I wondered where all that brake fluid went!

[jjbunn]

I have a leaky master cylinder, and I'm not sure whether it is worth putting new seals in, or just buying a new one. The master on my MGB leaked, and it was major game getting it apart to replace the seals, and it wasn't a success even after I'd gone to the trouble of doing it.

Are the TR6 master cylinders easy to get apart to replace seals, or should I just buy new?

In the brake booster, the hole where the master cylinder attaches was filled with brake fluid, and looked very grungy. Is the leak likely to have damaged the internals of the booster? Is there a way of testing the booster while it's off the car?

Thanks, as always, for input.

 

[Banjo]

TR6 brake masters are fairly straight forward. the biggest thing is the 1/2" allen needed to remove the valve just below where the reservoir screws on. I have used the head of a 1/2" bolt before, but I've also broken same said bolt trying to get the valve out. I now have the allen socket, and it's a ton easier, but that's the only thing I've ever used that $30 snap-on socket for, and I don't rebuild a lot of TR6 masters anymore.
It's likley that the brake fluid has not been any help to the rubber diaphgram in the booster Usually testing is just by pedal feel, and check for vacuume leaks.
Best of luck.

 

[Brosky]

Julian, please take this in the spirit that it was intended.

Brakes are your most important safety item on the car. I don't know your level of mechanical expertise, but these are not items to "learn how to be a mechanic on". Please don't take that as an insult, but if you've never done a master cylinder rebuild successfully, spend a few bucks more and have a professional shop do the rebuilding for you. It may need sleeved anyhow, and that should be done by a pro.

You must also have that booster rebuilt if fluid got inside on the diaphragms.

Here are some good shops to do the work, or better yet, buy a new master from one of the big three and have the booster done here for $125, including powder coating:

Brake Materials and Parts
800 Sherman Blvd
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808
phone 260-426-3331

Other sites for the rebuilding based upon recommendations from this forum:
White Post Restorations 540-837-1140 https://www.whitepost.com
Apple Hydraulics 800-882-7753 https://www.applehydraulics.com
Brake & Equipment 612-378-3141 https://www.brakeplace.com

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Julian,
Here is a how to do it.

https://web.archive.org/web/20040205162452/www.buckeyetriumphs.org/technical/Brakes/MCPDWA/MC.htm

Look it over and see if you want to take it on.

For the most part, it is not a big deal. BUT if the bore is pitted, either buy a new one, have yours sleeved and do the rest your self, or send it off to one of those guys to do it as a business.

While you are at it, you just may want to take a look at the clutch master and slave. Same problem happens there.

 

[TR3driver]

Julian, let me know if you need to borrow a 1/2" Allen key. Or you could check at Cal-Aero surplus in Paramount, which ISTR is where I got mine, off the $4/pound junk bench.

I would have said that being full of DOT 3/4 would almost certainly kill the booster eventually ... but after I vacuumed out as much as I could from the 'new' Stag, it's still working a year later. Perhaps it depends on whether the level inside got high enough to reach the valve mechanism in the center of the diaphragm.

Only bench test I can think of would be to somehow block the MC hole (perhaps by installing the MC to it) and applying vacuum.

 

[jjbunn]

Thanks everyone.

I will weigh my options. I'm not too keen on trying to refurbish the MC, as I have not had +ve experience with the MGB's (although judging from the HOWTO, the TR6's looks easier).

In the meantime I have been refinishing my dash ... it's coming out nicely!

 

[Brosky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] it's coming out nicely![/QUOTE]

Are you going to keep us in suspense or show the dash in progress?

 

[kc_doyle]

I had my MC honed out and it's perfect.