Clutch damper

[CALPATHY]

A few months ago I replaced a leaking clutch slave cylinder and now my clutch damper is seeping a bit.  Unfortunately they are no longer in stock anywhere as they stopped manufacturing them.  I can get some parts for a rebuilt online at exorbitant prices (damper cover gasket $55 ?? from Nissan).  Has anyone had any experience with these and what fails on these?  It may be just the damper cover gasket, which I may be able to duplicate out of a rubber sheet, but there is not much info on the internet, including here, outside of advice to remove it.  Has anyone removed theirs, did it make much difference and how did you connect the lines (female flare connector, size?)?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Slartibartfast]

I've never had one apart to find out what goes wrong, but here's a walkthrough for getting rid of it.

[CALPATHY]

I saw that one when I was originally searching for answers, but that one is for the WD21.  On the R50 the space to be gapped is app 2 1/2 inches and does not align anywheere close to a straight line, so the fittings suggested probably would not work too well unless bending the metal tubing.  I am somewhat leery of trying to bend the metal tubing as I could easily kink or break it.  My current solution is removing the short metal tubing between the clutch master cylinder, use a rubber line between the master cylinder onto the other end of the damper tubing.  It seems that it is an M10 fittings, male and female, so in theory it should work.

 

https://www.carid.com/dorman/clutch-hydraulic-hose-mpn-h38119.html

 

I may add an M10 male female elbow at the master cylinder if the hose does not bend enough to prevent rubbing.

 

So, unless someone may have had a more elegant solution, I'll be the guinea pig for this one.

 

I further researched the damper on other vehicles, i. e. Lexus, other Nissans, BMW, Toyota, and most people who removed them were happier with the damper gone, they do seem problematic.  Having all my cars manual, I always wondered why on occasion the clutch on the Pathy felt as if it were slipping, now I know why, the damper slows down the engagement; some people have even suggested that the clutch should last longer with the damper removed.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Ah, sorry, I missed that you're working with an R50. I see what you're up against now. Unless the lines are rusty, or there's something in the way, you should be able to bend them around a little without damaging them. I wouldn't call steel brake line easy to work with, but unless you try to bend it all in one place, it's reasonably forgiving. I've bent steel line around a 3/8" extension without it kinking, though not easily. There are also tools for bending brake lines cleanly. If the existing lines don't want to play ball, your idea with the soft line sounds like it would work. I would be inclined to bend up a new hard line instead--fewer fittings to buy, fewer places for it to leak. 

If they're the same as WD21 brake fittings, they're M10x1 inverted flare. Old VWs use M10x1 bubble flare, so don't just go by threads when you're looking for fittings. 

Hopefully your clutch works better when you're done. The only clutch damper I've messed with was on my Honda lawn tractor. I took it off when adjusting the clutch (dry disk clutch, weird little tractor) and never felt the need to put it back on.