Plymouth Owners Club

General Category => Technical Discussion => Topic started by: DENNIS P NOLAN on May 12, 2008, 11:11:08 PM

Title: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: DENNIS P NOLAN on May 12, 2008, 11:11:08 PM
My master Cylinder has leaked to the point of no Pedal. What's the best course of action here and is there a 'norm' in what has happened-?? Is it a boot replacement? I have had this car for at least 10 years,don't drive it all that much,has been worked on for a month or so and now-no pedal. I got underneath and I see where it has leaked out. Should it be removed-? rebuilt-? Is that the best way to go-Should I try to just replace the boot-? Any help appreciated,Thanks,Dennis
Title: Re: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: Pandanom on May 12, 2008, 11:25:13 PM
The boot is probably just a dust cover, replace or rebuild the master cylinder. I found a spare in bad condition on Ebay, bought it and rebuilt it, rebuilt mine and now have a spare.
Title: Re: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: 36 Ply on May 12, 2008, 11:37:41 PM
I agree with Pandanom, it probably needs to be rebuilt.

I once rebuilt a master cylinder for a '59 CJ-5 Jeep on the kitchen table in wintertime (too cold to do it in the unheated garage).

As I recall, I bought a rebuild kit for it, and honed out the bore by wrapping a sheet of emery paper around my finger and sliding it in and out of the bore. I then cleaned up everything real good with alcohol? and compressed air to get rid of the emery paper grit.

I installed the rebuild kit, mounted the master cylinder, bled the brakes and it worked fine.

The Jeep was a single (not dual) master cylinder setup, same as your? Plymouth, and rebuilding it should be fairly easy.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

Title: Re: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: elmo on May 13, 2008, 04:15:56 AM
Dennis
rebuild it, even though you dont drive it that much , your life and others rely on your brakes . the parts should not be to expensive and should be readily available. you could try www.robertsmotorparts.com , www.then-now.com ,or if you are desperate bernbaum
Title: Re: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: RobertKB on May 23, 2008, 01:39:33 AM
Definitely rebuild it.  I would highly recommend that you have your old cylinder sent out and have it resleeved with brass or stainless before putting a new kit in.  That is what I did with my master cylinder in my '38 Chrylser.  If my wheel cylinders need redoing that is the route I will go with them. 
Title: Re: Master Cylinder on 39 P-8 Leaks
Post by: David Pollock on May 24, 2008, 01:58:29 AM
Readily available is master cylinder kit MK 1  which fits Dodge trucks.  It will work in the passenger car cylinder it you swap the new rubber onto the original passenger car piston.