Master Cylinder ?
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 1
From: Auburn, Il
Master Cylinder ?
Ok I got the truck running alot better, just some fine tunning with a timing light and the engine will be taken care of for now. Next problem, I opened the master cylinder to see how much brake fluid she had in her and it had the same the tranny did, can we say EMPTY...lol Anyway I was wondering if there is something I could use to clean out the MC just for now to get the ol girl driving untill I put the disk brake conversion on her. This is what it looks like.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 693
Likes: 6
From: N E Ohio
From the picture, it looks like there are some flakes and such in there. You do not want to put any fluid in there and move the pedal, as that stuff in there can cause havoc.
Not easy, but I recommend removing the master cylinder, and at a minimum filling it half full with DOT3 brake fluid, putting the cap on, and shaking it pretty good, and then remove the cap and dump the fluid. Do this several times until the fluid comes out clean. Then put it in a vise, fill it, and stroke it to see if it works. To do this what I do is put a plastic fitting in the brake line connection (I have built up a collection over the years with the fittings that come with rebuilt MCs for bench bleeding) and running a short piece of hose back into the MC. If it seems to work, you can put it back in and try it. If it does not, rebuild or replace it
Use only brake fluid to flush brake systems, that way you never have a compatibility problem.
Not easy, but I recommend removing the master cylinder, and at a minimum filling it half full with DOT3 brake fluid, putting the cap on, and shaking it pretty good, and then remove the cap and dump the fluid. Do this several times until the fluid comes out clean. Then put it in a vise, fill it, and stroke it to see if it works. To do this what I do is put a plastic fitting in the brake line connection (I have built up a collection over the years with the fittings that come with rebuilt MCs for bench bleeding) and running a short piece of hose back into the MC. If it seems to work, you can put it back in and try it. If it does not, rebuild or replace it
Use only brake fluid to flush brake systems, that way you never have a compatibility problem.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 128
From: Windermere Valley,B.C. Ca
Yes, that is the correct and only proper way to do that!
Funny, the “experts”, say that brake fluid doesn’t evaporate, so IF (?) there are no leaks where does it go? Brake fluid is hydroscopic, absorbs water from the atmosphere, and the tell tail rust deposit certainly confirms that.
Now if we wanted to try and fix this the un-proper and wrong way, not recommended, use mega compressed air and blow and blow the rust out, chisel the lose stuff off with a screwdriver and blow until as clean as possible, using the screwdriver and a small rag wipe sparingly inside with naval jelly and wipe with brake fluid, blowing carp and chemicals into your eyes in the process. Disconnect the line, refill and bleed the master cylinder by itself using your finger over the outlet port as a valve to close the line on the up stroke. I never ever said this!
Funny, the “experts”, say that brake fluid doesn’t evaporate, so IF (?) there are no leaks where does it go? Brake fluid is hydroscopic, absorbs water from the atmosphere, and the tell tail rust deposit certainly confirms that.
Now if we wanted to try and fix this the un-proper and wrong way, not recommended, use mega compressed air and blow and blow the rust out, chisel the lose stuff off with a screwdriver and blow until as clean as possible, using the screwdriver and a small rag wipe sparingly inside with naval jelly and wipe with brake fluid, blowing carp and chemicals into your eyes in the process. Disconnect the line, refill and bleed the master cylinder by itself using your finger over the outlet port as a valve to close the line on the up stroke. I never ever said this!
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 4,735
From: Burbank, WA
Well, I'm going to be the spoil-sport here and just say NO. If you have that kind of contamination in your master cylinder, you will have that same contamination throughout the entire hydraulic system. The brake lines, wheel cylinders, everything.
Having good, safe brakes is far mor important than having a good running truck. You can't drive very far if you can't stop. Safely, that is. I was able to buy a 64 Thunderbird for cheap from some folks that didn't heed this warning. They had just rebuilt the engine and was taking it for their maiden voyage when the brakes failed and they sideswiped a tree to stop. Wiped out the door and quarter panel.
So even if you don't value your own safety, think what you'll do to your truck if you don't do things right and something goes wrong. If your plan is to go through the braking system, do it before you try to drive the truck.
My 2c.
Having good, safe brakes is far mor important than having a good running truck. You can't drive very far if you can't stop. Safely, that is. I was able to buy a 64 Thunderbird for cheap from some folks that didn't heed this warning. They had just rebuilt the engine and was taking it for their maiden voyage when the brakes failed and they sideswiped a tree to stop. Wiped out the door and quarter panel.
So even if you don't value your own safety, think what you'll do to your truck if you don't do things right and something goes wrong. If your plan is to go through the braking system, do it before you try to drive the truck.
My 2c.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 813
Likes: 1
From: Auburn, Il
Well, I'm going to be the spoil-sport here and just say NO. If you have that kind of contamination in your master cylinder, you will have that same contamination throughout the entire hydraulic system. The brake lines, wheel cylinders, everything.
Having good, safe brakes is far mor important than having a good running truck. You can't drive very far if you can't stop. Safely, that is. I was able to buy a 64 Thunderbird for cheap from some folks that didn't heed this warning. They had just rebuilt the engine and was taking it for their maiden voyage when the brakes failed and they sideswiped a tree to stop. Wiped out the door and quarter panel.
So even if you don't value your own safety, think what you'll do to your truck if you don't do things right and something goes wrong. If your plan is to go through the braking system, do it before you try to drive the truck.
My 2c.
Having good, safe brakes is far mor important than having a good running truck. You can't drive very far if you can't stop. Safely, that is. I was able to buy a 64 Thunderbird for cheap from some folks that didn't heed this warning. They had just rebuilt the engine and was taking it for their maiden voyage when the brakes failed and they sideswiped a tree to stop. Wiped out the door and quarter panel.
So even if you don't value your own safety, think what you'll do to your truck if you don't do things right and something goes wrong. If your plan is to go through the braking system, do it before you try to drive the truck.
My 2c.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Davis, CA
If your Master looks that bad then you are likely to have wheel cylinders that look worse. I would also worry about rust within the steel lines. The drums and pads may have some life left. The cylinders are cheap, the master is a bit more expensive. You could get some of your money back on the master if you switch it out later. New brake lines would be useful even if you upgraded to discs.
If you just want to move it in and out of the garage, I would go back to post 2 and then save up for all of the other stuff that you need to make it safe when others are around...ie on the road.
Steve
If you just want to move it in and out of the garage, I would go back to post 2 and then save up for all of the other stuff that you need to make it safe when others are around...ie on the road.
Steve
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
Likes: 22
From: Oxford, Indiana
This is just me, but every old vehicle I dink with that has a master cylinder that looks like that gets the brake hydraulic system COMPLETELY replaced. There is no rebuilding to it. The bore of that master and all 4 wheel cylinders WILL be pitted and they WILL leak if you rebuild them. Period. The only way to salvage them is to have them overbored and sleeved with a stainless steel or brass sleeve back to the original I.D. The cost of this work is much more than new parts. Just scrap it all and replace it - steel lines, hoses, and all. Yeah, I know. You just want to pull it in and out of the garage. With junk like that on your truck, your garage is liable to end up with a door on both ends!
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 813
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From: Auburn, Il
Well I went ahead and ordered my disk brake kit from here 1948-56 FORD F-1 & F-100 TRUCK, FRONT POWER DISC BRAKE CONVERSION KIT, 5-LUG (COMPLETE) - Performance Online. They were about 100 cheaper on the next day shipping shipping than CPP was. So hopefully I will get it tomorrow and start installing it friday, atleast thats what my plans are for now. Has anyone here installed one of these kits before and was there any issues to deal with?
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