Squeaky clutch fix - clutch slave cylinder service
Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!
Aim: To fix a squeaky clutch pedal by servicing the clutch slave cylinder
Required:
Lithium based grease or super high temp urea + rubber grease
12mm spanners/sockets
10mm spanner
Blu tack
8mm spanner
Honda brake fluid
Plastic tubing and collection container
Firstly:
Firstly and most importantly, confirm the source of your squeaky pedal problem. Depress the clutch pedal by hand and listen in the driver's footwell to see if the sound originates from there. If not, get a friend to push on the clutch pedal whilst you listen in the engine bay. If it's coming from the engine bay, you might be able to narrow it down to the clutch slave cylinder, located on the front of the gearbox, adjacent to the radiator fan (pictured below). If this is the source of the noise, continue reading, this DIY is for you.
Mine sounded like a creaking door when the clutch pedal was pressed, and a sharper squeak when released. Vehicle used here is '00 DC2R. Should be a pretty similar process on other Hondas.
Steps:
Remove the clutch slave cylinder.
Crack the two 12mm bolts which hold the slave cylinder to the gearbox (located underneath the cylinder).
Using a 10mm spanner, loosen the nut which holds the metal hydraulic line to the top of the slave cylinder. Fluid will start leaking out - try to catch it using a rag.
Remove the two 12mm bolts you cracked earlier, and loosen the hydraulic line nut until the hydraulic line can be removed from the slave cylinder. Put a piece of blu tack or similar over the end of the line to try and limit fluid loss. Be careful with where the fluid goes as it can damage paint.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...ps831e183a.jpg
The slave cylinder should now be free of all connections. To remove it completely, gently pull it to the right until it slides out of the rubber pouch connected to the gearbox.
Inspect the ball head on the end of the push rod, which sticks out the end of the crinkled rubber boot. Mine was a bit rusty and devoid of grease, but reasonably smooth and in otherwise good condition. If yours is pitted it may need replacing. Put to the side.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...psf25c584c.jpg
After removing the slave cylinder, you are left with a flexible rubber pouch sticking out to the side of the gearbox. By gently prying up the sides of it where it joins the box with your hands, you can remove it revealing the metal arm underneath (pictured).
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...ps69bd5ef7.jpg
Using a clean rag and a dash of turps, clean up circular depression on the gearbox metal arm which houses the push rod, and the ball head on the end of the slave cylinder. I got dirty old grease and rusty residue off mine.
Get some of your grease and apply a generous amount to the ball head and its mate on the metal gearbox arm. Be careful at this stage not to contaminate the grease or any of the components with clutch fluid residue that's been spilt around - it will dissolve the grease and decrease its effectiveness. Honda recommend some specific greases for the job (below). I used lithium-based grease as it's benign and all I had on hand. Time will tell if it holds up to higher temperatures.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...ps280d7f7f.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...ps59ef0cc4.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k5...ps7d08653f.jpg
Carefully reinstall the rubber pouch back over the gearbox. Get the slave cylinder, and push the push rod end all the way back into the rubber gearbox pouch. Hand insert the hydraulic line, hand tighten the nut, and hand tighten the two 12mm bolts which connect it to the gearbox. Check everything is lined up properly, then tighten everything up. Torques are shown on above image.
Note:
After completing the above you will most likely have to bleed your clutch fluid, due to the fluid loss. There are other DIYs around that explain how to do this. As a quick guide, connect some plastic tubing to the end of the slave cylinder nipple and put the other end in a collecting container. Get a friend to sit in the car. Crack the bleed nipple and get your friend to push the clutch pedal in. Close the bleed nipple and get him to release the pedal. Watch the fluid level in the clutch fluid reservoir go down, and keep filling it with Honda brake fluid before it drops below the bottom of the reservoir. Continue this process until 1) you get fluid coming out of the nipple and into the tubing (might take a while due to the fluid loss) and 2) you no longer see air bubbles passing out of the nipple inside the fluid and you see your new fluid coming out the nipple (if you want to do a full fluid flush).
Tighten everything up, go for a test drive, and enjoy your silent pedal :) If this doesn't solve the sound, the problem may be at the drivers feet or related to something different (like the throw out bearing).
Cheers!