DIY for Clutch Accumulator W/Pics...
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 448
From: AZ
Rep Power: 51
I had the same issue; I ground the the head of my wrench.
Mike,
THanks for the write up. I went out recently and replaced my slave and accumulator and had a tough time tightening up the accumulator. I had to purchase a new 27mm wrench, and I couldn't get it situated at all the tighten it. For one, it wouldn't fit in the space between the accumulator and the slave, and it was way too long to fit around the transmission. I used a strap type oil filter wrench to tighten as much as I could. After a bunch of bleeding knuckes (even with mechanics gloves on) I figure I have it tight enough. How tight are you making the accumulator? Do you think I should be worried?
THanks for the write up. I went out recently and replaced my slave and accumulator and had a tough time tightening up the accumulator. I had to purchase a new 27mm wrench, and I couldn't get it situated at all the tighten it. For one, it wouldn't fit in the space between the accumulator and the slave, and it was way too long to fit around the transmission. I used a strap type oil filter wrench to tighten as much as I could. After a bunch of bleeding knuckes (even with mechanics gloves on) I figure I have it tight enough. How tight are you making the accumulator? Do you think I should be worried?
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,949
From: Virginia
Rep Power: 575
FWIW, that accumulator on my car snugged up with a 7/8ths wrench in a pinch. No slippage and it was a thin wrench. I will need to double check it to ensure it's mucho' tight but as of right now it feels pretty good!
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 597
From: Canada
Rep Power: 49
I just replaced the accumulator last summer.
My car sounded funny so I pulled over and then all the fluid started gushing out. I did leave a long trail from my garage though.
When I took it off the o-ring was ripped. How did my accumulator go bad?
I can't just ge another o-ring?
THANK YOU!
My car sounded funny so I pulled over and then all the fluid started gushing out. I did leave a long trail from my garage though.
When I took it off the o-ring was ripped. How did my accumulator go bad?
I can't just ge another o-ring?
THANK YOU!
If your accumulator loosened up on you, it's most likely bad, as in the whole unit. I would recommend buying and installing a new one. Did your pedal get really hard on you while driving or did you just notice fluid leaking?
This unit really requires more torque than you may think... I get it as tight as I can with that 27MM wrench and then I use a cheater bar to snug it the rest of the way down tight, which is about an extra 1/4 turn.
BLKMGK, yours used a 7/8th wrench (as did the first one I replaced) because it was the original unit that came on the car. There is a newer piece that will require a 27mm wrench, as Danyol shows above in his picture... Sears sells it cheap, then you have to grind it down to fit.
Mike
This unit really requires more torque than you may think... I get it as tight as I can with that 27MM wrench and then I use a cheater bar to snug it the rest of the way down tight, which is about an extra 1/4 turn.
BLKMGK, yours used a 7/8th wrench (as did the first one I replaced) because it was the original unit that came on the car. There is a newer piece that will require a 27mm wrench, as Danyol shows above in his picture... Sears sells it cheap, then you have to grind it down to fit.
Mike
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 597
From: Canada
Rep Power: 49
I don't know of a part number for the o-ring, so I can't give it to you. However, when my new accumulator loosened up on me (*was on the car about 2 months), I tried to bleed it and it wouldn't bleed properly... What My INDY told me was that the bladder probably ruptured when the unit loosed, which apparently is common. This is why it is so important to follow the instructions and make sure you REALLY tighten it down "extra" tight. Also why I use that cheater bar for the last 1/4 "turn"!
Mike
Mike
How do I know if it's bad or not?
Thanks again for all your help.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 961
From: Elk Grove, CA
Rep Power: 89
Mike....for those of us who don't happen to have another accumulaor lying around to measure the thickness to grind down the wrench to...roughly how many millimeters is do you grind down the head of the 27 mm wrench...and how long is the handle that you cut off...this may sound lame, but rather than fake it and go back and forth to the fitting, I'd appreciate it if you could put a mike on it and come up with the answer fairly easily.
BTW...plus rep for the great writeup. Think how much money this will save guys over the long haul....dealerships charge anywhere from $500-1000 for this job that really only requires them to rack it up and use a mechanic whose done this before...and they probably run thru the process in 20 minutes. Not a bad return...works out to be about $450 an hour or more.
BTW...plus rep for the great writeup. Think how much money this will save guys over the long haul....dealerships charge anywhere from $500-1000 for this job that really only requires them to rack it up and use a mechanic whose done this before...and they probably run thru the process in 20 minutes. Not a bad return...works out to be about $450 an hour or more.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 63
From: Toronto
Rep Power: 24
Thanks for the write up...
Just curious about the power bleeder. Is there fluid in the power bleeder or is it just air?.... reason i am asking is when you open the bleeder screw wouldn't the reservoir be empty therefore get air in the system... or would you just bleed it with 10 PSI for 20 sec and there is still enough in the reservoir so it doesn't get bubles... Hope that made sense. lol.
Also would it be just possible to gravity bleed it rather than using a power bleeder and top it off as the reservoir is low on fluid...
Thanks in advance.
Just curious about the power bleeder. Is there fluid in the power bleeder or is it just air?.... reason i am asking is when you open the bleeder screw wouldn't the reservoir be empty therefore get air in the system... or would you just bleed it with 10 PSI for 20 sec and there is still enough in the reservoir so it doesn't get bubles... Hope that made sense. lol.
Also would it be just possible to gravity bleed it rather than using a power bleeder and top it off as the reservoir is low on fluid...
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by TT996al; Jun 29, 2009 at 03:53 PM.
