Brake fluid + master cylinder =

[Critter]

I'm tired of any small amount of brakefluid pealing the paint off my standard ol brake master cylinder. I've come up with two solutions...

1) powder coat the master cylinder (what will brake fluid do to powdercoat???) or

2) get a later model plastic type master cylinder. Normally I wouldn't go to the plastic but I will have a 6.0 LSx sitting beside it along with a clutch master cylinder so it wouldn't look out of place.

Any thoughts???

[passthebuck]

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=349845

Over a year old & still looks the same.

[hayhauler71]

Change over to silicone brake fluid than if it leaks it does not eat the paint.

[ERASER5]

Silicone worked for me.

[POPO1984]

what all needs to be changed to use silicone fluid. does anything need to be changed

[Critter]

I guess I can go the silicon route, but this suuuure is pretty! Thanks passthebuck.



Going back to the plastic later model cylinder, does anybody know if one from the mid to late 80s (or whenever they started) will bolt up and work or would there be modifications involved?

[ERASER5]

To switch over to silicone fluid you have to remove ALL of the Dot 3 or Dot 4 fluid. Any left over Dot 3 will diminish the effects of the DOT 5. The MC would be difficult to completely purge without dismantling. The Calipers could be flushed by removing the banjo bolt and flushing down from the bleeder. The wheel cylinder would flush the same way. The lines would just be a straight forward flush.

Mine was switched over when everything was replaced.

[capev86]

i would not touch silicone fluid with a 10 foot pole. it isn't cool how glycol based fluid lifts paint (have the same issue on my 72 burb) but it provides more consistent braking performance. i am going with valvoline synthetic dot4+ fluid on all my vehicles. combined with braided brake hoses my burb stops awesome.

silicone brake fluid does not absorb moisture which is good and bad:

good: you can leave it open and it won't collect moisture....but the system is filled and kept capped so that isn't much of an issue anyway

bad: because it stays separated like oil and water, the moisture will pool and can rust out things and also the failure to mix can cause inconsistent braking because water isn't a very good brake fluid.


just run quality glycol fluid (i prefer anything synthetic) and flush it every few years and you are good. silicone fluid is perhaps good for an early car or something super low performance and with no braking ability anyway that does a lot of sitting. if i had an early car w/ hydraulic brakes i would just run good glycol fluid like i do on my daily drivers.

[mclairmo]

I used silicone fluid before and hated it. It gives you a more spongy pedal and leaks more easily. It really is only good for show cars that don't get driven much.

[cparman]

Completely AGREE! I painted my MC with POR15 exhaust manifold gray paint. Used a foam brush, one coat, waited a day and then a second coat. It will look good for years. I did a silicone fluid swap in a 68 Corvette years ago, spongy pedal until you got the brake really hot. I will not use this on any of my customers cars. If they request it and do not listen to me then they go somewhere else!

Originally Posted by mclairmo

I used silicone fluid before and hated it. It gives you a more spongy pedal and leaks more easily. It really is only good for show cars that don't get driven much.

[BluTrukker]

Silicone may not eat the paint, but if you get it on any surface you may never get paint to stick to it. The silicone will leach into the steel,alum.,concrete,plastic, and there is no way that I have found to get it out. If you spill a drop on your fender while your doing the brake job and then send it to the paint booth 6 months later you will end up with a big fish-eye.

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by BluTrukker

Silicone may not eat the paint, but if you get it on any surface you may never get paint to stick to it. The silicone will leach into the steel,alum.,concrete,plastic, and there is no way that I have found to get it out. If you spill a drop on your fender while your doing the brake job and then send it to the paint booth 6 months later you will end up with a big fish-eye.

That would be true of any silicone. Like the kind people spray on their tires for the shine, then drive it an splatter silicone all over the fenders and quarters.

[lolife99]

Aluminum bodied aftermarket Master Cylinders don't need paint.
That's the route I will take from now on.

[Critter]

Aftermarket aluminum is a possibility, still curious if anyone has bolted a later model plastic to an older booster just so I will know. I'm sort of trying to keep as many GM parts on this thing as possible, even if it is from a different body style.

[lolife99]

This is the one I was referring to,...
http://www.performanceonline.com/HIG...PVS-AMCPVS232/

I have there cast iron/brass version of this on my '69 swb,... and it works perfect.
I will switch to this one when I change the rear to disc brakes.

[gkesseru]

Has anyone tried to use gun bluing or blackening to corrosion proof the MC?

[402]

Has anyone tried paint from Eastwood?

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-brake-gra...sol-13-oz.html

[charx2]

Originally Posted by 402

Has anyone tried paint from Eastwood?

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-brake-gra...sol-13-oz.html

I'm curious of this also, 4 good reviews but that could just be employees lol...

[my67c20]

I used the Eastwood paint and frankly i liked it. Coated well and looked good. My drama was that all the brakelines that i bought were crap and i chased leaks for days. Unfortunatly with the constant flow of brake fluid it did peel off the paint. However now that i have redone the lines and eliminated the leaks i intend to repaint. I think for us budget minded people it worked the best. You may also try to Krylon stuff. I used this on my calipers and they still look new. My 2 cents fix the leaks first.

[RCbowtie69]

painted mind with Eastwood cast Iron paint,it work very well with a low buck buget, here a picture.