Clutch Hose repair

so, I can't find a clutch hose anywhere in town. Mine's ruptured itself in the flex hose. Can I replace the hose with a piece of brake line and some clamps until the new clutch line I ordered comes in? This thing is my DD, so I need to get it back on the road tonight if at all possible. I powershifted my way to work, that was sweet.

never tried it myself...but I think it would probably hold for a few days. Just be ready to have it go out on you...just in case it doesn't hold

And keep some brake fluid handy and check it alot...it will probably leak a little.

yeah, I caught it while it was mushy yesterday and got to the fluid level before it went dry. This morning I found the leak, the hose is burst, and the master cylinder was dry. I'm gonna try cutting the flex hose out, putting some brake line in and putting two clamps on each end. Hopefully it lasts 2 days until they get the new hose in at the parts store.

so, I did some more work today since it was nice.
The damned clutch is working now. But it does look like that hose is leaking, it's definitely deteriorated. I looked at the fittings underneath, it looks like I've got a fitting at the slave cylinder right before it goes into the bell houseing. Does anyone have the proepr part number for this hose? Do you know what that fitting is called? I could just have the hose made up at the local hydraulic place.
I found an AX-15 hose on advance autos website.
http://www.partsamerica.com/Product...AY&mfrpartnumber=BH38938&parttype=238&ptset=A

I have to order it, so I'm just trying to make sure I'm getting the right part so I don't have more down time. I wish tey had a photo of the other end. but of course they don't, and I have to have it shipped from the website, since they can't order it. I'm gonna call NAPA tomorrow.
OK I should clear this up a bit. I've got an 87 with an AX-15, but I didn't do the swap, so I'm not sure which parts are which down there. I've looked up the clutch hoses for the BA-10 and the AX-15. The AX-15 hose is 15" long, the BA-10 is 48. I Haven't taken out the hose yet to measure. But I did find an odd looking adapter down there, so I wonder if I need the BA-10 hose. I took a picture of the Adapter, I'll post it up in a minute.

ok, heres a picture. It's on my flickr site, so I can't display it directly.
http://flickr.com/photos/74249553@N00/59180049/

While I've got the thread at the top. What fluid should I use in the clutch system? I poured in some dot-3 fluid becuase that's what I had in the toolbox. I'll be doig the full fluid flush and bleed when I get a new hose. WHat's the correct fluid to put in> I read for a 91 that it was dot-4 somewhere in one of my many searches.

Mopar calls for using their proprietary clutch fluid. I've been using hydraulic clutch fluid I got from Auto Zone in the MJ and have no complaints. In the '88 XJ I use DOT-5 silicone brake fluid.

DOT-4 brake juice should be fine if that's all you can get.

thanks eagle. Any idea on my hose situation?

That is the Peugot clutch line, mine just went out on me to. I also swapped in a AX-15 tranny and used the BA/10-5 Peugot line on it.

Part number for the 1987 BA 10/5 transmission is 5300 4504; for the AX-15 1988-90 it is 5300 5923. It is called a "Tube and Hose Assembly". On my 1990 AX-15 it is a rubber section that is fitted to the tubing that runs to the slave cylinder. If you have the AX-15 in there now, that's probably the part you need to run from the clutch master to the slave cylinder.

yeah. I talked with the Napa fellas today. I ordered the AX-15 hose. Hopefully that works, if not I'll just get some bulk hose and bend up any extensions that it may need in hard line.
Here's a pic of the old hose
http://flickr.com/photos/74249553@N00/59547100/
I imagine that it just flexed when I pushed the pedal, and if you open the split up a bit you go about 2 layers into the hose. I'm sure it was the source of the problem.

OK, so I've gotten the corrent hose. I did have the BA-10 hose, and I ordered the AX-15 hose. Now I won't have an extra 6 inches of rubber hose, and it has a 180* bend at the end to mate up with the tranny. SHould be swell.
Back to the topic of Clutch fluids.
I've checked at the Advance Auto, AutoZone and Napa, nobody has clutch fluid. They all told me to use Dot-3.
A few questions.
Can I use one of the Silicone Based Brake fluids? I'd rather not worry about water absorbtion in the clutch system.
I intend on flushing the slave cylinder, and since the master is bone dry and I'm getting a new hose there shouldn't be much left of the old fluid.
If I can't use a silicone based fluid should I just use DOT-4? Will this cuase any long term damage to the hydraulic system?
Thanks for the answers people. I appreciate it.

I've been running silicone brake fluid in my vehicles' brakes for 30+ years. When I replaced the clutch in the '88 XJ (at 204,000 miles) I filled the clutch system with silicone brake fluid. That was 4 years ago, IIRC, and I haven't experienced any problems. The only downside is that the stuff is horribly expensive, but the clutch system doesn't use much.

87manche said:

so, I can't find a clutch hose anywhere in town. Mine's ruptured itself in the flex hose. Can I replace the hose with a piece of brake line and some clamps until the new clutch line I ordered comes in?

Click to expand...

Yeah that'll work. Just cut away the bad section of hose, substitute it with a longer section of steel brake line (small enough in diameter to fit tightly inside the stock hose, press each end in about 2", put two hose clamps on each side, and smear some fast setting steel epoxy paste on each joint.
I had to do this yesterday when my hose ruptured as I was climbing a steep hill (yeah, that sucked!) and it worked great. No leaks. The hose runs very close to the exhaust manifold and since it's plastic, it eventually melts from the heat and hey presto, you're stuck in the middle of nowhere looking like a complete tosser.
If only DC made the clutch hydraulic lines in steel rather than plastic as they do with the brake lines. Then we wouldn't have this problem.
Also watch out for the wiring to the CPS melting 'cause that's also very close to the no.6 runner of the exhaust manifold. Make sure that's well insulated or you could find yourself in a complete no start situation. I wonder which genius at DC came up with this design?