Hello Yota tech,

It’s time to freshen up my 86 4Runner’s clutch master. I saw the Aisin for ~$20 on Rock Auto and $27 on Amazon, big I’m wondering if there is an upgrade recommendation? Or, just stick with factory? Advice? Experiences? Thanks

 

No upgrade as far as I know. Best to buy OEM which is Aisin. Buy from whatever source you like best. I've always been happy with RockAuto.

 

I replaced mine with AISIN CMT-003 from Amazon and had zero issues.

 

Absolutely. Aisin. OEM parts are almost always the way to go. Look how long the factory one lasted! Get another OEM, it'll probably serve you for another 30+ years.

Have fun!
Pat☺

 

I went with Aisin from Rock Auto though the OEM from our 93 was still in excellent condition, no wear or tears.

 

Avoid anything but Aisin unless you want to get a lot of practice bleeding the clutch

 

with the excellent quality of the aisin clutch cylinders, why would there be a need for an upgrade? offhand, is there a better clutch cylinder (master/slave) manufacturer that offers something superior in the price range that aisin components can be sourced for?

 

Okay, first let me say that in terms of OEM parts (Toyota, Aisin, Denso), I’m as much or more of a purist than most. However, when I looked into the cmt003 on Amazon, I noticed some negative reviews. It seems there are remans available that utilize the Aisin housing but do not offer the same quality internal components etc. Also, in my short search I found some options from Trail Gear and a few other companies priced for much more ~$85-95. So, I thought I’d ask some advice and experiences. The original Aisin still functions, but has developed a leak and we’ve/I’ve noticed the pedal doesn’t function as well as it could. It’s time.

Lastly, I suspect many of you know of Jim Putney at 22re Performance.. Talking with him a few moons back and he disclosed to me that he went completely away from Aisin water pumps. He’s had issues with them and says they are NOT made the same as the once were. Conclusion? I always like to get some feedback and advice before making these small, crucial, yet awesomely fun upgrades and investments.

 

And what is the clutch master cylinder brand Jim sells/recommends for $165.21?
https://22reperformance.com/clutch-a...slave-cylinder

 

Right, so does this mean the one from Amazon for $27.70 is garbage? There must be a difference? I cannot see a profit margin that high.

 

I believe everybody is going to recommend Aisin clutch master and slave cylinder, myself included.

Good question, you can ask Jim that, maybe he has a good reason for the price difference.

 

$165.00?!! That's insane. They better have a good explanation. My guess is they're getting a Toyota Aisin from a dealer at wholesale, then adding a mark up. They should price the market.
And even OEM Aisin won't last 20 years. It just won't happen. I'd say they used to average maybe seven years, plus or minus a year or two.. That's one of the item we kept 2-3 on the shelf bitd. If it lasted 20 years we'd have relegated that to special order only and freed up the money and shelf space for a part with a higher turnover.

 

ive ordered aisin water pump off Rockauto. It wasnt stamped aisin, it had a sticker that said aisin and it looked like someone took a die grinder to where the manufacturer stamp was. I havent run the motor much since my rebuild but im still confused about it. Manufacturers do change over time. The problem with these trucks is for standard parts, there usually arent aftermarket options.

As for the 20 yr cylinder claim, he does say change the fluid every year. So I can see if you live in a dry climate or garage your truck and do 1 yr fluid changes it would go for 20 yrs. Id respect anyone that has such discipline but Im not there yet. Too busy working on my ford

 

Mine [clutch master cylinder] never had the fluid changed and it lasted for 33 years. It spent 1/3rd of its life in the harsh Midwestern plains. YMMV

 

And keep the push rod clean. I've always thought the grime and dirt that builds up on the rod just grinds away at the dust boot and seal every time the clutch pedal is depressed.

 

I tried after-market and lasted only a few months.
Oreilly clerk found me an Aisin and had it shipped to my local store. That was around 2013. I'm seeing seepage now but not bad. Will monitor.

 

22RE Performance sells the Genuine Toyota part, not the aftermarket version Aisin sells (which may be the exact same master cylinder, but with the word "Toyota" or the "TEQ" branding ground off).

Because they sell the Genuine Toyota version, you pay for Genuine Toyota pricing. Looking up Toyota's MSRP on the two master cylinders 22RE Performance sells, their price is reasonable (MSRP between $175 - $180).

However, as mentioned, you can essentially get the same Master Cylinder from Aisin for a much lower cost than going through Toyota.

You probably got a real Aisin water pump. Aisin usually uses the same casting that they used for the Genuine Toyota part, but because they are selling them aftermarket, they cannot use "Toyota" in the aftermarket product, so they just grind it off. My brake master cylinder is the same way.

While I think the Aisin water pumps are just fine, the NPW water pumps that 22RE Perfromance sells do have a better, smoother casting and better bearing than the Aisin offering.

 

I did a little research and based on discussions with Jim@22RE performance on another part, his master cylinder is most likely OEM Toyota from their local Toyota dealer as it's close in price to the price of my Toyota dealer. Rock Auto's Aisin most likely made in USA to avoid all the high duties, tariffs and shipping an Made in Japan part. If you want OEM Toyota, check Village Toyota, Camelback Toyota, Toyota Parts Deals for prices and compare them with your local Toyota dealer.

BTW, the master cylinder, water pump and oil pump I bought 7 years ago when I did the timing chain replacement all had the name AISIN forged onto the body (except the oil pump) and all said Made in Japan on the package. I bought the timing kit from 22RE Performance.

 

My 1986 4Runner has the original clutch master cylinder in it, it’s just started to seep. Then again, I bought it 7 years ago at 38k and it only has about 80k original miles today.

 

My 88 4R had the original clutch master cylinder also, I replaced it because of the same reason a couple of years ago. I installed a new Aisin and I had other problems after that, I solved them adjusting the pedal height and replacing the oil with Redline MT-90.