[MR2] Anyone rebuilt a mastrer cylinder before?

Sat Jan 3 17:01:43 EST 2009

Hi, Bill,

Out of curiosity I just checked rockauto.com and found prices similar to
your NAPA price. More than I remember paying for non-Toyota, but then bread
isn't a nickel a loaf anymore and two-bit gas is long gone too (sigh).

Bob Peitzke

-----Original Message-----
From: William Brandt [mailto:wbrandt1 at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 1:35 PM
To: Bob Peitzke; mr2 at bagdon.com; mr2 at mr2.com
Subject: Re: [MR2] Anyone rebuilt a mastrer cylinder before?

Hi Bob - Steve - well, here's what I found. I called my local Kragen (Shucks
or Checker in other parts of the country) and they want $65 + $35 core.

I'm always a bit suspicious of their parts because with at least their
alternators they are crap.

I called NAPA - the company warehouse - and a reman is "special order only" 
and $77 + similar core.

So I think I will go the NAPA route.

As far as the rehoning I could see myself doing that - finding pits - a good
reman shop is supposed to inspect all that stuff and you just bolt it in.

What I think I have learned is that for all the Corolla parts in the 1st gen
the brake m/c must be unique to that car which is bad in a way - a lot more
old Corollas still on the road than old MR2s!

As far as bleeding, I have a pressure bleed tool kit called speedibleed -
www.speedibleed.com - it has worked great. Unlike a lot of pressure bleed
systems that simply run off a spare tire, this has a regulator that you set
for the lbs you want - 10 is usually fine. I learned from experience that
you have to turn the pressure dial down before disengaging the fitting to
the m/c or you will get back flow to the regulator.

You have to buy the custom m/c attachment since so many makes have different
set ups - on the Toyota it is a rather crude strap on thing - like a luggage
strap - that you really have to cinch over the top to make an air tight
seal.

That's the only way you can do it as the top is just snap-on ...

I haven't been able to make this work on the clutch m/c (too small)

My brakes need topping every 6 months or so - the brake light will just
suddenly come on and by now I know to pour more fluid in the reservoir -
from what I have learned that bore is a bit pitted - or something because
you can see just a trace of fluid running down from the base down the brake
booster - the leak is so slow that it is dry but that has to be where it is
as all the calipers are dry -

As long as I have it on dry dock & have to bleed the system  I will change
the hoses too...

Thanks everyone!

Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Peitzke" <BPeitzke at Netwood.net>
To: <mr2 at bagdon.com>; <wbrandt1 at sbcglobal.net>; <mr2 at mr2.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: [MR2] Anyone rebuilt a mastrer cylinder before?

>I used to rebuild master cylinders on my cars. I've got a bore hone that
> has 3 little stones mounted on flexible arms attached to the shaft such
> that the centrifugal force pushes them against the cylinder walls to
> lightly hone them. It is driven by a 3/8ths" drill. I used it on m/c's
> and wheel cylinders (remember drum brakes?).
>
> But I haven't rebuilt one since I first got my MR2 in 1990 - I put 2
> M/C's in it over the years, but just bought them from local auto parts
> store. They were new, not rebuilt. Seems the cast iron body isn't that
> expensive, probably sourced from China. But maybe if I'd gotten the 1st
> one from Toyota I wouldn't have needed the 2nd one. There was a big
> difference in cost, but like Steve said, it's brakes. Come to think of
> it, I think I did get the last one from a Toyota dealer - might have
> been 3rd one (memory failing).
>
> The honing & kit (piston & seals) worked fine as long as the bore wasn't
> pitted. If that's the case, I'd wasted time and had to get a new unit
> anyway.
>
> You're right about the bleeding being the hardest part. In recent years,
> on all my cars, I've been flushing the hydraulic lines with new
> Valvoline Synpower fluid every other pad change. This is easier, as no
> air gets into the lines (as long as I don't let the MC run dry), and
> while it doesn't get 100% of the old fluid out, it does remove most of
> it and the moisture that causes corrosion. This regimen has allowed me
> to go more years between full hydraulic system rebuilds, with good brake
> performance, no frozen calipers.
>
> Well, thanks for stimulating that little stroll down memory lane, Bill.
> Good luck on yours.
>
> Happy new year to all.
>
> - Bob Peitzke
>
> --------------------------
> Sent using BlackBerry
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mr2-bounces at mr2.com <mr2-bounces at mr2.com>
> To: 'William Brandt' <wbrandt1 at sbcglobal.net>; 'MR2 List' <mr2 at mr2.com>
> Sent: Sat Jan 03 11:32:44 2009
> Subject: Re: [MR2] Anyone rebuilt a mastrer cylinder before?
>
> I've replaced a Mk I m/c once, the worst memory was the brake bleeding.
> When shopping, I could get the rebuild kit for almost nothing, or a new
> unit for lots more. Even the parts guy admitted... it's brakes, it
> lasted 10 years the first time, just replace it, it'll outlive the car.
>
> Replace it, IMO. It's the brake system, after all. :)
>
> Steve B.
> MR2-less
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mr2-bounces at mr2.com [mailto:mr2-bounces at mr2.com] On Behalf Of
> William Brandt
> Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 2:08 PM
> To: MR2 List
> Subject: [MR2] Anyone rebuilt a mastrer cylinder before?
>
> Well, yesterday I got a surprise. Being unemployed since March and going
>
> back to school in 2 weeks, I thought it would be nice to finally fix
> that
> pesky s l o w (every 6 months top off) m/c and while I was at it replace
> the
> original brake hoses.
>
> I spoke with my friend Ralph Willis at Maita Toyota - I have known Ralph
> for
> years and he is an ex factory mechanic with lots of advice - anyway -
>
> Toyota no longer stocks the master cylinder for the 85-86 - don't know
> about
> the 87 but Ralph said by the part number it changed a bit - no remans
> available (?????)
>
> But he discovered that there is an assembly you can buy that fits in the
>
> "bore" - he said some honing should be done first to clean out the bore
> -
> told me the procedure - anyone done this?
>
> It surprises me because usually a manufacturer will stop supplying sheet
>
> metal or trim before necessary parts -
>
> Wondering if any of you have done this?
>
> BTW the savings would be substantial - a new m/c if available would be
> about
> $185 (my cost) - list over $200 - while the kit he said was around $60.
>
> Bill
>
>
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