AUYota

OK- I hate doing brake work so I took the runner to a brake specialist here in town to replace a rear brake line. As predicted they want to fix the whole damn truck and tell me if I don't it might just explode and create thermo-nuclear explosion, cause me to have bad breath, and ruin my mother's best china...
Well not really but you get the drift... Seeing how they might be right here's the deal. They said that the master cyl needs to be replaced. They said anytime that it gets dry the rubber fittings etc get hard. Well for one it was never "bone-dry" as he said. At worse the res. was half full. When I noticed the leak I kept it full and at worse it was half full for maybe a few days... I don't think this is long enough to promote degradation of the rubber components.

Any thoughts? Does this guy have a point? I don't have the money to replace the mast cyl as i don't really have the money to replace the line but I need trans.

Lifelongtoy

Are you sure its the brake line? Can you see the leak?

Those brake guys will always tell you that unless you give them $600 to replace your entire brake system, then your irrespinsible bad citizen blaa blaa blaa....

My two cents, judge how bad the leak is by how much fluid you have to add per week/month, and go from there. If its not leaking from the master cylinder, then you don't need another one.

AUYota

The LINE, yes the REAR LINE going to the rear driver wheel was leaking. He confirmed this. It broke because one of the rear end mounts needs rewelding and allowed the line to chafe as the rear end had more vibration. That's a simple fix I can get done this weekend. I noticed this leak Sunday- and the mast cyl was at half. I refilled it and drove it no where. It sat for a week and they came and got it this morning. the mast cyl was again at half and they filled it up, clamped off the hose to the rear and drove it back to the shop on just front brakes.
Before a week ago- I never had to add anything- except a little a month ago and at that point is was due to the pads wearing thin and the system requiring more fluid, but it was just above the min line no where close to "bone dry." So to answer you question- I never had to keep adding fluid and there is no visible leak at the master cyl.

So is this just shop talk- wanting me to replace a whole bunch of crap that I really don't need to.

TORTIS

iTrader: (1)

replace the line, and bleed the brakes, and be done with it.

jason191918

X2. The master won't leak unless it comes out of the reservoir itself. If this is the case get a new reservoir, cuz a new cylinder won't even come with one.

AUYota

yeah the res is covered with engine grime- I can clean it off and see if it's leaking anywhere, but I doubt it.... Also around the res on the mast cyl I never saw a trail of leaking fluid or anything like that.

It just drives me nuts that these people want to screw over their customers.

Lifelongtoy

The mentality of the mechanic is, if they can scare you enough thenyou will pay them for something. So they exagerate to get something out of you.

I never take the mechanics advice, because its not really advice!

isaac338

ask them why new master cylinders are shipped dry if it's so bad for the seals. that'll make them do a double take. ahha

longhungsilver

hold on buddy what are u talking about.. every master ive seen comes with the reservoir... and master cylidners can leak...the seals inside leak (either primary or secondary)...

hodgepodge79

Three years ago my master cylinder starter leaking inside the cab above the clutch pedal. I just recently replaced it with a junk yard one. $10 and 20 min later, I was back in business. Master cylinders are cake.