ECJ5 brake master cylinder

i need to get to my brake master cylinder, but from underneath there is a skid plate, from above the steering column is in the way. do i need a puller to move the shaft, or is there an easyer way.

after the master cylinder has sat so long without fluid in it, what goes bad? ya think id be okay if i just blead it an go, whats your thoughts on this. thanks for your time, josh

 

Josh,
My experience is with a '62, but I think they're both the same.
Depends on what you need to get to the master cylinder for. If you only want to add fluid, there's a round inspection cover on the floorboard held down by four bolts (7/16" I think). Take this off and you should be able to see and get to the M/C top where you can add fluid.
More than likely, the M/C is history. If it's been sitting for a long time, the cylinder walls have rusted and pited so that the rubber cups don't seal properly when the piston slides down the bore. I'd also be suspicious of the condition of the wheel cylinders.
However - it doesn't hurt to try! Add fluid, bleed the wheel cylinders and test it - slowly!!! If it doesn't hold pressure and stop consistently, a rebuild or replacement is in order.
If I remember correctly, the skid plate you see from underneath is attached with the same bolts that holds the M/C to the frame. I had a heck of a time trying to get mine off without removing the M/C because of the way the brake lines were run.
I'm not sure what shaft you're talking about - the rod that goes into the back of the M/C? If so, you shouldn't need a puller.

Keep us posted !

 

Actually, IIRC, that's a heat shield, not a skid plate. Regardless, as I remember, once the bolts are loosened a bit, you can lift the shield up, then either back or forward to remove it. The arms are notched to allow for that. (At least for the one I had...)

I think I remember seeing somewhere that the insulation in that was asbestos??

FWIW, if you end up even coming close to having to drop the MC, just replace it for good measure. When you do, consider doing THIS. I used a remote reservoir from a Chevy S-10. Late 80's/Early 90's I think.

 

(thread detour) Thad - What did you use for a screw-on top for the M/C when installing the remote reservoir? Did you have one machined?

-now back to our regular programming-

 

[Continuing thread detour] As Doc Vern sez, "when you own a lathe, most solutions will be round and threaded."

I used a big ol' hunk of brass round stock, and whittled away anything that wasn't a MC cap with a threaded hole in the center. I used a rotary table to create a 1" hex on top, and the center hole I *think* I used female pipe threads to allow some sort of brass compression fitting to connect to a short piece of brake line.



Here you can also see the replacement heat shield I made. Just a piece of 18 gauge with a piece of sheet aluminum rivited to it in such a way as to leave a gap. The idea being that aluminum is a more efficient transmitter of heat and would hopefully radiate it away from the MC. I don't know if it is correct, but it sure is a lot easier to remove my heat shield than the old one, and the brake fluid hasn't boiled yet.

[/Continuing thread detour]

 

you need to loosen the mounting bolts to remove the heat sheild. after the heat sheild is removed, you need to remove the cotter pin (if equiped) from the brake pedal. next remove the bolts holding the MC in place. The MC should be loose now and be easy to remove. don't worry about saving the lines, if the MC sat without fluid in it, the rest of the system needs replaced. take your time and invest in the needed tools of line cutter, flaring tool and line wrenches.