I was driving my 2002 Accord EX (4 cylinder with a 5 speed manual) when I noticed the clutch pedal went to the floor and didn't comeback up on its own. I had to use my foot and pull the clutch pedal back up. Verified that the clutch slave cylinder was fully retracting at the shift fork. Also noticed that the clutch slave cylinder was leaking around the boot.

WARNING: Honda Engineers obviously have never turned a wrench on their vehicles as there is absolutely NO ROOM to work on the clutch Master cylinder. Also, the clutch slave cylinder bleeder valve is inaccessible as the motor mount is in the way. But if you are a glutton for punishment (obviously I am cuz I changed mine), I hope my writeup saves you time, blood and your sanity!!!

There are a few sections to this writeup, they are as follows
1. Clutch slave cylinder removal
2. Clutch slave cylinder installation
3. Bleeding the Clutch hydraulic system (I know its out of order cuz I HOPED I didn't have to screw with the clutch master cylinder)
4. Clutch Master cylinder removal
5. Clutch Master cylinder installation
6. Clutch pedal adjustment

Clutch slave cylinder tools,

1. Long 3/8 socket extension
2. 12 mm socket and socket wrench
3. crescent wrench
4. 12mm line wrench
5. 8mm wrench for bleeder valve
6. Motiv power bleeder with cap for Ford Focus
7. Punch
8. hammer
9. Needle nose Vise grips
10. Teflon tape - use on the hydraulic line AND Bleeder SCREW!!!
11. Turkey baster
12. Old bottle for getting rid of hydraulic fluid.

Slave cylinder removal:

1. First and foremost, HONDA ******* ENGINEERS NEED TO BE SHOT!!! The clutch slave cylinder bleeder screw is right next to the hydraulic line on one side AND up against the motor mount on the other!!!!!

2. Remove the Air intake tube and loosen the 10mm bolt holding the hydraulic line. This will provide a little bit of wiggle room with the hydraulic line when removing the slave cylinder.

3. Loosen the hydraulic line at the slave cylinder using the 12 mm line wrench while holding the lower fitting with the crescent wrench. Note this maybe a 14mm bolt on the left but I used a crescent wrench.

4. now loosen the 2 12mm bolts attaching the slave cylinder to the engine block. Note, place the extension on the left side closest to the firewall as the bolt is blocked by the hydraulic line. The bolt on the right can be directly accessed.

5. Everything should now be loose, Pry the slave cylinder to the left against the shift fork using a screwdriver between the right side of the slave cylinder and the motor mount to swing it out enough to disengage it from the shift fork.

6. You should now be able to remove the slave cylinder from the vehicle.

Slave cylinder Installation:

1. Note that the fitting in the slave cylinder has a squared off o ring and a roll pin securing it to the slave cylinder. Use a punch to remove the roll pin. Note my punch was able to dislodge the roll pin about 3/4 of the way so I grabbed onto it with vise grips and was finally get it to remove completely

2. Remove the old seal (mine was inside the slave cylinder, others might be attached to the fitting. Moisten the new seal with fresh brake fluid. Place the new seal onto the fitting / inside new slave cylinder, then the fitting and finally secure it with the roll pin. This is a FUCKED up design!!!!!

3. Clean the shift fork contact area and put a daub of purple brake grease to the tip of the new slave cylinder and to the contact point of the shift fork.

4. Put teflon tape on the hydraulic line fitting as it leaked after I installed everything the first time!!!!! ALSO AFTER MANY BLEEDING ATTEMPTS, I REALIZED YOU ALSO NEED TO WRAP THE ******* BLEEDER SCREW IN TEFLON TAPE

5. Place the slave cylinder into the shift fork but wedge the right side against the motor mount, ( this is so you can access the ******* bleeder screw!!!! A BIG **** YOU TO HONDA

6. Bleed the slave cylinder (see directions below)

7. Now force the slave cylinder into position. Yeah **** YOU HONDA!!! wiggle the cylinder to make sure it is sitting flat and the 2 attaching holes line up with the threads in the mount

8. My new slave cylinder had a white plastic band holding the shaft into the slave cylinder. Cut the band as close to the end of the shaft and retrieve both plastic pieces but leave the plastic cap on the end of the rod.

9. Torque down the 2 12mm bolts to 19 ft-lbs.

Bleeding the hydraulic system:

1. Remove the Clutch master cylinder cap and suck out all of the fluid here using my special brake turkey baster

2. Refill clutch master cylinder with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid

3. attach the ford focus pressure bleeder adapter to the master cylinder. Test that the cap is fully sealed by attaching the motiv bleeder and pumping it up to 15 psi

4. Fix any leaks now before continuing.

5. Carefully release the pressure in the bleeder

6. Fill the pressure bleeder with an inch of brake fluid.

7. Prime the pressure bleeder line with fluid up to the quick connect fitting.

8. Hang the line up to create a high point

9. Place copious amounts of rags around the master cylinder

10. Attach the quick connect fittings.

11. Pressurize the Motiv bleeder to 15 psi

12. Place a hose over the slave cylinder bleeder and the other into a catch bottle. NOTE put teflon tape around the bleeder screw cuz this caused air to get into the system even though the seat should seal it off completely. Note to access the bleeder screw, I had to disconnect the slave cylinder from its mount and move it so that it was wedged between the shift fork and the motor mount. **** YOU HONDA ENGINEERS

12. Now open the bleeder valve. The motiv should now be pushing the fluid thru the system. Let it bleed until fluid runs clear AND no air bubbles.

13. Close the bleed screw completely. Replace the rubber cap onto the bleeder.

14. Now slowly press the clutch pedal to the floor and let it up. Look at the hose adapter at the Master cylinder and check for air bubbles. If you see air bubbles coming up, pump the clutch pedal until no more bubbles are seen. I also wiggled the motiv line near the master to help get bubbles out of the system.

15. Force the slave cylinder back into its proper position and torque the 2 12mm bolts to 19 ft-lbs

16. slowly release the pressure by opening the lid on the bleeder. DO THIS SLOWLY ELSE IT WILL INTRDUCE AIR INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER

17. disconnect the quick connect fittings but make sure to keep the male connector up else it will spew brake fluid everywhere. Place your thump over the fitting and then unscrew the cap from the master

18. Remove the cap from the clutch master cylinder and drain the fuid into a waste container

19. The clutch master cylinder will now be full to the threads, use the baster again to drop the level to the full mark

20. Replace the master cylinder gasket and cap

Now you are done!!!! BUT AFTER DOING THIS I FOUND OUT THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PEDAL FELT GREAT, WHEN i WENT TO DRIVE IT, THE PEDAL STILL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND DIDNT COMEUP. PLUS THE CLUTCH DISENGAGEMENT WAS WAY TOO FAR DOWN AND LOOKING AT THE FORK MOVEMENT THE SLAVE CYCLINDER WASNT MOVING AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD


Clutch Master Slave Cylinder Removal:

The biggest problem here is that there is absolutely NO ******* ROOM in the engine bay to access the master cylinder!!! THANKS *** HOLE HONDA ENGINEERS

1. Drain the master cylinder using the turkey baster

2. Using a 10mm socket disconnect the bracket holding the master cylinder reservoir to the body.

3. Next remove the black hose from the reservoir to the master cylinder. I had to use a small screwdriver to coerce the line off the reservoir.

4. There is a relay next to the reservoir. Remove the 10mm bolt here as well and disconnect the relay.

5. Remove the two wires going to the Brake Master cylinder, one wire is black and the other is a green striped wire

6. Move the wires out of the way and then look down behind the strut tower. There is a large wire loom here attached to the tower but I couldn't get it disconnected. I ended up prying the entire loom forward then cut the orange wire wrap to get it to be able to move the wire harness albeit not a lot but enuff to get the master cylinder clearance.

7. Note there is a hairclip holding the hydraulic line to the master cylinder i used a cotter pin remover tool along the right side to pull this pin out, then move the hydraulic line up a bit to disconnect the line from the cylinder. When reinstalling, I ended up cutting a portion of the pin then install the ******* pin from the left

8. Go to the inside of the car, move the front seat all the way back

9. Put the knee protecetor mat next to the car and kneel down and look up on the left side of the clutch pivot. Pull the pin straight down and remove the pin

10. using a 12 mm deep socket, remove the two nuts fastening the master cylinder to the firewall. I used my small 1/4" socket with a short extension to remove the one on the upper left and my long 3/8 extension for the one on the right.

11. Now have someone push the master cylinder forward from inside and guide the clutch pedal attachment thru the hole while another person on the fire wall side grab the master cylinder, tilted up and move the cylinder around the wire loom to pull it out. It took us a while finagling with this to get it out. To give yourself more room, remove the yoke from the shaft, I didn't do this but learn from my mistakes!!!

Clutch Master cylinder install.

1. At the middle fo the firewall is a white plastic clip holding the clutch line in place. The front of the clip was broken but it still had a grip on the clutch line. Push the clip near the tube toward the passenger side and pull carefully with your right hand to clear the clip. This gives you a little bit of wiggle room

2. There is a seal on the hard line that went into the old master cylinder. I was able to push the line down then use a pick from within the car thru the hole where the clutch master cylinder would go thru and remove the seal.

3. put some brake fluid on the new seal, then I tied thin fishing line thru the seal and made a lanyard so that I can retrieve the seal if I drop it, which I did drop a few times.

4. I placed my left arm around the fishing line then with my left hand, blindly got the seal onto the hard line from outside the car. Once it is correctly installed by viewing it thru the hoke in the firewall from inside the car.

5. Once satisfied, cut the fishing line and retrieve the line

6. Set the length of the new master cylinder push rod to within the same as the old one. My old one measured 10.8 cm from flange with gasket to the center of the pin.

7. Now REMOVE the end of the clutch master cylinder that fits onto the pedal to give you more room. I tried it with the end on but everything is so tight and there is no room to maneuver, that's why I removed it. Place tape around the shaft and jam nut so you are close in length when you install the end

8. Place your NEW hose to the reservoir onto the master and I put a small tension clamp on it (wtf! Honda NO CLAMP on a high pressure hose!? STOOPID). Note I used a bulk hose that was almost twice as long as the original. This helped to hold the master cylinder and maneuver it cuz THERE AINT NO DMAN ROOM. I cut it to length once I had the master cylinder installed and tightened down.

9. Tip the new slave master cylinder, down and rotated toward the left to get it down between the brake booster, wire loom and everything else in the way. We tipped it so the rod went thru the hole then drop it a little then got the left stud (passenger side) close to its hole. Then use a flashlight and try to peer thru the narrow opening and use the hose hanging from the master cylinder to rotate the drivers side stud into the hole.

10. Once you get the studs in their holes, I used a long stick to wedge it between the shock tower and the master cylinder to hold it in place.

11. Next lightly thread the nuts inside the car onto the slave cylinder but leave slack to where you can wiggle the master cylinder

12. Install the yoke onto to the master cylinder arm and thread it back to the jam nut

13. Now back in the engine side, time to get the ******* clip in. First put the hydraulic fitting into the master cylinder and push down until the line is fully seated, I actually felt a slight thunk as the line seated properly into the master cylinder.

14. Now using a locking needle nose plier, a long screwdriver and a 5 gal wooden paint stick, grab the pin with the needle nose on the curved side end and position the needle nose vise grip so that the clip lies flat down by the master cylinder =.

15 I actually cut about an 1/8" off of the straight pin side. Place the pin near the channel in the cylinder but with a little room to ROTATE the pin into the rear hole. The rear hole is the straight pin. The biggest ******* problem here is that ******* Honda engineers placed the brake booster to close so you cant just SIMPLY put the pin in, HONDA ENGINEERS SUCK!!!!!

16. It literally took me about an hour to get the ******* line with the hairpin in correctly.

17. Once the hairpin slides into place, check and recheck to make sure everything is straight

18. Once satisfied, now go in the car, attach the yoke to the pedal and secure it with the clevis pin and needle. Note the pin can only go in right to left.

19. Once everything is attached, Now secure the 2 12mm nuts from the master cylinder to the firewall.

20. Reinstall the relay and secure it with the 10mm bolt

21. Make sure the clutch master cylinder hose is routed up and around the hard hydraulic line.

22. Temporarily position the master cylinder reservoir and leave a little slack in the hose. Mark the hose so that the hose can slip onto the reservoir

23. Remove the reservoir and cut the hose.

24. place another tension clamp onto the hose down enough to install the hose onto the reservoir nipple

25. temporarily position the reservoir into position on the shock tower and twist the reservoir/hose so that the hose has NO twisting motion.

26. Now using a pair of pliers, secure the tension clamp.

27. Now permanently attach the reservoir to the shock tower 10mm bolt

28. Reattach the 2 Brake Master cylinder wires

29. Now double check everything to make sure all of the hydraulic lines are attached, electrical relay and wires have been connected, all nuts/bolts are secure

30. Make sure to put the clutch hardline back into its holder at the center of the firewall.

31. Fill up the master cylinder reservoir

32. Bleed the clutch hydraulic system using the power motive bleeder and the slave cylinder bleeder screw.

Adjusting the clutch pedal:

When I replaced the clutch master cylinder, I did not change the clutch pedal switch position (affects resting position of clutch pedal aka pedal height) nor the clutch pedal interlock switch ( switch must be closed to start the engine), even though my pedal height before removing the clutch pedal was not within the Honda FSM specs, it was at a comfortable position so I left it alone. ( I also left the interlock position alone as well). I did have to adjust the clutch freeplay as after installing the new clutch master cylinder, as there was absolutely no freeplay.

1. Under the dash, loosen the jam nut at the clutch master cylinder rod.

2. Turn the rod and check the freeplay. Note the rod is easily turned by hand.

3. I set the rod to have about an inch of freeplay which also had engagement/disengagement at about half pedal.

4. Use soft jaw vise grips to hold the rod, then tighten the jam nut.

5. Place a daub of white marker on the rod, jam nut and yoke

6. Check the slave cylinder and make sure that the slave cylinder is fully retracted when the pedal is up.

7. Test drive the car and adjust to your likeness

 

i have a 1998 Accord Sedan EX 5Speed.

i too cursed the Honda Accord 6th gen Engineers!

However, would you believe me? if i told you, that i
have successfully installed and running a 5th gen 2000 Honda Prelude, Clutch Slave Cylinder, along with a Steel Braided Clutch line from the F23A1 Accord Clutch Master Cylinder to the 5th gen Prelude Slave. I am fortunate to own both cars. At the moment, the prelude is currently not running and was comparing the parts last weekend. So i decided to borrow a few parts from the prelude to help my current daily driver up and running.

After a very frustrating session cursing the stupid bleeder valve placement. ive realized that the prelude(2000) slave cylinder was a much more practical design. Valve is located on the front side of the Cylinder housing, instead of the cursed location of the Accord Slave. Now. Forgive me if i have not checked to confirm if this is done to other years - 99 to 02? but after you remove the Accord Slave cylinder from its location. that there is an additional set of bolts, mounted on, that add-on bracket to the engine block. Remove the 2 bolts from the block, revealing a new orientation of the slave cylinder perfect for the prelude slave to mount to. Mounting the accord slave without the bracketŭ will not line up the piston to the clutch fork.
The prelude slave will bolt on perfectly and now reveal a perfect placement of the bleeder valve. right in the front. facing the radiator fans. No idea if this was already found out?? And apologies ahead of time if im repeating information thats old news or discovered before.

i just want to share this piece of discovery with you all.


98 Accord Slave cylinder - orientation when mounted

Mounting bracket for the accord slave cylinder - which turns out to be a removable add-on!!! why Honda?!??!

5th gen 2000 Honda Prelude mounted to the 1998 F23A1 Block. with perfect alingment to the Clutch fork and uaing Steel Braided Clutch line from Clutch Master Cylinder.

 

Which braided line did you use?

 

so in the slave cylinder for the accord the clutch line is held into it by a pin, do you know if the prelude slave cylinder can just thread onto the line or if it has a pin aswell?

 

zak,

I do not have first hand knowledge as I installed a new clutch slave cylinder for the accord, but Sonic will have first hand knowledge.

From looking at pictures on Rockauto, it appears the prelude slave cylinder threads onto the line however the prelude line comes in at an angle whereas the accord comes in straight from the top. I would verify this by going to a local parts store and inspect the part. Sonic did say that he used a steel braided clutch line so orientation should not be a problem as opposed to the hard line on my stock accord.

Good luck

Coach Jack

 

Man am i happy i found this thread. I just need to bleed my system and all should be good. I deleted the bracket and bought a new oem prelude slave, a stainless steel prelude clutch line (threads right into the oem master cylinder fitting), and i got all of the nasty fluid left in my reservoir. My only issue was attempting to gravity bleed it leading to nothing but introducing more air into the system entirely. Starting from scratch tomorrow, purchasing a new bleeder kit and trying again, hoping that this time things go better. Also, i found out today, there is an incredibly tiny hole on the reservoir cap, which makes sense now that i think of it, but in that same insance...lol