Clutch master Cylinder

[87manche]

So, today was the first day I had frost on the windshield. It seems my master cylinder doesn't like the cold. Come to think of it, the last time it was dry it was cold. I replaced the clutch hose, because it was nasty and split. I thought that was the end of my clutch problem, until this morning, and I have air in the master cylinder. I have the telltale brake fluid on my fuse block too.

A Few Questions:

1. how hard is it to rebuild? I've got all weekend, so time isn't that big of a deal.

2. Best way to remove the master cylinder from the firewall? I know it's just bolts and such, I'm more interested in the linkage, I see that it's got a bushing, best way to take that out without destroying it.

3. I've had an AX-15 swapped in, the clutch seems to work just fine, (when the master cylinder isn't leaking), are there different master cylinders for different trannies? Should I track down and AX-15 specific one?

4. If I don't rebuild it, junkyard or reman or new? I'm on a tight budget here, the Jeeps already soaked up most of my disposable income in other parts.

Thanks fellas

[DirtyComanche]

They can be rebuild fairly easily, I hear. I also hear it's not worth the bother as the bore normally gets scratched, so it'll just eat the new seals. Remans are also bad for this.

[87manche]

that's what I figured. I found a new one at autozone for $50.

Brakeware crap. I'd love to put a bendix one back in it, but I just don't have $120 to throw at the clutch right now. So, it's $50 autocrap one, use it till it dies, then put an oem master/slave cylinder combo in it.

[87manche]

Well, I went and picked up the brakeware master last night. It looks a whole lot like what was on there, same ruber boot, same finish. I bench bled it, put it on the truck, then hooked up y electric vacuum pump to the bleeder. I bled it for about 2 minutes, ~20 oz of fluid. Got in the truck, the clutch is totally different! Now the clutch engages/disengages far from the floor. So apparently I bought a truck with a bad master, but since I'd never driven a jeep with a 5sp I figured the long travel was normal. A lot of the things I've been blaming on the syncros in the tranny are gone. Shifting into gears is a whole lot smoother, I doubt the clutch was disenagaging completely. Even my idle has gone up to a normal 600 RPM and is smoother now.

THe bad news is that since I'm used to the clutch taking up so low I've been over reving the engine and taking off like an @$$. SO now I have to learn to drive the ruck smooth again.

We'll see how long the Brakeware master holds up. If I get a year out of it I'll be impressed. When I do the tranny work I'll put a new slave cylinder in, a quality one from napa or the dealer. SO I'l have a whole new hydraulic clutch system then.