Brake Booster Replacement - a Hint

[courtenay]

Thanks, Pete - and Bryan, I'm kinda glad you were wrong. I wasn't looking forward to removing the clutch cable. I think the speedo cable will be much easier. Still waiting for rain to get back to the project though. We're having an unusually sunny spring (so far) here on Vancouver Island. Temperatures in the mid teens and sunny. I've got about 3/4 of an acre of lawn that I cut yesterday (no riding lawn mower for me), will be punched tomorrow and dethatched next week. Got to make hay while the sun shines!!

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Sounds like a plan, Bruce. But where does the clutch cable go on an '80 spider, if not over top of the brake booster?

-Bryan

[courtenay]

Good question, Bryan....I’m kinda hoping I never have to know that one. Hopefully someone far more knowledgeable (Pete?) can answer.

[RRoller123]

On my '80, In this pic: The Throttle Cable is the heavy cable exiting below and on the right side of the Brake reservoir, The Speedometer Cable is the thinner cable coming out roughly center below and behind the brake reservoir, and the Clutch Cable, comes out to the left and a little behind the Brake Reservoir.

Perfect placement for maximum difficulty, but it is actually pretty easy if you take off that support strap for the wiring, and take off the 2 brake reservoir nuts. Then the reservoir can be tilted a little forward, praying the cap doesn't leak..., and the wiring loom moved a little out of the way, and we can get fumble fingers in there to set the rubber grommets.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Thanks for that, Pete. I guess I need to get a "newer" spider to bring me up to speed, as it has been decades since I've owned a spider past 1978. A lot changed over the years. Much gumpcukrus, if you ask me.

-Bryan

[courtenay]

Thanks, Pete. I don't have that wiring loom coming across the top of the booster. If I understand correctly, that thick cable across the top centre of the booster is the speedo cable.

[RRoller123]

No, it is the thinner of the cable set, coming perpendicularly out of the firewall, directly under the reservoir, roughly centered. C - Clutch, S - Speedo, T - Throttle

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Pete, I guess I'm still confused, as isn't your clutch cable feeding into the firewall towards the passenger side, which is where the gas pedal would be? And your labeled throttle cable is on the opposite side which is where the clutch pedal is?

Or is my head just spinning because of too much gumpcukrus?

-Bryan

[RRoller123]

Your head is spinning, or maybe not, but at least this is the way it is on my car ('80) (I will go check one more time, hang on...)

Yep, the pic is right, moving from the fender in, Throttle, Speedo, Clutch. As in teh pic.

Pete

[courtenay]

Yup....that’s what mine looks like. Guess I’ll be removing the clutch cable after all. Good thing I’m self isolating and have lots of time.

[axelbaker]

Yup....that’s what mine looks like. Guess I’ll be removing the clutch cable after all. Good thing I’m self isolating and have lots of time.

Don't touch your clutch cable.

The booster will come out with it in place.

If you are not enjoying working on the brake booster you are going to enter the 6th level of hell on that clutch cable. It took me 3 hours upside down to reconnect mine to the pedal.

[courtenay]

Yup....that’s what mine looks like. Guess I’ll be removing the clutch cable after all. Good thing I’m self isolating and have lots of time.

Don't touch your clutch cable.

The booster will come out with it in place.

If you are not enjoying working on the brake booster you are going to enter the 6th level of hell on that clutch cable. It took me 3 hours upside down to reconnect mine to the pedal.

Okay, then. I'm nearing the 3rd level of hell trying to get the upper right hand bolt of the booster off under the dash. I suspect I might get to the 6th level trying to get it back on if/when I get the bloody thing out and the new one in. I will try and work around the clutch cable in place.

[courtenay]

Well, I did it. Old booster out, new one in and all back together. Now have to bleed the brakes and job done.
I did not have to remove the clutch or speedo cables. I did have to disconnect the fuel line to the fuel rail to get enough room to manoeuvre the boosters in and out. It took a hell of a lot of jigging around to do it. I did remove the seat so I could get enough room to contort myself into some pretty interesting positions to get at the bolts in the inside of the firewall. The top right bolt was particularly challenging as not only is it the least accessible, it has the bracket that holds one end of the pedal spring - which was another interesting little task to reattach. One hint for anyone else doing this is don't snug up the booster until after you've reattached the pedal to the yoke from the booster. You need a bit of play to line up the shaft of the thingy that goes through the pedal and the yoke. A second hint is to jockey the old booster around so that you can take the backing plate off before you try to extricate the thing
from it’s hiding place. Mark the top of the plate so you can orient it properly when you reinstall it....also afte you’ve gotten the new booster roughly into position. It is critical to ensure the new booster is oriented properly so that the master cylinder will sit properly BEFORE you bolt it to the firewall...so you won’t have to do it twice. Don’t ask me how I learned that one...
My only problem now is that the car won't start! Turns over just fine, but won't catch. Not sure whether disconnecting the fuel line had anything to do with this problem as that's really the only thing I did under the hood that wasn't related to the brake system. The fuel pump is working.

Going to tackle that little problem tomorrow as well as bleeding the brakes. It's going to be a rainy day, so inside work is good.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

You've earned my respect, Bruce. Not just for replacing the brake booster, but also for the willingness to tackle a new problem in the morning (the non-start issue). Mere mortals would have tossed in the towel by now...

-Bryan

[courtenay]

Thanks, Bryan. I feel pretty good about the whole exercise. I rode a desk for 30 years before I retired and am not particularly mechanical. Hoping I can get the thing running tomorrow!