Brake master cylinder ????
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Brake master cylinder ????
Brake light started coming on last week and now the question is " Is my Master cylinder going bad?" Pedal feel has dropped slowly over the last two months. And now to the point of very little brakes. I hate to just replace the whole system, but at under $400, it seems practical. What would you guys do?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Easy enough to remove and rebuild or replace the MC, but that
usually opens the proverbial can of worms. The fitting gets rounded
so you replace a line .. then rubber lines .. then all lines ...
I'd say if you are seriously considering it, do it all at once.
However, some of the lines are a PIA to get with the body on.
I rebuilt my calipers with VBP Oring kit. It's pretty easy to do,
but lots of time cleaning and painting. Plus, you'll want to
open yours up to verify that they are rebuildable - first.
If the rubber lines are original - definitely replace them.
I bought the stainless fex hoses at ZIP (Russel brand).
They are very nice, but be careful not to mess up the fitting end
of your hard lines.
usually opens the proverbial can of worms. The fitting gets rounded
so you replace a line .. then rubber lines .. then all lines ...
I'd say if you are seriously considering it, do it all at once.
However, some of the lines are a PIA to get with the body on.
I rebuilt my calipers with VBP Oring kit. It's pretty easy to do,
but lots of time cleaning and painting. Plus, you'll want to
open yours up to verify that they are rebuildable - first.
If the rubber lines are original - definitely replace them.
I bought the stainless fex hoses at ZIP (Russel brand).
They are very nice, but be careful not to mess up the fitting end
of your hard lines.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,437
Likes: 1,463
From: Little Rock AR
If you have dry calipers they are probably fine. Loss of fluid is a good indicator of condition there. If you have fluid loss out the back of the master cylinder, it is probably toast. I would look for leaky fluid and go from there.
You might have a rotor with a lot of runout. If so, you can pump in air as the pads go in and out with the rotor. That will give you a spongy pedal that goes away with bleeding but comes back with more driving.
Start there and see what you find.
-Mark.
You might have a rotor with a lot of runout. If so, you can pump in air as the pads go in and out with the rotor. That will give you a spongy pedal that goes away with bleeding but comes back with more driving.
Start there and see what you find.
-Mark.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
I agree, if you calipers are dry they're most likely fine. I replaced all lines with the body on and it's not as bad as many say... it is a pain but very doable...
How bad (or old) are your lines ? Since breaks are pretty important I'd replace them all .... the lines, ss breaded hoses and the (new) MC are less than $400..... more like $300.....
How bad (or old) are your lines ? Since breaks are pretty important I'd replace them all .... the lines, ss breaded hoses and the (new) MC are less than $400..... more like $300.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
Gradual loss of brakes is either air in the system or a bad master cyl. Bleeding will fix the first, but sometimes the reason for the air is warped rotors. Chevy went to great pains to get them true, even riveted them to the hubs so they wouldn't get rotated. Try bleeding and see if the problem goes away and stays away. Joe
PS if you decide to get a new master cylinder, rockauto.com as new ones for $50-60, less 5% if you enter this code:
- 201195198547
- When someone (including yourself) places an order at www.rockauto.com and enters the discount code in the "How did you hear about us" line of the shopping cart, he or she will receive an immediate 5% discount on that order.
- The discount code expires on May 24, 2005; so don't wait!
You may use this discount code as often as you wish until it expires, but only one discount code can be used per order.
**Each month we see people who put the word "discount" in front of their code and do not get the discount. Please enter ONLY the discount code.**
PS if you decide to get a new master cylinder, rockauto.com as new ones for $50-60, less 5% if you enter this code:
- 201195198547
- When someone (including yourself) places an order at www.rockauto.com and enters the discount code in the "How did you hear about us" line of the shopping cart, he or she will receive an immediate 5% discount on that order.
- The discount code expires on May 24, 2005; so don't wait!
You may use this discount code as often as you wish until it expires, but only one discount code can be used per order.
**Each month we see people who put the word "discount" in front of their code and do not get the discount. Please enter ONLY the discount code.**
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by RedBad1979
I agree, if you calipers are dry they're most likely fine. I replaced all lines with the body on and it's not as bad as many say... it is a pain but very doable...
How bad (or old) are your lines ? Since breaks are pretty important I'd replace them all .... the lines, ss breaded hoses and the (new) MC are less than $400..... more like $300.....
How bad (or old) are your lines ? Since breaks are pretty important I'd replace them all .... the lines, ss breaded hoses and the (new) MC are less than $400..... more like $300.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by Budman78
Doesn't Muskegon have a kit for under $400. MC, lines, and calipers?
If you really want to replace the calipers, AutoZone has them for $60 each (with LTWarranty) and you don't have to wait to get the money for the core charge back.... just bring the old ones in when you buy the new ones....
let's see: $240 calipers, $25 pads (AutoZone), $150 stainless lines, $60 ss braided hoses, $80 new MC (f.e. MidAmerica) ..... you can get the entire system done for $555 plus a little extra for shipping and smalll items..... not bad at all....(BTW, that's exactly what I bought and installed, works great)
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by bobs77vet
i always like to diagnose a problem before i do the shot gun approach to fixing it...
I'd replace everything except the calipers first, the calipers can easily be done later....
