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Seperate clutch fluid reservoir

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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,228
4,215
Santiago, Chile
Would I be right to think that if I bought two automatic brake fluid reservoirs I could isolate the clutch and brake fluid??
Part number was 9R3Z-2K478-B. Looking at the auto reservoir since it only has one connection.... Or does anyone make a aluminum split reservoir to cool it down a bit??

added plus is that my present reservoir is still stained blue from ATE blue brake fluid some 3 years ago!
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
I wouldn't do that. There are other kits that are for a separate clutch reservoir. I wouldn't re-invent the wheel for this. An automatic reservoir won't have the right nipple to connect the clutch side anyway, I think.
 
...An automatic reservoir won't have the right nipple to connect the clutch side anyway, I think.

But I think he's trying to separate the two. Replace the current reservoir to get rid of the clutch nipple, and buy a separate, smaller reservoir for the TOB.

I remember people using a GM reservoir from a pontiac GTO
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
But I think he's trying to separate the two. Replace the current reservoir to get rid of the clutch nipple, and buy a separate, smaller reservoir for the TOB.

I remember people using a GM reservoir from a pontiac GTO

Agreed, and beat me to it. He was asking about buying two.
 
Yeah, research the alternative reservoirs... GM GTO and I also think some people have used a wilwood universal part. There's a thread somewhere here that covers this. I may search for it when i get bored!
 
100
109
Utah
I also bought the GM reservoir for $18. I just closed off the clutch hose fitting on the regular reservoir with hose plug and attached the clutch hose to the new reservoir. The guys racing the FR500S usually did a similar thing to keep brake fluid heat away from the clutch fluid which affect clutch action.
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,514
5,217
Exp. Type
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Illinois
The advantage to the Shelby unit is that the brackets are included. I picked the Shelby kit up on a rare 50% off sale. The Ford part was about $20.00.

Running a off the shelf dot 4 in the clutch reservoir by it self has saved me the cost of the upgrade. Having to flush the clutch system with SPF got expensive fast.

Could you make the second auto reservoir work? Yes, but why? There are several better options.
 
Installed the Shelby "Iso Clutch" res on my Boss last year. As you can see from the photo, it's actually a Wilwood part. Shelby had them on sale for like 50% off list when i bought it. Added a McLeod braided SS line at the same time. Easy installation and it just works. Not even sure if Shelby sells them anymore and their markup is probably all in the Shelby branding (CS logo in the bracket), but you can probably can get the Wilwood part for a lot less anyway.

IMG_0325.JPG
 
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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,513
8,135
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
How hot can the fluid actually get?
Doesn't seem like it could get all that hot especially on a track day car....
The fluid in the brake cylinder has way more volume than you'll have in a small separate cylinder and the fluid in the master doesn't get anywhere near as hot as the calipers do, and they somehow survive.
Not much fluid gets back to the master, the pistons don't retract enough to send fluid up there. So, Is this really an issue?
I will take IR reading on mine next time out and lets see whats what.
Anybody else willing to do it chime in, it would be interesting to compare notes.
I don't typically change anything until I personally see an actual measurable need for it so it will be interesting to get some real world numbers.
 
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1,243
1,240
In the V6L
It's all about protecting the brakes from the clutch, not the other way around. First, S197's have a history of cooking the clutch fluid because the OEM fluid line is too close to the exhaust. Second, if you've ever seen little black specks in your brake reservoir, they're from the clutch lining. Particles of clutch lining stick to the extended slave cylinder and get pulled past the seal into the cylinder. There's enough clutch fluid flow up and down for them to migrate up to the reservoir. So, a separate reservoir keeps cooked fluid and bits of clutch lining out of the brake circuit.

My GT500 never had a problem with cooked fluid, but I did have black specs floating in the brake reservoir. I sucked them out with a hand held pump and replaced the fluid, but I never got around to splitting the circuits with a separate reservoir.
 

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