Well, I know we have a fairly weak clutch master and slave cylinder and I think my Heavy Duty ACT clutch setup put the final nail into the coffin of each, so I'll be doing a writeup on replacing these. It is a bit of a PITA, but my opinion is, it is a tad harder than doing brakes since I have the pieces off. I'm replacing both since the clutch setup could have had a negative effect on the seals in both places. No sense on replacing one only to have the other fail down the line. JTso gave me some great testing advice, unfortunately, I took off the pieces before I read it. More importantly, we arrived at the same conclusion, replacing both is worth it given my setup.

Additionally, worth mentioning, but I got contacted by the guy I worked with to develop my Fidanza flywheel. He called me yesterday to say, "Have you forum buds check out our deals on our remaining TSX flywheels." So all you MT guys/gals thinking of getting a few more ft lbs and quicker acceleration, give them a call. I really love my flywheel as there has been zero compromise in daily driving... and trust me, I got from one stoplight to another everyday. My clutch on the other hand is not for the faint of heart, but I got it because I like aggressive clutches.


Here is a pic of all the tools I used and the removed Master and slave cylinders:
- 10mm socket, 12mm socket,
- various sized extensions
- small syringe and bottle
- 2 styles of needle nose pliers
- large flat head (not pictured)
- 1/8" nail punch (not pictured)
- Clutch Master Cylinder Part# 46920-S7A-A02
- Clutch Slave Cylinder Part# 46930-S7C-E02



Here are some various pics of the engine bay:

 

"Have you forum buds check out our deals on our remaining TSX flywheels.".....give them a call.

Contact Info ?

BTW, you replacing the cylinders with OEM or are there any after-market ones?

 

Good questions.

1. My suggestion, go to Fidanza's website or work through Excelerate. Preference would be to use a forum vendor. That way, 3 people win (you, Josh and Fidanza)

2. I'm using OEM. I have someone on the inside at Honda and since we share the same ones with the Accord and Element, I get them cheap. Probably not as nice as a high performance set, but I'm honestly not aware of who has an upgraded set available.

 

Probably no one. If it were more of an issue, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to fab up your own slave cylinder, but the master cylinder is the problematic one and that would be significantly more difficult.

Are you removing the intake manifold to do this? I had a hell of time bleeding my clutch lines because the IM is so much in the way.

Also, is your clutch sprung or just solid? I too like an aggressive clutch but I don't think I'd like an unsprung clutch in this car. The one that DAYTA just picked up looks like a nice compromise.

 

No the intake manifold doesn't need to come off at all, just the battery and air box. Then I used a bunch of extensions on my sockets (10mm and 12mm). I also used two different types of needle nose pliers... straight and bent. The master cylinder is a complete PITA, but you end up removing many of the hydrolic line stays so you can move the parts around. Followed the steps in the service manual nearly to the letter.

 

LukeaTron, moda's clutch is a 6-puck sprung ACT clutch, if I remembered correctly.

moday_way, I was thinking of going the same clutch/flywheel choice as you. Do you see any significant time savings (for labour) to do this at the same time as the clutch/flywheel? I'm at work, so I don't have my manual handy. I do all the labour myself, so it's literally a time factor, rather than a cost factor.

Aside from the 2 cylinders, were there any smaller parts that were recommended to be replaced while you're in there (as preventative maintenance)?

 

You have my setup correct.

Honestly, doing this at the same time doesn't save you any time. The locations of the cylinders don't come into play moving the clutch housing and flywheel removal. The only thing you could do at the same time as far as time savings is axle replacement and brakes. You have to remove both to do the clutch/flywheel on the driver side. If you followed the manual, which tells you to drop the subframe and isn't the way mine clutch/flywheel were done, then you could think about the front sway and bushings too, but honestly, it took me 30 minutes to remove the cylinders with the battery and airbox out only. So I would do it as preventative rather than time savings. Clearly this is as good of a time to replace MTF, brake flush and clutch flush if you are going to do the clutch/flywheel. Other than that, it is pretty simple to replace the cylinders... almost too easy, except for the disconnect on the slave cylinder. I used my flare nut wrenches to take the line off and am working to get the release pins out. I'll show that in my update.

 

So given the pics above, the first thing you'll notice is, the space is very tight to pull the master cylinder out. No worries, you have to get creative.

In prep, remove the battery and air box. If you don't know how to do this, you shouldn't be doing this DIY.

NOTE OF LIABILITY This is simply my interpretation of what the Service manual instructed and are not necessarily every instruction and step I took. I may have left out or mistakenly stated a step of the process. I take no responsibility for you or your attempts to replicate what I have done. You are totally responsible for your actions and methods for doing this job. When in doubt, you should always leave it to the "professionals".

1. I removed the fluid out of the master cylinder, the smaller of the two reservoirs using a small syringe. DO NOT LET THIS TOUCH YOUR PAINT. It is the same DOT 3 as the brake fluid, so you get the point. Once empty, using a 10mm socket, unbolt the reservoir and unclip the feeder hose (different from Honda's directions, but easier than doing it from the master cylinder side.

2. There is a tube with a blue membrane around it that runs under the brake booster. Unclip that tube from the car body by prying up with a screw driver.

3. Off of that tube, the is a bracket that attaches to the body with 2 10mm bolts. Remove the bolts.

4. Towards the rear of the motor, there are the lines that lead to the slave cylinder. Remove the single 10mm bolt that holds it on (not necessary if you aren't replacing the slave cylinder). Unclip the hose from the single green clip next to the motor.

NOTE: Unclipping the hose gives you the ability to move the master and slave cylinders around. You must do this if you intend to get to either one of them after you unbolt them.

5. Remove the lower trim on the driver side.

6. With your fingers, twist and pull out the cotter pin holding the clutch rod pin in place.

7. Once out, remove the clutch rod pin.

8. Now with a 12mm socket with extensions, remove the 2 bolts holding the master cylinder to the firewall. Hold onto these securely because they can slip in behind wiring and carpet. Good luck finding them.

9. Head back to the engine bay and get ready for some hand yoga. With the master cylinder loose, pull it out of the mount holes and pull it forward (towards the front bumper). You should have PLENTY of play with it if you got all the hardened line clips free.

10. With the large/long flat head, pry the U clip out of the master cylinder (will be on the left side of the master cylinder on the top). Once pried out, use a set of long needle nose pliers to wedge inside the clip and open the nose of the pliers. This will force the U clip out, but be careful to watch that it doesn't fly across the engine bay. Make sure you hold onto the rubber seal that will probably still be in the master cylinder. Also hold onto the paper like seal on the master cylinder at the firewall attachment point.

11. Once free, the master cylinder can be moved out. AGAIN, watch the fluid coming out of the master cylinder, it will damage your paint. Don't make the mistake of pushing on the master cylinder clutch rod... it will still be full of fluid.

12. Remove the DOT 3 supply tube from the top of the master cylinder.

13. Now onto the slave cylinder. With plenty of extensions on, navigate around the positive battery cable (I just disconnected the bracket from the battery tray) and remove the 2 12mm bolts.

14. Slide the slave cylinder back and using your hands, pop the push rod out from the clutch lever.

15. This is where I ran into trouble and used 2 flare nut wrenches to remove the supply line. You are supposed to be able to push the 2 pins, next to the base of where the supply line connects to the slave, out, but mine wouldn't budge. You push the pins out in the direction to the concave side (bleeder nipple pointing to your left). Once out, the supply line will come out. Again, hold onto the seal that will be inside the slave.

EDIT TO STEP 15: I finally found a tool that was the correct size to get the 2 holding pins out of the slave cylinder. Using an 1/8" nail punch, 1/8" is about 4" long, was the perfect diameter to hammer out the pins. I attached the DOT 3 supply line fitting on the top of the slave (seen in the pictures above) back to the supply line.

ADDITIONAL EDIT TO STEP 15: DO NOT worry about taking off the holding pins on the slave cylinder. I just got my parts and the new slave comes with the connector (or the way the slave looks in my picture) already attached. VERY NICE, however, this means you definitely will need a flare nut wrench sent to disconnect the slave

***This is as far as I've gotten so far, but you need only follow these directions in reverse to reinstall adding that you need to bleed the system at the slave cylinder and grease various points of the new parts (master's push rod and the end of the slave cylinder push rod end). I will add more as I reinstall my new parts.****

 

Just wanted to give a heads up that Fidanza let me know I can sell a number of these for $299 shipped to the cont US. I just have to get a few guys to order. Again this is a TSX Specific flywheel that can work with an OE clutch.

 

^^To follow up, I had someone message me asking about who to contact.... my opinion is, first work through Excelerate. Support our site vendors FIRST. Trust me, Josh is one of many great vendors and well worth supporting. This has a 3 fold benefit; Fidanza, Josh and you.

 

I just finished up the job last night. By far installing the Master cylinder is the biggest PITA. I found that starting the U shaped pin into the new cylinder worked best because you almost have to pin the hardened hydrolic line up and push it into the master cylinder then using your thumb, all on the same hand of course, to just get it in far enough to lock the line in. Then you just shove the pin in and slide it into place. I also figured out that you leave the slave cylinder off, connected to the hydrolic line and bleed it that way. There is no way to bleed it while it is attached.

All in all, the installation of the new parts is pretty complex if you don't have most of the tools I mentioned and some good experience. I fought with the master cylinder for about 20 mins before I got the line connected, trying many different methods until I literally got lucky on one attempt.

I did bleed the lines, but when I got into the car to test drive it, I still had to give it a few good pumps and life has been so nice since. Every issue I had is now gone and the car shifts fantastic again. I'll check in a few days to see if any connections are leaking... god I hope not. That is something I do not want to do again (unless it means spending a lot of money at the dealership since I know how to do it).

 

Good job on the write-up.

 

Thanks to LukeaTron and JTso for providing some very sound/sage advice this past week. I was having an issue with my new master cylinder not feeling like it was disengaging the clutch and since it was new, I knew I probably didn't have a faulty one. So after a few go arounds with descriptions to them, JTso suggested I simply adjust out the connector on the master cylinder to the clutch pedal, which will push more fluid to the slave. And it worked. One other piece of advice that I got from LukeaTron was to weight down the clutch so that it is pushed in all the way overnight. This will rid the lines of air. That is one I hadn't heard of before and was oddly enough independently confirmed by a car guy that was going to mill a new slave cylinder rod for me if the adjustment JTso recommended didn't work. As always gents, thank you.

 

As always, happy to oblige.

 

so moda_way, were you one of the many experiencing the clutch creak (not clutch click)?

 

 

where is the adjusting rod located?? ( the one between the clutch pedal and master clutch cylinder)? is it in the car by the firewall or in the engine bay? pics if you got them?

 

actually i found this adjustment and did it. I was able to fix my clutch problems with the adjustment. My TSX 's clutch was not disengaing completely and i was grinding 1,2,3 and reverse with consistency. NOW = NO PROBLEMS. i did change my engagement point literally all the was back on the pedal which makes me wonder if I adjusted too much. ( 2 full turns on the nut)

 

good going. first one i did took me about 4 hrs.

 

Just did the adjustment after 3 months of owning the car.....no more Reverse grind here!! SO happy

 

items needed:
10mm wrench for hard lines
12mm wrench for cmc rod adjustment
12mm socket for cmc bolts and booster bolts
10mm socket for cmc reservoir bracket
8mm short wrench for slave cylinder bleeder
swivel for left cmc bolt
needle nose for cmc pin and hard line clasps
unbolt cmc and disconnect pedal. loosen booster bolts as much as possible
unbolt cmc reservoir
disconnect hardline along frame rail
wiggle booster while pulling out hardline
wiggle out cmc and hard line all in one including reservoir... under brake reservoir
swap over needed parts from old cmc to new
reinstall
bleed via slave cylinder
Per ACT, they have come to the conclusion the feedback plate (triangular object at end of CMC) is to blame for failure
Service Bulletin: Hydraulic Clutch Master Cylinder / ACT News // Advanced Clutch Technology
old on left, em2 on right... straight bolt up

 

have been hearing creaking noises from the clutch pedal, just installed a new cmc a few weeks ago so I knew it had to be the bracket
my buddy welded the seams. fixed it. a lot more sturdy with less deflection. the entire pedal throw is more smooth