Brake Servo

[davery]

So I had a plastic nipple break on the master cylinder and leak fluid all over the engine bay. In trying to sand down the damaged paint, it looks like the paint under the brake servo is damaged. I am trying to remove the servo, but am having an issue. There are four nuts on the passenger side of the firewall that hold the servo on (it appears). The upper/passenger side nut is impossible to get at. Too much stuff in the way; gas pedal, wires, etc. I can barely get my hand to the nut. I am really at a loss how to proceed. Also, IF I get this off, should I rebuild the servo at this point? It appears the servo is original and since I have owned the car for 16 years my guess it has never been rebuilt. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[narfire]

Just took mine off the other day. Three of the 13mm nuts are for the most part accessable. The top left you might want to use a universal on the socket. The top right, different story. I dropped the black box that was in the way. There are two 10mm nuts holding that thing on but does drop down and the last nut is accessable.
The booster should be fine if you have proper brake feel. If the booster is pooched then two things the FI car does not run properly as air gets by the diaphram and through the hose to the intake,..non metered air, and your brake effort is greatly increased. The two issues I have with the booster on my car at the moment. I used a leak down tester and put 14 psi on the hose and watched the air pressure drop slowly...leak in the diaphram.

The real issue in pulling the booster is there is not much room in the engine bay to get the thing out without removing components, next thing is undoing the clutch cable from the tranny so I can get the thing out a bit more .

[davery]

Just took mine off the other day. Three of the 13mm nuts are for the most part accessable. The top left you might want to use a universal on the socket. The top right, different story. I dropped the black box that was in the way. There are two 10mm nuts holding that thing on but does drop down and the last nut is accessable.
The booster should be fine if you have proper brake feel. If the booster is pooched then two things the FI car does not run properly as air gets by the diaphram and through the hose to the intake,..non metered air, and your brake effort is greatly increased. The two issues I have with the booster on my car at the moment. I used a leak down tester and put 14 psi on the hose and watched the air pressure drop slowly...leak in the diaphram.

The real issue in pulling the booster is there is not much room in the engine bay to get the thing out without removing components, next thing is undoing the clutch cable from the tranny so I can get the thing out a bit more .

So you are saying IF I get it off. I may not be able to get it out to sand and paint under it? Great! It is going to be a feat to paint anyway, as there are all kinds of wires and hoses in the way. This is a real mess.

[narfire]

Yes it is a pain in the sphincter to get the thing out. Last time I mucked with a booster the intake was off and then there was tons of room. I'm thinking I might have to find room to pull it out from below.
The hard line from the fuel rail was in the way as well, so I had to loosen the rail where the single bolt goes onto the intake and lift up just a tad. All injector electrical lines are off and pulled aside as well.
Goint to tackle it later today if it is still raining and can't pick my grapes. (wine making season)
Some installation fluid nearby might help

[davery]

Yes it is a pain in the sphincter to get the thing out. Last time I mucked with a booster the intake was off and then there was tons of room. I'm thinking I might have to find room to pull it out from below.
The hard line from the fuel rail was in the way as well, so I had to loosen the rail where the single bolt goes onto the intake and lift up just a tad. All injector electrical lines are off and pulled aside as well.
Goint to tackle it later today if it is still raining and can't pick my grapes. (wine making season)
Some installation fluid nearby might help

I'm hoping I can just get it out of the way enough to sand and paint under it.

[SouthwestSpider]

Hey Chris,
I'm looking at replacing the servo too. Not looking forward to the process. How did yours go?

[narfire]

[quote="SouthwestSpider"]I'm looking at replacing the servo too. Not looking forward to the process. How did yours go?

Ok, now sit down, pour yourself some instalation fluid in a chilled glass and I'll tell you a story...

Actually not too bad but with the FI I had to take a few things off.
DISCONNECT the battery!!!
I trust you have the 4 nuts off on the inside of the firewall, don't loose the gas pedal spring bracket.
I pulled the MC out of the way (carefully) while still conected to the brake lines
Brake resevoir came off the fire wall but hoses still connected.
back in the engine bay,... disconnect the clutch cable at the tranny and pulled it out of the way. Marked where the nuts were on the thredded portion before backing off.
Disconnected all the electrical to the injectors , thermotime, and pulled out of the way.
Disconnected the wires to the alternator and then pulled the alternator and the arm for the Alt.
Disconnected the crank breather hose and pulled out of the way.
When pulling the booster out , I kind of had to keep the brake lines above the lip of the booster.
Pulled and fiddled it out and came out the top side.
Reverse, well same knuckle dusting proceedure but when you have the studs lined up with the holes...two things, make sure the brake lines are clear/above the booster and don't get trapped behind when tightening down and when you start to push the booster in, I think it would help if another would assist in guiding the rod and slot onto the brake pedal.
Put the works back togeter. I think it has taken me a total of about two -2 1/2 hours or perhaps a bit more to get it almost all back together.
I don't mind the engine bay issues, but I don't enjoy the under the dash stuff at all.
Chris

[mgbgtn]

If you have brake fluid removing the paint from under the booster, it is coming from the rear seal in the master cylinder, not the booster. Take the master off the booster and look for fluid on the back of the master cyl or in the booster.. The only other place it can come from are the hoses from the resevoir to the master.

[SouthwestSpider]

Chris,
I have to do some valve work on the FI side. From your description - if I take the FI Intake off - the whole process for skootching the booster out should be easier?
Or will I have to still remove the same components?

Sounds like I will have to stick a straw into a large box of installation fluid to get through this!

[narfire]

Or will I have to still remove the same components?

Got back from the coast tonight.
If you have not already removed the intake and booster, the answer is that you won't have to pull the alternator if the intake is comming out. Lots of room, just don't forget about disconecting the battery.

[SouthwestSpider]

Got the booster replaced. Any little tweaks that are needed???
I've bled the brakes once, but seems like it wasn't enough since there isn't much brake pedal yet. Checked the booster hose, and it's tight. So I assume that there is still air in the lines.

[narfire]

I just took mine out this afternoon after replacing the booster. Same thing, soft or no pedal till the floor. I never disconected any lines, so I suspect the acorn nut is not adjusted properly for the MC.
I`ll take the MC off and back the acorn out one turn and try again. Repeat untill I have brake. Before starting though there is a way to check and set up so you won`t have as much dicking around to do.
http://www.international-auto.com/fiat- ... lation.cfm

[SouthwestSpider]

I followed the details shown in the manual for setting up the acorn nut. Those were 1.03 to 1.0925 mm. So I'm not entirely positive what may be the cause. A co-worker had mentioned to me about bleeding the master cylinder. I'm not certain I heard that correctly so I'm interested in questioning them at the first opportunity. Unfortunately they are 'on the road' for the next couple days.

[SouthwestSpider]

You can search for bleeding the master cylinder and there are some terrific videos on doing it. I've bled the brakes, even using a pressure bleeding system and I think I'm going to have to remove and adjust the acorn also. They just don't feel as tight as I think they should be.

[SouthwestSpider]

Finally some progress. I tackled the bleeding problem again and there is firmness to the pedal. Functional drive is scheduled to settle how much more is needed.