Updated: Master Brake Cylinder Shopping for a 49 year old car is difficult

Kinja'd!!! "Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
07/22/2019 at 17:22 • Filed to: Datsun 240Z

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Thanks to the suggestions of the oppo hive mind (borg really) I found a rebuild kit for an entire $18. I saved so much money I also ordered a set of metric S-K Flare nut wrenches.

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JFTDC, this shit should be off the shelf. I’ve found NOS master cylinder for >$800 and a wildwood retrofit kit for $150, which one do you think I’m going to buy? Apparently nissan switched the position of the reservoirs from front to back between September 1970 and onward so my car has the old style and the other 500,000 Nissan Z cars made after that have the new style... The Wildwood kit seems like a great deal. I’m checking local auto parts stores too in case by accident they have one on the shelf. I am looking forward to a pedal that does not sink to the floor.

Larry Chen’s Datsun for your time.

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DISCUSSION (7)


Kinja'd!!! lone_liberal > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/22/2019 at 17:43

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I think it must be some corollary to Murphy’s Law. The car you’re working on will be exactly like all of the rest except for the parts you need to change.


Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > lone_liberal
07/22/2019 at 17:49

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“It’s really old and an early specification” does not translate to easy. 


Kinja'd!!! promoted by the color red > lone_liberal
07/22/2019 at 19:07

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My Volvo 240 is identical to the other 240s except for the punishing turbo routing , the in-tank fuel pump that requires removing exposed fittings underneath   that are almost guaranteed to be corroded, and the battery that was discontinued about ten years earlier and is located on the other side for some reason.

Of course, nearly nobody else on YouTube is working on one of these pre-changeover cars.

It’s also shedding washers, so that’s fun. 


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/22/2019 at 23:40

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No rebuild kits ?


Kinja'd!!! Old-Busted-Hotness > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/23/2019 at 06:26

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Years ago when I was in the business we used to send unobtanium master and wheel cylinders out for sleeving. Can’t remember the name of the company that did it, though. IIRC it took about a week. Install new seals and they’re like new.

If the bore’s not corroded you should get by with new seals. It’s not hard.


Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Old-Busted-Hotness
07/23/2019 at 14:09

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I just found a seal rebuild kit for $18 and ordered it, I’m hopeful the bore is not corroded. The brake fluid I have flushed is damn nasty. 


Kinja'd!!! Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Urambo Tauro
07/23/2019 at 14:09

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I just found one for $18 and ordered it. They make it impossible to find.