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Re:

To: Craig Reese <creese@spillman.com>,
Subject: Re:
From: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@MGAguru.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 00:05:19 -0500
At 08:47 AM 8/4/03 -0600, Craig Reese wrote:
>.... I have a '61 Bugeye .... As the brake pedal gets worked a number of 
>times the travel in the pedal gets less and less until the brakes are 
>totally synched up, none of the wheels will turn at all. ....

I haven't heard this one recently, but it was a very common problem 10-15 
years ago.  For a while there were some master cylinder rebuild kits with 
rubber cups a bit too long, and they wouldn't clear the little hole in the 
cylinder wall to return fluid to the reservoir.  It was an easy fix though.

Remove the end plate from the master cylinder.  Install two paper 
gaskets.  Cut out holes in the gaskets to clear the working 
bore(s).  Reinstall the end plate, and bleed the system if necessary.  This 
small amount of extra return travel allowed for the piston should be enough 
to make it work properly.

>.... I ended up having to replace the original master cylinder with one 
>out of a 1098cc car, which I thought would be no problem since externally 
>they are the same, and the only real difference inside is the bore size of 
>the cylinder.

That can be a problem.  When you install the 3/4" bore MC in place of the 
original 7/8" bore unit, you get about 27% less displacement, and 36% 
longer pedal travel.  You may have to double pump the brake pedal to get 
good brakes, and the clutch may release only with the clutch pedal full 
down to the floor.

>.... Could this be caused by the piston in the master cylinder not being 
>allowed to return all the way back to the end cap of the master cylinder 
>where the push rod enters the master cylinder?

Yup.  See fix above.

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://MGAguru.com

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