Brake master cylinder Qn:
Discussion
My brake master cylinder is leaking and I am trying to decide on the best way forward, re-build kit, or replace it and possibly the servo as it might be due to rust through soon (£££!)
Been reading the wealth of experience on here - My current set up looks like the Saab one (S3C)...
What is the current consensus of options based upon what is actually available to buy (oh I hate that word!) at this time?
Cheers
Been reading the wealth of experience on here - My current set up looks like the Saab one (S3C)...
What is the current consensus of options based upon what is actually available to buy (oh I hate that word!) at this time?
Cheers
I went for the Fiesta XR2 "conversion"
without checking, this could be the one ......... Fiesta Servo
Hi Andy
I went through this about a year ago. In the end I sent mine to these guys for a re-furb:
http://www.jlspares.com/
As it turned out, they had a brand new one on the shelf, so I got that instead. I'm pretty sure that they planned to re-furb mine and stick it on the shelf again - so you might get lucky that one is ready for exchange.
Good luck.
Stuart
ETA: actually my hunt was for the servo - oops !
I went through this about a year ago. In the end I sent mine to these guys for a re-furb:
http://www.jlspares.com/
As it turned out, they had a brand new one on the shelf, so I got that instead. I'm pretty sure that they planned to re-furb mine and stick it on the shelf again - so you might get lucky that one is ready for exchange.
Good luck.
Stuart
ETA: actually my hunt was for the servo - oops !
Edited by mohitos on Monday 3rd March 16:04
Do you mean the master cylinder (as per your question) or the servo (as per some of the replies). There was a fairly detailed Sprint article with part numbers etc, by the previous S-Series Editor (but based on research by Richard Jarvis and others) that tells you all you need to know. I can send you a copy of that if you can't find it.
Master cylinders are easy to find (or they were, when that article was written) - it's the servo that's a b****r. If your servo os OK, then you can turn it through 90 degrees and fit the later master cylinder (I'm sure the same servo was used throughout, it was just mounted upwards or sideways depending which m/c was fitted).
Master cylinders are easy to find (or they were, when that article was written) - it's the servo that's a b****r. If your servo os OK, then you can turn it through 90 degrees and fit the later master cylinder (I'm sure the same servo was used throughout, it was just mounted upwards or sideways depending which m/c was fitted).
Hi Andy, I have to admit I would be surprised if the SAAB set up was on such a late car. By that time I would have expected a FORD set up, but TVR did seem to return to older suppliers from time to time. Email me a pic and I should be able to tell.
If the servo is currently sound, do you think the rust would clean up without going through? If it does then some new good protection might give you quite a bit more life. It is brake fluid dropping onto the paint of the servo which causes it to rust. That applies equally to SAAB or FORD (both made by Lucas anyway).
If the servo can be saved then restoring the master cylinder will often be possible, even with a SAAB one, unless it has corroded badly inside. There are a couple of specialists who can do this if you do not want to tackle it yourself. If it is SAAB then I am afraid a new cylinder will almost certainly be impossible to source. If FORD then the odd new one is still around, but there are also good second hand ones which can be resealed. My friendly factor has so many contacts, if he cannot find one we certainly wont!
If the servo is currently sound, do you think the rust would clean up without going through? If it does then some new good protection might give you quite a bit more life. It is brake fluid dropping onto the paint of the servo which causes it to rust. That applies equally to SAAB or FORD (both made by Lucas anyway).
If the servo can be saved then restoring the master cylinder will often be possible, even with a SAAB one, unless it has corroded badly inside. There are a couple of specialists who can do this if you do not want to tackle it yourself. If it is SAAB then I am afraid a new cylinder will almost certainly be impossible to source. If FORD then the odd new one is still around, but there are also good second hand ones which can be resealed. My friendly factor has so many contacts, if he cannot find one we certainly wont!
greymrj said:
Hi Andy, I have to admit I would be surprised if the SAAB set up was on such a late car. By that time I would have expected a FORD set up, but TVR did seem to return to older suppliers from time to time. Email me a pic and I should be able to tell.
I'm not surprised. Mine is also an S3C and had the Saab remote reservoir setup.Andy, if the reservoir is on top of the master cylinder, it's probably the later Ford setup. If the reservoir is mounted on the side of the bulkhead (above no 3 spark plug) and connected by two bits of rubber hose, it's Saab.
Thanks guys, I have used your very good articles to work out the basics, and yes mine is the Saab one (separate wotsit).
Can't load photos from the tablet as they are too big, but that's the one.
My brakes felt not as good and fronts seemed to lock up more easily on testing so I decided to bleed them. Then noticed some air bubbles coming through.....ah ha I thought...that will be it then....however, went to refill the wotsit and then noticed damp patch on the floor with the moisture emanating from the gap between the master cyl and the tin can (servo)...
So could just be the cylinder leaking...
The info on the web is great, but I raised it again now as with the passage of time, it seems that more and more of the solutions are no longer available and wanted to know if any one else has more positive good news on sources....
Ps the repair kit number I have does not see to be on the list of parts for Saabs web site any more...
Can't load photos from the tablet as they are too big, but that's the one.
My brakes felt not as good and fronts seemed to lock up more easily on testing so I decided to bleed them. Then noticed some air bubbles coming through.....ah ha I thought...that will be it then....however, went to refill the wotsit and then noticed damp patch on the floor with the moisture emanating from the gap between the master cyl and the tin can (servo)...
So could just be the cylinder leaking...
The info on the web is great, but I raised it again now as with the passage of time, it seems that more and more of the solutions are no longer available and wanted to know if any one else has more positive good news on sources....
Ps the repair kit number I have does not see to be on the list of parts for Saabs web site any more...
tvrgit said:
There was a fairly detailed Sprint article with part numbers etc, by the previous S-Series Editor (but based on research by Richard Jarvis and others) that tells you all you need to know. I can send you a copy of that if you can't find it.
Could you link me a copy? I've a brake upgrade to do and I'd like to do it all once.Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff