Correct seal kit for Brake Master Cylinder?

[adam quantrill]

Hi I have a brake master I took off a few months ago which is in good nick. I looked into getting a seal kit to recondition it as an alternative to the £50 or so for a replacement one on the flea, but I can't be sure I'm getting the right one as the ads I have seen are too vague.

Is there a (girling?) part number for the seal kit - what should I be looking for (or should I take it to a specialist and pay a few more quid for the kit?)

Anyone bought one (that fits) recently?

[350zwelgje]

Think big red did a set, don't know the part number....
Part number for something like a cortina?/capri? 22mm bore master cylinder.

Rob

[RCK974X]

I got one for an early Cortina mk4, which was the right set. Sorry don't have a part number.

I do remember the brake guy here in NZ said "there's an early one and a late one", and I got the early one for mine ('82 V6). Don't know if later wedges may have later type.

And of course the Aussie Cortinas have a totally different master cyl and servo, just to confuse things more, which is a problem you won't have in dear old Blighty.

[ElvisWedgely]

Overhauling the master cylinder using a seal kit is false economy I think. I'd hate to do all that work of remomal and replacement of master cylinder and bleeding the system, only to find that it's leaking again two months down the line. It's the sort of thing I used to do when I was a student to save money, and almost always had to replace it with a new unit after. It's a lot of messing about and I can understand why garages always fit new replacement units or ones professionally overhauled. At the end of the day, I believe it's a Ford unit and it's not going to break the bank to replace with a new one. Hence, why, I think overhaul kits are getting harder and harder to source.

Tony.TCB.

[RCK974X]

I disagree in that it's not *always* false economy.
It depends where the wear is - the seals can harden and crack along the edges, and can then leak.

If the bore or piston is scored, then the new seals won't last long.
Similarly if the bore is very worn and so piston is a slack fit, then it's prone to leak.

I've replaced several master cylinder seals (brake and clutch) in different cars and they have all worked perfectly for years afterwards, the wedge mcyl is still fine after 2 years for example.

Also replaced clutch slave seals and brakes too...

The key is to carefully dismantle and inspect before deciding whether it's really beyond fixing.

But it doesn't do any harm to buy a new one I guess.

[adam quantrill]

My thinking is - do the seals for £15 and give it a punt. If it doesn't work out get a new one.

Agreed the clutch master isn't worth bothering usually 'cos the bore wears oval in the wedge. Maybe the brake master will be more robust being made of steel instead of alloy.

[350zwelgje]

Replaced the seals on my clutch master over 5 years ago and it is still going strong.... And while at it also did the seals on the slave. Probably lucky.
And as Adam said, a try never hurts, if the job is simple, non-time consuming and the parts are cheap.

Rob