Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 20:32:26 -0700
Reply-To: Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: brake master cylinder; mudflaps
In-Reply-To: <018401c1f71b$a8c75d20$587accd1@compaq>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi Carol
Good news, the brake master cylinder is a fairly easy job to do and
all the electronics of the dashboard has to be removed to get to it.
Let Ken do it though if you are not a mechanic.
If you have good braking now I would not worry about it. Nor about
black brake fluid, that is normal and why VW recommends bleeding.
You will get some warning before the master cylinder goes. It will
either leak and create drippings on your toes and carpeting or your
braking will become mushy and you may have to pump several times to
get the pressure. This will fail gradually and you will know that
its going.
Back in the old days they put any brake fluid in these things (DOT2).
Dot 3 or 4 really does not matter on our beast. Unless you are
going to race it around and get the disks so darn red hot that you
need the extra temp rating.
One trick that I learned from my dad a 40 year VW + any european car
mechanic was to cleanup any brake fluid spills quickly with plain old
rubbing alcohol. The alcohol soaks it right up and will evaporate
cleanly. This is good for cleaning the carpeting if your master
cylinder leaked all over it.
Good luck,
Joel
89 Syncro Westy
Rochester NY.
--- Carol Sussman <sussman@SNIP.NET> wrote:
> Went over to Ken Wilford's last week for new rear brake shoes/wheel
> cylinders. Good thing. Lots of rust (which probably accounts for
> the occasional horrific squealing) and the surface of the brake
> shoes was worn and cracked. Nice for me that I live only 15 miles
> from Ken and his vast assortment of van stuff. Visiting him affords
> the same joyous cognitive overload found in bookstores and
> bakeries; so much to buy! After he installed new parts we bled
> the air out of the brake system and the brake fluid was dark and
> looked a lot worse than I would have expected it to be after 2
> years. Discussed replacing the master cylinder as part of pre-trip
> preventive maintenance program (good news is part isn't too
> expensive; bad news is it lives behind the dashboard. Asked Ken
> what gets dripped on when adding brake fluid--- "delicate
> electrical components" !!#$%. This is superior German engineering?)
>
> Anyone have any idea what the expected lifetime of the original
> master cylinder should be? My van is a 1989 Westy with 95 K miles.
> Spec according to the owners manual is DOT 4 brake fluid but I
> think DOT 3 is what's in it now. I plan to use DOT 4 when I change
> the fluid.
>
> Has anyone used the generic Walmart mudflaps with success?
>
> Thanks, Carol Sussman
> Former MGB owner
> Not a mechanic, just a driver with a toolbox
> Did they really use control systems from Lucas on the space
shuttle?!
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