frescagod

how long does it take to replace the clutch master cylinder?

goddsmack

About an hour if you know what you are doing and have the right tools, although in a TSX that slave cylinder (master cylinder is used for the brakes) it's kinda tightly packed in there. It's apparently made for dick fingered auto techs. (That includes bleeding the line too).

frescagod

Acura would replace it under warranty though, right? If I wanted to lubricate the clutch linkage, does anyone have a diagram of it? It's a pain in the butt getting on the floor and looking up at it.

waTSX

I think that would wholly depend on the service dept you're dealing with. As I stated above, the one I've gone to can be very resistant to these things.

frescagod

i sprayed the metal rod that goes into the cylinder with some lubricating spray, and the creaking is gone. not one creak in a 10 mile loop of probably 100 shifts.

DIY is much better than having the dealer gunk up my nice clean car, right?

goddsmack

lol...it's called the push rod.

Indeed, plus you pay better attention to detail and doing it right the first time. Not saying that Acura techs don't do that, but auto tech are in the busniess of making money and the more jobs they take in, the more they make on that flat rate pay in a week's time.

One thing, i would recommend you use lithium grease instead of silicon spray. The silicon spray disappates rather quickly. Make sure you use only what you need so you don't "gunk" up that area.

goddsmack

Technically they should replace if it's faulty. But generally they want a fault of function, that means vibration when you depress the pedal or the pedal sinks to the floor and stays there (leaky slave cylind.). Sometimes the creak isn't enough to replace something if it still functions well. Like waTSX said, it depends on the dealer.

frescagod

okay. if i'm not having any functional problems (only the creak), and the creaking has just disappeared, hopefully indefinitely, i don't have any problems right? i could probably talk to them about it at my next oil change in 2,500 miles but i don't really feel like a 2 or 3 hour ordeal in the meantime.

also, thanks for the recommendation on lithium grease. is it gonna be like a pomade/sticky/goop, or also in easy spray format? i'm guessing the former. anyway, we'll see how long the creaking stays away with the silicone spray. the same spray cured the windshield "cracking" noise (spraying underneath the rubber moldings on the outside).

i'm still not sure why the push rod would be creaking though; it didn't look like there was anything that could cause such a noise.

waTSX

Good fix. I always feel better doing it myself too.

goddsmack

It's not the pushrod making the noise, but rather the bushing with the push rod rubbing past it. It could also be the linkage catching against each other and rubbing each other causing the squeak sound. If there is enough vibration it could the internal bushings in the slave cylinder that are catching on the sides.

why does this sound sexual to me???

frescagod

because you want to make love to your TSX. i mean, who doesn't?

dP-

I went into my dealership and they said Acura is aware of it and is going to issue a TSB/repair on it soon. No word on when, but he did mention replacing the MC does not repair it (I assume he means the current MC's). He mentioned it also affects RSX's too.

aaronng

Even after an MC replacement, the creak comes back. I lubed it once with silicone spray (you DON'T want gunk in a cylinder assembly), no creak for the past 8 months.

frescagod

creak is back......not as pronounced as before, but it's back, i feel/hear it!

UGH.

afici0nad0

^

shit...

i was about to ask you if you had pics of the push rod location...

afici0nad0

do you have pics of the mc location?

frescagod

the part that i sprayed w/ silicone is the small metal rod that pushes straight in when you depress the clutch pedal. i basically have to lie on the floor on my back and look up at it.

goddsmack

You're not lubing the entire rod so that it enters the cylinder...you're basically lubing the linkage area and the bushing contact of the rod. Then again, I'm not encourage a glob of the stuff so that it looks like someone spooged on the rod...lol. Just a simple thin coat. Come on, I wouldn't suggest anything that would harm your car...

But if you have also lubed the linkage and the creak is back and you're feeling it, it's a design fault obviously of the master cylinder internals. The bushing in the cylinder are catching against the sides when it's moving or retracting and causing that vibration/creak...feel/sound.

It's strange that you guys are experiencing it. I lubed it once with silcone spray as a preliminary fix, then when it came back I lubed it with grease and now no sound. Either that or I just have the radio too high and I can't hear it...lol.

curls

It's not that I can't hear it, it's that I can FEEL the click.

Argh its so annoying.

So did you have to take off the lower cover panel to access this area?

afici0nad0

^

ya, i can feel the CLICK too.

so, just lie on the floor (at least attempting to), as close to the clutch pedal, look for the metal rod, and spray away?

aaronng

MC is on the other side of the firewall where your clutch push rod goes in. You only lube the spot where the rod goes into the cylinder. Not the rod itself.

aaronng

The spot that both of us are describing is different.You're lubing up the assembly area. On the other hand, I am lubing INSIDE the cylinder itself where the bushing meets the cylinder walls. I use silicone spray with a long tube. I press the clutch in 1/2 way and spray into the gap between the push rod and the cylinder housing.

Just to reduce the confusion, I'll explain all the work that was done for my creaking.
1st dealer fix: Lubed master cylinder rod.
2nd dealer fix (After 1 week): Replaced master cylinder.
3rd self fix (1 year after 2nd fix): Sprayed silicone lube into the pushrod-master cylinder gap.

No more clicks (other than the clutch switch) or creaks since then.

04rob

I've had problems with squeeking for a long time. First time I took it to the dealership they lubricated it (not sure where). That lasted about a week until the squeeks came back.

Second trip to the dealership they replaced the clutch pedal. Not sure what parts that entails, but that is all it says on the sheet. Been about a week and still going strong. We'll see if it lasts.

afici0nad0

so...

lubed the clutch push rod and its entrance area. so far so good. the creaking is gone, but, the clicking is still there. i'm fine with the clicking, it's the creaking i can't stand.

i'll keep everyone posted.

aaronng

You don't need to lube the rod, just the entrance.
With regards to the clicking, is it at the top of clutch travel? If yes, then that is the clutch switch and will always be there (just a matter of how loud or soft). Mine had the click since new.

frescagod

i've got the click, but the creak is what is annoying for me as well. it's so pronounced that i can feel it through my shoes.

blech.

xizor

lubed mine yesterday and its been good since, hopefully it doesn't come back (soon)

afici0nad0

yes, it's at the top of the clutch travel. based on responses from this thread, apparently, it's the cruise control switch.

since my last note, everything is all good so far...

04rob

The squeeking has returned. I'm guessing they lube'd it again when they replaced the pedal. WIll take it back in.

aaronng

Tell them that this is the 3rd time you've had the squeaking problem and the first two fixes of lubing and replacing the clutch pedal didn't work. Don't tell them anymore, let them feel proud when they show their brilliance by replacing the clutch master cylinder.

afici0nad0

^

any generic silicone lube will do?

i think my creaking has come back since i last wd-40'd it, albeit not as prevalent as before...

this time though, i'm going to lube the area while the clutch pedal is halfway engaged...

aaronng

Did you lube the entrance of the push rod with WD40??????
NEVER use WD40 as it attacks the rubber seals. I used CRC food grade silicone spray (as that was what I had). Don't spray too much as silicone + glycol brake fluid = gel.

afici0nad0

CRC 808 Silicone Spray?

afici0nad0

ok, so i grabbed some silicone lube from the store, and sprayed some on the cylinder entrance.

we'll see how it goes...

aaronng

Yup, that's the stuff I used. As far as I know, there are 2 other grades, an automotive one and a general silicone lube.

04rob

Convinced them to replace the master cylinder this time, should get it back tomorrow. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

xaznperswaesonx

i have that clicking problem when pressing the clutch. its a noticable sound and vibration you can feel when you press it.

went to dealer and they lubed it and didn't solve problem.
went to dealer again and they had it replaced. that solved the problem.

frescagod

had what replaced, exactly?

xaznperswaesonx

sorry forgot to say what was replaced ..

but i had the master cyclinder replaced. master cyclinder is the pump that connects to the cluth pedal.

frescagod

my creaking comes back maybe a day after i lube it with silicone spray......time for the dealer fix i guess?