swapping out brake master cylinder-stubborn lines!

[andrave]

Ok guys I need a little help. I have a non abs s13 and I changed the pads. stupid me, floored the pedal and blew the master cylinder. I have a new one but I can't the lines off the old one.
They look like a 10mm bolt but the 10 fits them loose, so I tried some standard sizes (7/16 I think) but it didn't fit at all.
9 won't fit on the bolts.
the 10mm is gonna round the bolts off, and those things are straight up stuck. If I round those bolts off or break them off, I am gonna have to have new ends put on or something, and I'd have to get the car towed to have that done, and this is an incredibly inoppurtune time for this all to have happened.

anyway I wanted to know if anyone here has changed their master cylinder, and if so, what did you do to get the lines off? my dad is considering using a propane torch on the fittings tomorrow to help them out but I'm not sure if thats gonna work at all or not.

someone please advise!
thanks

[AceInHole]

Use a crap load of PB blaster, and use a good flare nut wrench (it's like a closed end of a box wrench with a slot to slip over the line).

Otherwise, vise grips. I only had 1 stuck nut on the MC when I did mine and had to use vise grips on it. Seemed to work ok.

(In actuality, I couldn't find my vise grips and used a C-clamp to clamp down some regular pliers onto it)

[West]

I used Vise Grips as well. Everything else would strip it. Just make sure and put a cloth or something around the nut so you dont damage it. Torch could help, but its a little nut that shouldnt require that much work to get off. Id just drench them in WD-40 and try again after it soaks in.

[andrave]

yeah I'm letting them soak in blaster over night. I don't have any of those wrenches that you mentioned that slip over the line... gonna take my STB off and maybe try vice grips tomorrow.

if I don't get this car running before I leave I'm gonna light a friggin match on its ***.

[AceInHole]

Originally posted by andrave
yeah I'm letting them soak in blaster over night. I don't have any of those wrenches that you mentioned that slip over the line... gonna take my STB off and maybe try vice grips tomorrow.

if I don't get this car running before I leave I'm gonna light a friggin match on its ***.

Heh... i didn't have the wrench either. I did have a few 10mm box wrenches, so I sacrificed one and dremeled the open end of it :p

If you can't get it out.... you can always cut the hardlines, but you'll have to reflare it.

[andrave]

I'm not familiar with what would be necessary if those bolts did need to be removed through other means.
Could you tell me how I would go about "flaring" the lines? would the nuts work still?

I don't completely understand how they are fastened into the master cylinder.

Hopefully they will ease out tomorrow with some manipulation.. (said with fingers crossed while knocking on wood).

If not then I will be back on the board tomorrow night asking how to repair the hard lines, if they can be repaired...
*sigh*

[aeontony]

Yeah, if you can, find a _good_ quality flare wrench. One that's actually 10mm when it says 10mm. Avoid powerbuilt. I've stripped every single 10mm bolt I've ever come across with that piece of crap wrench.

Also, flaring the lines is not a bad idea as a last resort-I never thought about that. You have a bit of space to manipulate these lines around, so just cut the bolt off, and go buy a replacement. Then buy a line flaring tool (they're in the plier family) and do the line. I've never actually done this, but I'd imagine that's how.

[AceInHole]

Originally posted by aeontony
Also, flaring the lines is not a bad idea as a last resort-I never thought about that. You have a bit of space to manipulate these lines around, so just cut the bolt off, and go buy a replacement. Then buy a line flaring tool (they're in the plier family) and do the line. I've never actually done this, but I'd imagine that's how.

Yeah. You'll also need some new flare nuts. NAPA carries everything you need to completely replace your hardlines, from the lines to the flare nuts to the line bending and flaring tools.

Just make sure to slip the nut onto the line before flaring :p