just received my new $400 metal sphere... i was looking in haynes and the process seems to be rather lenthy with removal of several components. is there a way to get at this thing and swap it without pulling the master cyl and related parts? i dont have the car yet, so i cant look at it, should be arriving next week.

also , is it recommended to flush the imneral oil while im in there? how many quatrs / liters will i need? i saw the castrol oil on ebay.

thanks in advance

 

If it's an '88 model, the accumulator assembly should be located behind the right front wheel well....very easy to access from underneath the front of the car and there should not be any need to go working around the master cylinder... The '89 models on are different.

It's just a matter of firstly depressurising the system, this is done by pumping the brake pedal some 20 or so times with all electrics turned off. Then undo the screw that holds the accumulator retaining strap to the body and unscrew the old accumulator from the charge switch housing and then screw in the new one... refit the retaining strap and then pressurise the system (simply by turning the ignition on) and checking for leaks.

Just remember that more often than not the accumulator charging switch will be faulty in which case you will need a new one which isn't cheap!!! A lot of owners do a brake conversion to a conventional vacuum assisted system rather than fork out the big $'s to fix the old system. But as you already have forked out for a new accumulator then you're already half way there.

All fluid is worth changing at regular intervals although I've never come across the service interval for the green stuff and I'm not aware of any documented procedure for doing this but in the past I've simply undone one of the return lines from the housing on top of the wheel arch (in engine bay) and let the pump spit all the fluid out into a catch can...a bit like bleeding brakes.

 

thanks for the very clear info. one more question about the hydraulics, when i unhook the return line , i will be keeping the reservoir topped at the same time the pump is doing its thing right? also , is the system self bleeding once i hook the return line back up?

 

well, in theory....yes

but in practice, the system pumps way too fast and with too much pressure for one to keep up with replacing new fluid as the old pumps out... so I would just empty it first and then refill it. From what i understand, it is self bleeding which makes the job easier... I'm also not sure on the capacity of the system so can't advise how much hsmo you will need to purchase...best to grab three or four 500mL bottles. Hopefully someone else can chip in with their thoughts.

also keep in mind that the green stuff is very susceptible to dirt of any form, hence why it is a 'sealed' system...so keep everything clean as you work.