Master Cylinder upgrade/brand?

[posulli88]

I am now on my 3rd master cylinder the first a Cardone, second Raybestos, this third one is a Cardone again. All have been new and all have leaked between the MC and the Booster so I am assuming the piston is leaking. I have bench bleed all of them before installing... Getting tired of dealing with crap parts.

Anyone have suggestions for a better MC or Brand of MC?

[babywag]

Welcome to my world.
IMHO all aftermarket parts are a roll of dice these days.
I have had so many bad new parts it's just ridiculous.
Brand doesn't seem to matter, I've tried el cheapo and big name supposedly higher quality with similar results.
Cardone is really bad, don't believe I've bought anything from them that wasn't bad or fail in short order.
Best advice I can offer is buy local so when it fails you don't have to deal with shipping returns. I quit buying from RA because of return hassles/nonsense.

[fsj454]

Plastic or cast iron

I put a used plastic one on my jeep from a junk yard many years ago all good . All the same size brake lines . no modification plug and play . Hope this helps

[joe]

I'm with Tony. Buy local at least you have recourse. Most auto parts now a days are a serious gamble against house odds. On the early Gen I series FSJ'S I've had good luck with United Brake Parts masters from Napa. They make their house brand for non-power brakes but don't know for what all eras. Other than that with your choices I WOULD NOT buy anything Cardone period ever! I'd gamble on Raybestos again or another name brand before buying anything Cardone or Dorman.

[posulli88]

This is driving me absolutely nuts I replaced the Raybestos through rockauto under warranty just to give it one last go as RA waved shipping so it was free. This thing is spewing from the piston seal between the MC and the Booster. Brake fluid everywhere. I am using a pressure bleeder (only to 12 PSI) could this be causing this? Could the booster cause this?

Going to go to Napa or Autozone and get a house brand so I can just keep replacing these until I get one thats functional. Its shocking I am on my 4th MC and non have worked!!!

[babywag]

I won't buy much from RA anymore, just not worth saving a few bucks.
Recently even got a part that written right on box was "missing parts".
I've also had numerous bad new parts and parts that failed WAY too soon.
Too many to list without making myself angry.
Made the mistake of buying a radiator from them and that was pretty much last straw. It leaked but only way to get a replacement was to ship it back.
Not really an option when wife needs her car! Certainly not worth $30 I saved!!

[babywag]

Also I just did the master on my '88.
Took 2 tries from AZ but no shipping hassles and lifetime warranty.
2nd one has been fine for a whole month so far lol.

[posulli88]

Its crazy that there are that many bad MC's. Really wish there was a nice unit we could buy for these things. With the hassle this has been I would be ok with spending the money on a wilwood because I know it would be good to go and last forever but they don't make anything for us.

[posulli88]

Bought one from auto zone its leaking as well. Thats 5!!!!!! Is there any way that if my booster push road is a little long it could potentially be holding open the MC piston a tiny bit causing the leak? Or have I just had terrible luck?

[wiley-moeracing]

Sorry, you must be doing something wrong? 5 bad units? go back over your brake fluid choice and your bench bleeding procedure. When bench bleeding, do not push the piston all the way in, shorter strokes are better.

[posulli88]

I am using Prestone Dot 3 brake fluid. I have been using the master cylinder bleeding syringe. I fill both reservoirs up then plug one hole. I squirt brake fluid into the exit fitting of the unplugged hole until all the air bubbles are out and the stream of fluid entering the reservoir is constant and Smooth. I plug that hole and do the other side the same way.

I thought maybe I would try a new method on this last one to see if that helped. On that method I plugged in two hardlines that enter back into the reservoirs and do short 3/4 inch to 1” pumps on the piston until the fluid runs smooth without bubbles.

Brake bleeding I am using a pressure bleeder. Holding the little piston on the proportioning valve closed I start at the back passenger wheel, then back driver, front passenger, front driver. Piston is leaking during pressure bleeding no more then 12 psi is being put into the system. It’s also leaking if I pump the brakes.