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Brake fluid canister - how full?

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Randy Harris

Randy Harris

Jedi Warrior
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Good morning all. Ever since I had my clutch slave replaced the fluid cannister has been leaking. I suspect my mechanic overfilled it after bleeding. Is there an ideal fill level?
Thanks
Randy
'66 BJ8
 
After replacing both my brake and clutch MC's, I found that my reservoir was also leaking onto my freshly painted engine bay. It took awhile to determine that the leak was from the bottom of the reservoir by the connection for the line to the brake MC. Apparently in removing the MC's I had moved the lines from the reservoir enough to loosen at least one of them. I ended up draining the reservoir and removing the inner chamber (clutch) in order to properly tighten the brake line from inside the reservoir. Then I reassembled the clutch chamber and tightened it. Leak stopped, but it was a little bi of a hassle.
 
Hi Randy, I fill mine to the top of the inner cannister rim. Never had any trouble with spill over or slopping out. (Knock on Wood).
 
shorn said:
After replacing both my brake and clutch MC's, I found that my reservoir was also leaking onto my freshly painted engine bay. It took awhile to determine that the leak was from the bottom of the reservoir by the connection for the line to the brake MC. Apparently in removing the MC's....snip
Click to expand...

Nope, it's definitely leaking from either the vent hole or it's coming up and over the threads of the cap. I'm betting the vent hole as there's freshly bubbled paint in the outer lip of the cap. I'm going to remove some of the fluid and see if that does the trick. Thanks guys.
Randy
 
OK Randy,
If it is leaking out of the top, you might purchase a new rubber gasket for the lid. Most auto stores carry one that will work, part # 42072. This rubber gasket has a microscopic slit in the top, which some of us have sealed (I did not). The slit is almost invisible (at least to 60 year old eyes), but look under a bright light. With a new rubber gasket, the reservoir should not leak either through the vent hole or around the threads.
I fill mine so that it is slightly above the inner clutch cylinder.
 
I concur with Shorn, if you're sure it's not leaking from the connections at the bottom, it's the gasket. (The fluid's getting pushed around by pedal action.)
 
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