo bolt on the master. Apparently something breaks or goes wrong inside the clutch release mechanism that locks the pedal high ;-(. Have just acquired an interesting T3, and its has this problem,
Do you know about this, & what is the cure?
Easy. ;-)? or otherwise? ;-(
Thanks,
Stuart.
@@stuartsaunders3238 Hey Stuart, thanks for following along!
Unfortunately I don’t know much about this problem... It sounds like you could undo the fitting at the slave cylinder first to try and push the clutch pedal without blowing it out. I would guess that replacing the slave cylinder and master cylinder would be a good place to start (without “too” much work/cost) to see if either of those is the culprit. Best of luck with it!
What about Purgin the air out ? that's a two man job
Yes, that’s a whole job itself! Have someone pump the clutch pedal repeatedly while using a tool on the clutch slave cylinder or attach a clear tube to the bleeder and submerge the other end of the tube into a vase or container with brake fluid in it!