So changed the clutch on my MK1.5 Focus this weekend, put in a LUK Clutch plate + slave and all, was going well until I noticed brake fluid leaking from union where the hose from the brake master cylinder connects to the slave. Its held in by a retaining pin, but had a lot of play and doesn't seat as well as my old one. It seems there is a 2mm gap between the Union and the Slave when this pin is locked in, but offering it up to my old one I don't have this.

I've read about a seal being needed,  but my hose has an O ring at the end. Anyone come across this before? Only option is to grind a new indentation ring into my hose connector for the spring to lock in which seems ridiculous, but still better than undoing everything I've done! Old clutch and slave was LUK too

So it appears there was a change with Slave Cylinders/Pipes from October 2003, as when looking at a replacement Slave Cylinder on ebay, the compatibility checker said it fits up to 10/2003 models, so I suspect the one I bought off Gumtree was for after this date (my Focus is is 2002)

Crux of the matter is the retaining clip hole you pop into the slave cylinder once you have connected the clutch fluid pipe is about 2mm off from the groove in the Union connector that's on the end of the fluid pipe, so it won't slot in. I've tried cutting a new groove for it to slot in, and it will, but its not a tight fit so air is getting in to the system, and won't bleed right. Car off the road for 2 weeks now. 

Help! The answer should be to get a pipe from a 2004 Focus, but I don't know for sure their is a difference or if this will work. All this over a £2 little retaining clip :(

3 hours ago, Msc1 said:

The answer should be to get a pipe from a 2004 Focus, but I don't know for sure their is a difference or if this will work. All this over a £2 little retaining clip 😞

Nightmare! All because of some Ford effort to save a penny or two per car, I expect.

I think I would try to get the later pipe, and if it did not fit at the master cyl. end, I would saw both in half and join them with a suitable bit of pipe and about 4 Jubilee clips. I might not be so rash with brake hoses, but even a major clutch failure is designed to leave enough fluid in the system to keep the brakes working.

I know, went in to, Ford's this morning, it turns out there was a revision October 2003, a pipe from that revision should fit, for the bargain price of £224! Politely declined, cursed them under my breath for this stinking revision that's cost me countless hours of graft and research and called my local scrappy who have a few in and will cost £10 if I remove it myself. Hopefully this works. 

I should have checked the connection before resecuring the gearbox, lesson learned for next time 

On 1/12/2020 at 8:22 PM, Msc1 said:

So it appears there was a change with Slave Cylinders/Pipes from October 2003, as when looking at a replacement Slave Cylinder on ebay, the compatibility checker said it fits up to 10/2003 models, so I suspect the one I bought off Gumtree was for after this date (my Focus is is 2002)

Crux of the matter is the retaining clip hole you pop into the slave cylinder once you have connected the clutch fluid pipe is about 2mm off from the groove in the Union connector that's on the end of the fluid pipe, so it won't slot in. I've tried cutting a new groove for it to slot in, and it will, but its not a tight fit so air is getting in to the system, and won't bleed right. Car off the road for 2 weeks now. 

Help! The answer should be to get a pipe from a 2004 Focus, but I don't know for sure their is a difference or if this will work. All this over a £2 little retaining clip 😞

I fixed this issue by getting a cheap C-max clutch line. Has the quick release rubber end for the clutch slave and the metal end for the master cylinder at the firewall.

(clutch line was also a LUK part)

 

Also, make sure you have the seal bio that attaches to the quick release end.

I'm having this exact issue at the moment. My focus is 2003, registered right on the time they changed the clutches but obviously manufactured earlier. Without realising I bought and fit the newer revised 3 piece borg & beck clutch set all to find the exact same fault with the pipe fitting as you’ve mentioned above. To add to the confusion the aluminium hydraulic pipe fitting into the slave cylinder had also split. I spoke to the supplier who said he thinks I should've got the earlier style clutch kit so I investigated further. It looks like the older style clutch plate od is 210mm & the newer one is 220mm od. I then measured the one I removed from my car and it's 220mm od which now suggests to me someone has previously replaced the cover & friction plate but not the slave cylinder (csc)! Msc1 what did you end up doing, later model pipe? Keiranpm you say you used a c-max clutch line, was it any particular year/model/part number & has it all been ok?

I'm having this exact issue at the moment. My focus is 2003, registered right on the time they changed the clutches but obviously manufactured earlier. Without realising I bought and fit the newer revised 3 piece borg & beck clutch set all to find the exact same fault with the pipe fitting as you’ve mentioned above. To add to the confusion the aluminium hydraulic pipe fitting into the slave cylinder had also split. I spoke to the supplier who said he thinks I should've got the earlier style clutch kit so I investigated further. It looks like the older style clutch plate od is 210mm & the newer one is 220mm od. I then measured the one I removed from my car and it's 220mm od which now suggests to me someone has previously replaced the cover & friction plate but not the slave cylinder (csc)! Msc1 what did you end up doing, later model pipe? Keiranpm you say you used a c-max clutch line, was it any particular year/model/part number & has it all been ok?

On 2/20/2021 at 9:36 PM, Dave n said:

I'm having this exact issue at the moment. My focus is 2003, registered right on the time they changed the clutches but obviously manufactured earlier. Without realising I bought and fit the newer revised 3 piece borg & beck clutch set all to find the exact same fault with the pipe fitting as you’ve mentioned above. To add to the confusion the aluminium hydraulic pipe fitting into the slave cylinder had also split. I spoke to the supplier who said he thinks I should've got the earlier style clutch kit so I investigated further. It looks like the older style clutch plate od is 210mm & the newer one is 220mm od. I then measured the one I removed from my car and it's 220mm od which now suggests to me someone has previously replaced the cover & friction plate but not the slave cylinder (csc)! Msc1 what did you end up doing, later model pipe? Keiranpm you say you used a c-max clutch line, was it any particular year/model/part number & has it all been ok?

It has since passed MOT and kept pressure in the line. If the old aluminium head doesn't fit the slave cylinder you need the newer quick release rubber ended pipe (the pedal side is still aluminium)

In the images I've added you can see the rubber end from an eBay item and the LUK part I ordered has it on the thinner end.

 

The pipe probably won't come with a little seal nib but I bought one seperatly, will add image in another post

Just now, Keiranpm said:

It has since passed MOT and kept pressure in the line. If the old aluminium head doesn't fit the slave cylinder you need the newer quick release rubber ended pipe (the pedal side is still aluminium)

In the images I've added you can see the rubber end from an eBay item and the LUK part I ordered has it on the thinner end.

 

The pipe probably won't come with a little seal nib but I bought one seperatly, will add image in another post

This pipe seal goes on the slave cylinder side but won't work with older aluminium connector