Mrmerlin

even removing the mounting bolts for the clutch master should let it fall out some to then remove the blue hose, no cutting involved.
That said I did cut one car as the firewall liner has deformed with age/heat and had then blocked the MC from seating back onto the firewall, there was now way to remove the blanket without having the hole. I guess i could have tried to remove the brake booster but thats more work.
The hole made refitting easy and with some silicone and round plate its back together.
I do prefer not to cut holes in the cars

hacker-pschorr

I'll remove the engine to replace a clutch master before I cut a hole in my car.

Yes I have changed the clutch master on my 81.

Shane

Uh! Ok I'm fixing to do this job since all my brake lines are dry and I already have the slave down, so the general consensus is to losen or pull the booster to replace the blue hose?

I'm not cutting a hole, just not going that route...

worf928

Don't know nothin' 'bout no consensus... but the next time I do a CMC I will try the String of Entrails (SOE) method with a loosened booster and see if it works.

One thing to remember about the booster on 87+ (perhaps 86.5+) is that the rod connected to the pedal assembly that then presses the diaphragm is not well attached to the diaphragm. So, be careful about moving the booster in such a way that you are pulling the diaphragm with the rod. It won't take a lot of abuse. I'd probably disconnect the brake pedal from the rod before loosening the booster.

Shane

Got it, thanks Dave!

Shane

Follow up on this little task...

I had the slave down and had already added Goodrich braided brake lines, repainted the calipers, etc, so I left the clutch master and the line coming down to the slave in place. left the booster in place and never loosened it.

I pulled the brake master and cut the blue hose loose. To get the blue hose off the clutch master, I reached up from below and very carefully cut a line in blue hose along the fitting with an exacto knife so I could pull it off from above. The hardest part was getting the fitting to sit still to get the new hose on.

I took and flared the end of the new hose with some needle nose pliers and wet the end with some brake fluid to get it to slide on by reaching around behind the booster blindly poking the hose at a fitting bouncing left and right.

Bolted up the master again, and connected up the lines and new hose. Not too terrible of a job and no access hole cut into the firewall.

F18Rep

Call it a hack if it makes you to feel good, it was an easy fix though. No regrets....Bruce

PS...My GM alternator is working good too.

UKKid35

Any suggestions or advice for a RHD S4?

Hilton

Paul, I've done it on 2 S4's (Joel's old white one, and my current '87), and its doable without cutting holes, and only moderate swearing

I did it from above - just drain the clutch circuit from the reservoir down to the slave (there's a dam in the reservoir), and then pull the old blue hose off the top end. Be careful to identify the attachment point on the master by feel - you'll have no visibility.. from memory I fed the new blue hose down next to the old, then pulled off the old and pushed on the new without pulling my hand out in between. I also slid a hose clamp down and clamped both ends, so I don't have to worry about pressure when using a pressure bleeder.

When I try it on my '89, I might just drop the clutch master out completely, as I've got a seal kit for it.. in which case I'll attach the blue hose at that end before putting it back.

STRIKEMASTER

Cool trick, Jadz928. I had to do the same thing with a Chevy Monza V-8 I had because you can't get to the rear plug on each side without pulling the engine....I painted the area I was going to cut out with candle wax and laid up 3 layers of 10 Oz fiberglass cloth to make a cover for the hole.. After the glass hardened, I popped it off and melted away the wax and cut the hole. Then I had a nice contoured cover to pop-rivet back on.