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So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brakes

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J

jackag91

Jedi Warrior
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The guy I bought the car from said that he used Silicon brake fluid on the car.

After topping off the brake fluid yesterday, I discovered that he meant, synthetic brake fluid....My drive way is covered in brake fluid.

I was told that once you have mixed the fluids you need to rebuild the brake system.

How complete of a rebuild are we talking? New hoses, lines, master cylinder, Servo, etc? Or just the master cylinder?

Thanks
 
anything rubber. master and slave, rear cylinders, maybe caliper dust cover things...

at least that is what i've heard.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Opinions differ somewhat on this. Generally, though, it seems that one should at least try to purge the system of as much of the "other" fluid as possible, with some folks even running alcohol or similar through.

I doubt that whatever fluid you added (to whatever was in there) caused the problem you experienced...but I think it would be wise to renew all seals regardless in this case!
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Where are your leaks? How is your clutch? If you buy rebuild kits and a small hone, you will have just about everything need for the job.
I have had good results with The Roadster Factory rebuild kits and poor results with Victoria British hydraulic products.
If you haven't done this job before, find somebody who can walk you through it. We can help you, but there is nothing like hands on instruction.
Flare nut wrenches are very nice to use when working on hydraulics.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

I was under the impression that Silicone fluid was synthetic.
Mixing two incompatible fluids may cause a mess inside, but is should not have caused an instant leak. Obvously you're going to have to fix what's leaking, and that probably indicates that there is more things that will need attention soon.
You probably don't need a complete overhaul though.. Get a few bottles of whatever kind of fluid that the PO used, fix the leak, and flush the system by sucking the reservoir out with a vacuume pump or turkey baster, then filling it up with fresh fluid and bleeding all the brakes till clear fluid comes out.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Is there any paint left on the body panel underneath your master cylinder? You sound as if you need to take the whole system down and either refurbish and re-kit everything or start from scratch, depending on how much you want to put into your new toy or has much it is worth (not necessarily monetary value). Brakes are important, very important.



Bill
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

[ QUOTE ]
I was under the impression that Silicone fluid was synthetic...

[/ QUOTE ]

But I think not all synthetics are silicone. Anyway, this is as good as time as any to decide what one wants in there, then weigh the opinions (and even facts if you can find them) and decide how much of the system must be replaced to have a satisfactory result with that choice.

Mixing the 2 types isn't exactly anti-matter colliding with matter... in fact it's pretty benign. Certainly cannot imagine using a different fluid that what was in there would cause an immediate leak.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Is the brake master cylinder in some way connected
with the transmission/engine clutch?

The brake fluid level in the Crypt Car has fallen
about an inch in the past 9 months of being dead.
But I see no fluid on the garage floor. The master
cylinder was full the day the car died.

The clutch has been pushed in many times during the
many attempts to start the Crypt Car. Is it possible
the missing brake fluid seeped into the clutch somehow?

thanks,

d
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

[ QUOTE ]
Is the brake master cylinder in some way connected
with the transmission/engine clutch?

The brake fluid level in the Crypt Car has fallen
about an inch in the past 9 months of being dead.
But I see no fluid on the garage floor. The master
cylinder was full the day the car died.

The clutch has been pushed in many times during the
many attempts to start the Crypt Car. Is it possible
the missing brake fluid seeped into the clutch somehow?

thanks,

d

[/ QUOTE ]

They are not connected. It is possible however that your rear seal on the Brake M/C is leaking fluid into your servo (the big black round thing between your Master Cylinder and the bulkhead). That or a lot of airbubbles have been displaced back into the resevoir. The former being most likely.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is the brake master cylinder in some way connected
with the transmission/engine clutch?

The brake fluid level in the Crypt Car has fallen
about an inch in the past 9 months of being dead.
But I see no fluid on the garage floor. The master
cylinder was full the day the car died.

The clutch has been pushed in many times during the
many attempts to start the Crypt Car. Is it possible
the missing brake fluid seeped into the clutch somehow?

thanks,

d

[/ QUOTE ]

They are not connected. It is possible however that your rear seal on the Brake M/C is leaking fluid into your servo (the big black round thing between your Master Cylinder and the bulkhead). That or a lot of airbubbles have been displaced back into the resevoir. The former being most likely.

[/ QUOTE ]


That's when you start looking on your floorboard!
Brake servos are famous for dumping on the floorboard and/or under the dash in the firewall. What a mess.


Bill
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Thanks Bill!

Last week when I replaced the rusted out driver's
side floor pan, it was dry as a bone and oil free.

How do I look inside the servo unit for trapped oil?
It has to be going somewhare and this does not bode
well for the Crypt Car.

d
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Dale,
It never ends, unfortunately. The brake servo (which basically is a brake booster, power brakes if you will) is very easily removed. I think there are just 4 nuts holding it in from the bottom of your dash, right about the pedals. Just undo the brake pedal, remove your master cylinder (drain it first with a suction bulb {I use a children's ear bulb from Walgreen's}) and it all comes out. That's the good news. The bad news is it take special skills to rebuild a servo. You can send it off to Apple Hydraulics. Or buy a new one. They are on sale at TRF right now. Much easier to slip a new one in. And get rid of that darn Japanese master cylinder while you are at it!


Bill
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

[ QUOTE ]
How do I look inside the servo unit for trapped oil?
It has to be going somewhare and this does not bode
well for the Crypt Car.

[/ QUOTE ]

There should be a plastic valve near the top of the servo with a rubber line that connects to the intake manifold. You can take that valve out and you will be able to inspect inside the servo without removing it.
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Thanks Shawn and Bill-

Bill, I have had the TR correct master cylinder
since just about the time the Crypt Car up and died.

My hands and time have both been filled with higher
priority items than changing out the Jap POS.

If anyone was a set of the two pre-bent, curved brake
fluid pipes for the master cylinder, I would greatly appreciate purchasing them. They appear to be a back
order item from TRF.

regards,

d
 
Re: So how big of a fix is this going to be? Brake

Gosh Dale,

If I had known (two weeks earlier) I would have daved mine when I installed stainless lines. But I cut them up to make bleed lines for the Master Cylinder.

You might want to try Moss. I usually don't run across that many backordered item from them.
 
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