/>
/> 
/> 
So the clutch slave cylinder, its a tiny thing that in its life time of abuse on the roadster does a hell of a lot of work. The OE slave can last up to 30 years , that's great value for money in my book for a well made quality part doing its job, but they can fail after many many years of service and gear changes ( just think how many its done)
So this guide will show you how to refurbish/service/repair it/revamp it for another long service on the roadster, the service kit is around the £20 mark give or take.
Now I know there are many different units out there for sale at different prices from many different outlets and many different makes, and the cheapest is around the £20 mark, and I get why owners buy them and fit them to get their roadster back on the road as quick as possible, but rest assured, they are not of the same quality and defo will not last any where near the OE fitted unit.
This is an easy thing to do and will save in the long run and does not take too long to refurbish before being able to get it back on the roadster, bleed and on your way again. I am unsure whether the Mazda OE service kit will fit into one of the after-market slaves because of the difference in machining and quality of their products. So if you try this with an after-market slave it is at your own risk if it will wok or not. I will get around to testing a good number and add onto this guide with updates as and when it happens , but there are so many out there.
Now I will try and show you the Mazda slaves and what to look for. What you need to understand is that Mazda don't make their parts they have suppliers that do ,so OE parts can differ depending on which supplier they used at the time. Mazda are designers and builders of cars so although they might do some machining in house , most of it is outsourced and brought in to their quality and standard.
Most of the after-market stuff are let down by the quality of the rubber on most after-market parts , but they also cut corners for cheapness with the casting , the metals used etc. etc. Hence the cheap product on the shelf, but the rubber is a give away. So the seals and the dust boots deteriorate fast, after-market NB drop links are a prime example of this happening and ball joints, steering rack boots and so on...you get what you pay for. If they are making money off cheap parts, how cheap has it been to actually make, but there are some good well made after-market bits out there also, I am not dissing all after-market parts, its just knowing what to look for.
***TOOLS NEEDED...****
Set of wheel chocks...
Jack and brace ( OE one in the boot will do)
1 x Axle stand
Wheel nut brace
Good hand full of rags
Brake and clutch fluid
Piece of thick pliable plastic bag ( this will make more sense further down in the guide)
1 x 10mm union spanner
1 x 10 mm open spanner
1 x 8mm open spanner
1 x 12mm ring spanner
1 x 12 mm ratchet spanner
1 x 3/8 ratchet
1 x 3/8 ratchet extensions
1 x 3/8 12 mm socket
1 x Flat screw driver
1 x Tub of copper slip
1 x Tub of rubber grease
1 x Old old OE slave cylinder
1 x Mazda OE slave cylinder service kit.... https://www.autolinkmx5.com/clutch-mast ... 4680-p.asp
1 x Brake cleaner
1 x length of bleeding off tubing/hose.
1 x Jar for bleeding off with
****Preparation...****
Right, get the roadster on flat ground, wedge up the rear wheels and passenger front. Crack the front drivers wheel nuts and then jack her up and bring her to rest on a axle stand . You will need to squeeze under the car at some point, so enough room is needed to do so on that corner, don't take chances. Lets make sure its safe to work on, your bones are not as tough as you think if she falls on you.
Time for the flexible plastic,bag, even a crisp packet will do, undo the clutch master cap and place the plastic on the opening and screw the lid back on, this should act as a seal causing a vacuum and slowing down or stopping the fluid coming out of the bottom as you remove the slave.
Remove the wheel so we can get to the slave...
Place a mat and rags under the slave etc, to catch any fluid...
Get the union 10mm spanner and crack the union with it, using this spanner is important so you do not round it off from years of weathering so you get a proper grip .you may need to use a penetrating oil, but please do not use WD40 for this and the open 10mm spanner yet...
To get the bottom 12 mm head bolt out, you will need to wiggle under to get a good angle to crack it with the 12mm ring end of the spanner. Once cracked you can carry on with the ring if its still a little uncooperative or a 12 mm ratchet spanner until it can be removed and out of the way safe.
Once the bottom one is out its time for the top 12mm holding the slave in place to the engine, get the 3/8 ratchet ,extensions and 12mm socket and crack in, Turn it out and remove it and put it out of the way safe with the other as we will be re using them.
The slave should be hanging free from the engine and with the extra movement after cracking the union we need to unscrew it from the body of the slave with the open end 10mm now that you have already cracked it. Rags will be needed to catch any weeping fluid from the union once free from the slave, if you have a blob of blue tack handy it can be used to mould around the end of the pipe and union to block and hold fluid for the time being.
Please note brake fluid will damage paint work, so just be careful, wrap the slave in a rag so you can take it away to be worked on.
Plenty of rags down for this next bit as fluid will be going everywhere....
Take the slave to where ever you are working on it, Remove the dust boot and spindle.....
- 20220826_154125.jpg (385.92 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154128.jpg (359.57 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154140.jpg (360.99 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154704.jpg (414.22 KiB) Viewed 457 times
FYI:- The black fluid is brake fluid, only its has been dyed black by the rubber parts deteriorating/breaking down and has gone past the seal/plunger and into the dust boot.
Get your flat screw driver and look for the ridge in the piston/plunger and start to flick and lever it out, be patient as it will come out..
- 20220826_154718.jpg (269.44 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154723.jpg (376.57 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154756.jpg (406.68 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154825.jpg (366.37 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_154839.jpg (421.2 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Once the piston/plunger is removed it will come out with a spring attached, if not remove everything from inside the slave body...
Crack the bleed nipple with the 8 mm ring and screw it out away from the slave and put safe..
- 20220826_155144.jpg (390.3 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_155155.jpg (443.55 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_155207.jpg (410.39 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Now that it is stripped down it is time to prep ready for the new parts to be fitted, get the brake cleaner and clean it down in and out, also clean the spindle as we will be reusing that and bleed nipple.
****The next bit is not needed to be done, but I will go through the process in case anyone else wishes to do this also, but seeing as it was out and it was being refurbished to like new again, why not, I decided to go that step further and remove surface rust and re paint it to better than new again.*****
Push the piston /plunger in the opposite way to act like a plug, bleed nipple in and block off the union point and clean off with brake fluid.
- 20220826_172358.jpg (485.82 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_172404.jpg (423.12 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Use a drill and wire wheel brush and just attack it, A hand wire brush will do it and sand paper, it took less than 10 minutes..
- 20220826_172406.jpg (531.06 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_184606.jpg (472.82 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_184610.jpg (464.27 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_184615.jpg (402.89 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Remove the plastic end guide piece from off the spindle rod ...
- 20220826_180456.jpg (503.75 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_180516.jpg (523.73 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Once cleaned, wipe down with brake cleaner and then spray with a satin black paint, or what ever colour you wish and just wait for it to dry which did not take long and I also did the spindle.
Pull the old piston back out and the union point blocker then back over to where you were working with fresh rags...
- 20220826_185057.jpg (429.01 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_191811.jpg (196.72 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_191816.jpg (267.92 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_191820.jpg (200.37 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_194803.jpg (255.94 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_194807.jpg (260.98 KiB) Viewed 457 times
****Fitting new inserts...****
Get the new, piston and spring , smear some rubber grease onto the piston rubber seal and insert it back into the slave body spring first until seated....
- 20220826_180448.jpg (491.48 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_180452.jpg (454.77 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195015.jpg (318.74 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195258.jpg (291.59 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195323.jpg (308.45 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195440.jpg (268.67 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195443.jpg (280.38 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Apply a little rubber grease to the spindle and slide the dust boot on and re fit the plastic end guide...
- 20220826_194846.jpg (206.39 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195116.jpg (258.39 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195128.jpg (260.76 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195231.jpg (287.92 KiB) Viewed 457 times
And apply rubber grease to the ridge on the body of the slave where the dust boot holds in place and into the back of the piston...
- 20220826_195440.jpg (268.67 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195443.jpg (280.38 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Fit the dust boot with the spindle back on to the slave cylinder,
- 20220826_195556.jpg (265.59 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195558.jpg (291.42 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195600.jpg (284.38 KiB) Viewed 457 times
- 20220826_195750.jpg (296.14 KiB) Viewed 457 times
Remove the bleed nipple with the 8mm ring spanner and apply some grease to the thread and re fit and nip it up tight, And we are ready to re fit it back onto the roadster, how good does it look and no one will see it :0( ....
****Refitting....****
Apply some grease to the release arm where the slaves spindle connects...
Offer up the newer than new slave to the pipe union after removing the Blutack, ( a dab of grease on the dry thread will help) start the union off into the body of the slave by hand until it becomes tight then use the open end 10 mm spanner to nip up but "NOT" fully tighten just yet , we need it a bit flexible .
Offer the slave spindle into the connection hole in the release arm and get one of the 12mm head bolts for the top bolt hole to bolt down the slave back to the engine again, make sure you apply a bit of copper slip to the thread, start the bolt off but again do not tighten it all the way down just for the minute....
So under again to get the bottom 12mm head bolt in, again bit of copper slip to the thread and start it off by hand first before starting to tighten down, there will be choice words shared to the world with this bit ,so keep the kids out of ear shot.
Once the 12mm are in tighten them both up tight, nip up the union with the brake union spanner, and we are ready to bleed off...
Remove the plastic cover from the master filling bottle, and top up if needed....
Put your 8mm ring spanner on the slaves bleed nipple and the length of tube/hose which then runs in to jar with the end of the tub/hose submerged in some brake fluid...
Get someone to pump the pedal, don't go mad, as shoving it all the way down at this point can jam the master piston to the end of it travel and stick solid, so nice light strokes. Once its been bumped check the fluid level, you must keep an eye on it. Get the friendly help to press the pedal down while you open the bleed nipple, as they get to the bottom ,tell them to "hold it there" and close the bleed nipple back up again. Tell them OK to release the pedal and carry on like this until you have all the air out and the slave is working and engaging the release arm, top up in the bottle, screw the cap on, clean everything away, wheel back on, drop her back on the floor ,torque the wheel nuts off, remove the chokes/wedges, and you should be all good to go again.
I hope this as been of some help, as always ,any questions please don't be afraid to ask ,its what we are here for....
This site was built and is here for everyone to use and to help in saving you money keeping these roadsters on the road where they belong, but the site is not free and with everything there is a cost. So to help us keep helping many more owners with these guides etc. and you have found this useful, please give a small donation to help with the costs to keep her here.
Many thanks and drive safe with a smile on your face that other car owners will never understand.
M-m
