Clutch fluid disaster

Vendors sell a hard line.

It's seldom that a stock clutch line ruptures, as the clutch system pressure is only 150-200 psi in the line. I'v never seen the stock red plastic line break, and being plastic, brake fluid quickly shrinks it up such that one usually pulls the steel fitting in two before the line slides off the barb. I had to use a hacksaw to remove my plastic hose from its fitting. That line is close to bullet-proof!
Yes- aeroquip braided-stainless is a simple, cheap fix that also looks good. Due to engine vibration, you need some sort of flexible hose between engine-mounted slave and frame-mounted hard line. Solid hard line will work-harden and crack. A std dash-4 double-male AN fitting (with an o-ring on one end) screws directly into the junction block where the red plastic line originally connected. On the other end, a dash-4 AN-to-1/8" pipe fitting screws directly into most slaves. Vendors all stock the kit.

Thanks guys. I guess now I can claim my left leg has the ability to generate pressures in excess of 200 psi

Looking at pics of other cars, looks like my hose was routed differently when restored. Maybe this had something to do with it?

Your speedo cable is also oddly routed (not routed the standard way)

I hadn't noticed that one either. Thanks.

William,
Very sorry to hear about your mishap. Your engine bay is beautiful.

That is definitely not the original routing of the line. Dig around in the photo sections and you will probably find pics of the correct routing. I am surprised that the OEM line would be long enough to be routed the way your line is.

My OEM line was not cracked or broken but it still made me nervous being 35+ years old. I purchased the steel braided line from Wilkinson and it was an easy and perfect fit.
Jeff

Thanks Jeff. Ordered my braided line from the Byars Bros last week and should be getting it any time now. Should be back on the road soon.

As a lesson to anyone with a painted engine bay, play it safe and replace the cute but deadly "little red hose"

Mine is currently on order from Hall. can't wait to put it in!

Make sure that they included the fitting to attach the new line to the hard line under the car. I have heard that some vendors do not include them.

Hose came in and looks good. Can't quite figure out the proper routing or anchor points. Anyone have any pics of theirs?

Thanks.

Here's a picture of mine during disassembly.

Here's another photo. The clutch line runs with the brake line through the first frame clip. And then up to the slave.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis. On mine it looks like instead of running the hard line towards the back of the car next the brake line, they ran it along the bulkhead, then back, and then up against the wheel well where it connects to the red hose by the water tank . If I straighten it, have enough hard line to connect right to the slave!!

Sorry about the poor pic quality.

Here as it runs up against the wheel well.

I'm pretty sure my car is the way they came. I also have a Byars braided line and it is an exact replacement for the red plastic line.

The clutch line is one piece tubing from the master cylinder to the connection point of the flex line. On your car it looks like someone added an extension piece that could be removed. On mine the point at where the hard line ends and the flex line connects is slightly over 12" from the firewall. Hopefully if you remove your extension, your hard line will reach 12" and you could run your flex line properly.

The other option would be to leave it as is. Is the hard line still attached by bracket to the wheel house? I can't tell from the picture. The downside to relocating the hose as stock, it would leave a bolt hole in your beautifully painted wheel house. The downside to leaving it as is, is that you may have to lessen the 90 degree bend at the slave connection. The new fitting looks like a lot harder material to safely bend than the stock soft fitting. Decisions, decisions....

I've been contamplating those same issues. I'd rather it be as close to stock as possible, and the less pipe fittings the better. They actually added two extensions. And, I really don't want to bend the hard pipe at the end of the braided hose. I'll live with the hole in the wheel well.

Thanks for the insight.

Clutck line repaired! Thanks for all your help.

-William