1658 replies to this topic

[Deathrow]

Thanks fabdabcab, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I wasn't going to post this update as it didn't seem worth while but since it's back on the front page anyway here it is.

I stripped down my clutch slave assembly a few weeks back (no pictures as it was literally a 5 minute job) and popped the parts in the tub of vinegar I have in the back yard.


Parts removed from the vinegar.

As you can see they're all cleaned up and nice. I need to make a decision about how to paint the parts up. Not sure whether I should do the mounting plate black and the slave cylinder itself brilliant orange or keep the slave cylinder in raw metal and just lacquer it for protection. Either way, once decided, I'll get it sprayed and rebuild it with the new seals I bought a while ago.

I'm attempting to correct my sleeping pattern (damn you Final Year Project) so I can get back to getting up and working on the Mini as at the moment I'm almost nocturnal.

Thanks for looking .

[daveeeeee]

Nice! Do you just rinse them off with some water after? How long did you leave the parts in it?

[grahama]

Hi,

no update too small, would even have appreciated some of the clutch slave cylinder strip down as I too have this to do. I take it that the seal kit is an easy refit??

Also what is in the vinigar mix, just vinigar or more exotic?? Also does it just take off the surface rust or does it also de fluid the inside??

Graham

[Deathrow]

dave, I rinse them off with water and use a wire brush to agitate anything that is left over. If you leave it long enough, it'll even happily remove paint and stuff!

grahama, I'll make sure I document the seal being replaced once I've got the cylinder all painted up .

Also yes, the vinegar tub is just vinegar. I use ASDA Smart Price vinegar, it's 13p for a litre, and you can use it as many times as you like. Get yourself a bucket big enough for the biggest part you want to clean up and get enough vinegar to fill it.

I normally leave it a week or two to do its work, but you can pull parts out and check them and put them back in if neccesary.

[Deathrow]

Right here is an update on how the sills are coming along!


Jacked up on the passenger side.


All welded.


Top of seam cleaned up.


Underside cleaned up. Looks awful, but most of it is just because of the various layers of paint and stuff. It'll look fine once it's all one colour .

There are some bits here and there that want a bit of additional welding just to tidy things up. Once that is done and ground back I'll clean up the whole sill, etch it and prime it then move on to the other side.

Thanks for looking .

[Deathrow]

Got some paint on the slave cylinder body tonight:


Cleaned up and masked.


Etched.


Primed and painted.

More progress tomorrow!

Thanks for looking .

[Edmonds87]

Good to see an update to your project. I read through it begining of the year while I was off work with a broken wrist. Was a good read and as many have said, will be one i'll go back to if I get stuck when I finally begin getting my old beast back on the road. Hopefully start this year if the funds will allow it. Anyway great thread. Look forward to more updates of your progress! Keep it up!

Chris

[richens888]

I love how you're still going 76 pages later. incredible.

[Deathrow]

Cheers guys . Yeah, hard to believe I'm not done after all these posts haha. Even when she's back on the road the thread will go on!

Did some more work on the sills today, taking a bit longer than expected to get the results I want but I'm nearly there now. No pictures of that though I'm afraid! However I did finish off the clutch slave cylinder just now:


Fit the new seal to the piston.


Put the spring back in, followed by the piston. I used the old spring rather than the one that came in the repair kit, just because the diameters were a bit different, I imagine either would work.


The fiddly bit, put the dust seal on the end of the cylinder.


All done!

Going to go and work on the bodywork again tomorrow. Aiming to get that sill finished and make a start on the other side.

Thanks for looking .

EDIT: I made a mistake when rebuilding my slave cylinder. Do NOT use oil to lubricate the seal so it slides in easier. Follow your haynes manual and use the appropriate brake fluid for the system. Oil degrades the seals.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Never know about the vinegar trick, must get me down Asda. Oh and buy a mini to restore which has rusty bits to dip in it.. P.S. Dunno if you've noticed yet, but you've accidentally painted your slave cylinder bright orange. Must have picked up the wrong tin or something, can't believe no-one else has pointed it out.

Looking good

[Deathrow]

Never know about the vinegar trick, must get me down Asda. Oh and buy a mini to restore which has rusty bits to dip in it.. P.S. Dunno if you've noticed yet, but you've accidentally painted your slave cylinder bright orange. Must have picked up the wrong tin or something, can't believe no-one else has pointed it out.

Looking good

Look at you with your rustless Mini Pete! Some would argue whether it was a Mini at all!

I hadn't noticed that! Out with the paint stripper, haha.

I've made a bit of a boo boo, I used light machine oil to install the new seal in the slave cylinder and apparently this is a big no no. The seals in the brake and clutch system are not designed to be used with oil and as a result, oil does them harm. I'm going to get another repair kit and do the seal again, this time using the proper fluid to lubricate it during reassembly. Better safe than sorry!

[panelbeaterpeter]

It will be ok so long as you clean it, it will eventually get eaten away otherwise, but not that quickly. Swill it in brake fluid or something. They often come with special red rubber grease? I take it yours didn't.

[Deathrow]

It's been in there over a day now. I'll just replace it, not really worth risking.

Nah, no red grease .

[Deathrow]

Managed to get the passenger side sill pretty much finished today:


Does this tiny hole at the front need welding up? Probably sensible from the point of view of water getting in I guess?


Overall view.

Even though my plug welding was probably fine I was doubting it a bit. The more observant of you will notice there is a good long stitch along each flat of the sill. I'd rather it was over welded than not strong enough. It'll be invisible under the underseal anyway.

Going to work on it again tomorrow as the weather is great at the moment .

Thanks for looking .

[fabdabcab]

looks good to me buddy keep up the good work, you cant be to far away from completion now?