Write-up: installing a separate clutch fluid reservoir

Gabe

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Separating the clutch fluid from the brake fluid, a quick and fairly easy "mod", mostly a good idea for cars that get autocrossed, raced on road courses, or just driven hard especially in hot weather.
Separating the fluids means the clutch fluid will no longer get hot from the brake fluid working through it, and vice-a-versa.

There are a couple of ways to do this, I chose the more complex way.
Most people will re-use the stock manual-trans brake fluid reservoir and just cap off the "nipple" that normally feeds fluid to the clutch.
That would require a certain type of cap that won't be eaten away by the corrosive brake fluid, and personally I thought it wouldn't look as clean as using the auto-trans cars' brake fluid reservoir, which doesn't have the nipple on it.

The parts I used:

- Pontiac GTO clutch fluid reservoir, about $17 shipped off eBay.
Part # 92065790

20160229_clutch_reservoir.JPG


- Automatic cars OEM brake fluid reservoir, I ordered it from Autonation Ford (formerly Tousley) for about $43 + shipping. Part # 9R3Z-2K478-B

20160307_auto-reservoir.jpg


- Amsoil DOT4 brake fluid. I have a Preferred Customer account with Amsoil so I buy direct from them for almost wholesale prices, shipped right to the house. I recommend this for anybody that wants Amsoil products, it's only $20/yr to sign up.


The itself swap is pretty simple, you remove the clutch fluid hose from the back of the stock brake fluid reservoir and install it onto the new clutch fluid small reservoir, then find a place for the reservoir.
I happened to see a pic on Facebook where a guy made up his own bracket that allowed the mounting of the reservoir to the holes normally used for the sound tube bracket, so I copied that idea and made up my own bracket for that spot.
Here's the clutch fluid reservoir installed:

20160306_reservoirs1.jpg


And the stock reservoir with the clutch fluid line still attached :

20160306_reservoirs2.jpg


The hardest part of the job is swapping out the brake fluid reservoirs, and this is actually an optional item, since most guys just use some EPDM caps to cap off the nipple on the reservoir.

A pic of the stock reservoir with the clutch fluid nipple:

20160307_man-reservoir1.jpg


When you remove the clutch fluid line from the stock brake fluid reservoir, leave the reservoir cap fully tightened, since the vacuum with the cap on keeps the leakage from the clutch fluid nipple to a minimum. Once you remove the cap, fluid pours out.

Removing the stock brake fluid reservoir was a bit tricky, especially since it's the first time I did one.
I used a cheap Harbor Freight fluid transfer pump to suck out as much brake fluid out of the reservoir as possible.
Some fluid stayed in, so I put a bunch of rags under the reservoir, removed the stud that goes through/under the reservoir, and pried it up out of the master cylinder and out of the 2 o-rings that seal it in.
It popped out, me prying up front and rear under it, the o-rings stayed in their holes, then I removed them since the new reservoir came with 2 new ones.

The stock reservoir with the o-rings I'm mentioning:

20160307_man-reservoir3.jpg


I had to install the new o-rings in the master cylinder holes first, and then push down the new reservoir.
Trying to push down the reservoir with the o-rings pre-installed on it, the o-rings were getting deformed and not popping into their holes in the master cylinder.
So I got the reservoir in, re-installed the stud/bolt under it, re-connected the sensor wiring, and topped off the fluid.
Done.

I put about 150 miles on the car today after the work above, and no issues.

The final set-up:

20160306_reservoirs4.jpg

20160306_reservoirs5.jpg
 
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skwerl

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I noticed the new clutch reservoir came with a cap on the line nipple. Could that cap be used on the stock brake fluid reservoir to plug the clutch line nipple?
 

Gabe

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I noticed the new clutch reservoir came with a cap on the line nipple. Could that cap be used on the stock brake fluid reservoir to plug the clutch line nipple?


Hmmm, maybe. Never even thought of it.
It wasn't on there very tight so it would probably need to be clamped down.
For me, any kind of a cap was an ugly idea so I never considered it.
Plus I didn't want to take the chance of the brake fluid eating through whatever cap I used
 

eighty6gt

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Cap is probably to keep dust out during shipping, not really up to the task of bombing around on a car in service.
 

Gabe

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McLeod stainless steel braided clutch line is now installed, and after about 400 pedal pumps I finally have a firm pedal again.
Can't drive the car since the intake tube is out getting hydro dipped, but hopefully that will be done this week so I can finally see what's the difference with this line installed.
 

Gabe

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How is it with its own reservoir and the SS line?

Haven't driven the car yet, hoping to have the intake tube back today some time, and we just had snow here yesterday, so probably not taking her out till tomorrow at the earliest
 

05mustang_TT_charged

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I just cut the barb off the end of the manual trans brake booster and heated up a set of pliers. Then crimped it shut and it melted the tube together. Hasn't leaked a drop. Car has been down for a while though and I did it for 4R70W install. I will be ordering the reservoir above now that I am putting a TR6060 in the car. Good write up.
 

braupe

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For those of you that have done this, can you notice any differences? Is the pedal any softer? My pedal gets stiff in stop and go traffic.
 

noldevin

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I haven't really noticed any difference, but boy am I glad I did it. I just broke my clutch master cylinder and had to replace it. Only had to replace the tiny bit of fluid in the clutch res instead of draining the whole brake res and bleeding everything :)
 

Gabe

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So Gabe, any impressions on this conversion? Worth it?

It's one of those things I'm glad is done, but not something I recommend people run out and do to their cars.
For a daily driver or a car that gets autocrossed once or twice a year, it's not needed.
For a car that sees track racing on a regular basis, I'd highly recommend it.
My clutch pedal is stiffer than it used to be, and I've had the helper spring removed for about 2-3 years now.
But I couldn't tell you if my firmer clutch pedal is because of the separate clutch master cylinder, the little bit of DOT4 fluid that I added, or the stainless steel braided clutch fluid line that I installed at the same time.
 

Gabe

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Is this possible on the 05-09 cars as well? Tried google but couldn't really find anything.

I don't see why not.
The 05-09 cars I've seen had a larger reservoir, but it's a similar setup otherwise.
 

braupe

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I did this to my 06 about a month ago. Its harder to mount it due to the 3v ac lines. But totally doable. The pedal stays more consistent in traffic which is great, when the brakes get hot, the clutch doesn't get that fluid mixed in.
 

DevGittinJr

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I did this to my 06 about a month ago. Its harder to mount it due to the 3v ac lines. But totally doable. The pedal stays more consistent in traffic which is great, when the brakes get hot, the clutch doesn't get that fluid mixed in.

The a/c leaves very little space. How did you mount yours and which reservoir did you use?
 

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