Problems with MSA SS Clutch Line?

[EricB]

Hi all,

First off, it's running again! Woohoo.... (Thank you to VictorL for the use of the cherry picker all this time!!) it's been a long time since I got to drive the Z and last night was its maiden voyage with the rebuilt F54 L28... yum!

So while I was down there I swapped out the old beat up stock rubber clutch hose for an MSA stainless steel one. Right off the bat I noticed the threaded portion that screws into the slave cylinder is almost twice as long as the OEM rubber hose. So rather than just screwing it in as far as it would go and leaving a bunch of the threads exposed I measured and got the right number of washers to fill that gap.

I wonder though now if that was the right thing to do...

I've bled the clutch at least three separate times and the shifting still isn't what it used to be, which leads me to believe there's still air in the clutch line?

Then again, in the past with the rubber hose I've never had to bleed it this many times in order to get it to work properly. Is the washer idea a bad one?

Does another vendor make a SS clutch line that is more of an exact direct replacement to our OEM unit than the MSA one is?

Thanks all,

-e

PS: BTW it's a '73 240z with '78 5spd tranny.

[panchovisa]

Yes, the washers are the problem. The fitting is a tapered pipe thread and it needs to be tightened until it can't be turned any more. The washers are keeping the interference fit of the threads from sealing. Use teflon (tape or goop) pipe thread sealant on all pipe threads.

[byunique]

Yeah, just did the same stainless clutch install last weekend. Same thing... threads too long.

Will have to try the teflon tape.

[Bambikiller240]

I installed my MSA S/S clutch line without washers, without tape, & without sealant. Just used Anti-Seize crayon and it's been good for 2 years so far.

[LanceM]

I believe that if you look you will see that it is an inverted flare fitting, not a tapered pipe thread, no washers or sealant should be used, just tighten. Thread length is not important as long as it is "long enough."

[dogma420]

It's not too long...doesn't matter how long it is....just put it on without the washers or anything else...anti seize i guess, but if its torqued, no problems....mines been on 2 different slaves for 4 or so years, never a prob. (I have the MSA one)

[240ZX]

I believe that if you look you will see that it is an inverted flare fitting, not a tapered pipe thread, no washers or sealant should be used, just tighten. Thread length is not important as long as it is "long enough."

Lance hits the nail on the head....good call Lance! While we're talking about fittings, I always get a chuckle when I see folks using teflon tape on the threads of flared fittings or O-ring fittings.....apparently they don't know or recognize what type fitting they are dealing with...and then wonder why It's leaking!!? Also, when it comes to using teflon tape on tappered threads (pipe threads) aways start the tape 3 threads back from the 1st thread. This will ensure that you don't get the teflon material into what ever you are sealing....an old aircraft practice.

[LanceM]

Sometimes being old has it's advantages

[240ZX]

Lance, sometimes being old (with experience) has it's advantages! I couldn't agree more. I'll be 54 years young this November. :eek:

[LanceM]

I'm right behind you, 50 and counting BTW, teflon tape is out for hydralics or much of anything besides water anymore because of possiblilty of tape plugging systems, teflon paste is the "in" thing now and in some ways I like it much better. It is messy compaired to tape but I always hated when you got a roll of tape that decided it wanted to be strings instead of tape!

[dogma420]

yeah, but not necessary using plumber's tape on plumbing

Just .02 dollars

[First Gen Z]

OK you guys, the point of using teflon tape on flare fittings is not for sealing but to keep corrosion from starting between dissimilar metals. works great and some time in the future when you want to take the fittings apart you'll be glad to see the tape. How many brake line fittings have you seen that were mangled? Almost all of them. Teflon tape on flare fittings is the deal. Try it, you'll like it.