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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Brake Master Cylinder from OReilly

my Brake MC has a slow leak from the pushrod seal (drips down the back of the brake pedal) Brakes operate fine, but it is annoying to have to occassionally refill the resevoir and mop up the foot mat. I have gotten a kit of new seals (the MC is only about 6 years old, brand new lockheed) but am intimidated to put them in myself. I notice that OReilly autoparts will source a rebuilt unit that just requires re-using the resevoir. Has anyone used one of these units? i would love to save some money but want to be safe. i figure if it works, i have saved $200, and if it doesn't I have only lost $40...

P.S. 1973 dual line brake MC
Chris Edwards

changing the seals is not difficult -- give it a try!
Mick - trying to sort the wiring

Chris, I've used one from O'Reilly's and it worked fine. The plastic resevoir is easy to remove and reinstall, but be careful not to crack it as they are now made of unobtanium.
Rebuilding it yourself isn't too difficult if you can figure out how to remove that da**ed snap ring in the bore without scratching up the bore surface. For me it was easier to just use the O'Reilly part, but if my only other option was the $200 part I'd try the rebuild at home.
Bill Young

Chris. As Mick notes, changing out the seals is not a difficult process, and would be my first choice also.

As to the "rebuilt" unit. You seem to indicate that it can be had for $40 at your local parts store. O'Reilly/Checker/Shucks and whatever other names the same chain operates under did not used to have their own rebuild capability. Therefore, for that $40 price you can expect the parts chain to be paying no more than $25 for the "rebuilt" part, probably closer to $20. For that $20, one would have to purchase a seal kit, strip the old master cylinder (core), clean the old master cylinder, inspect the bore (hone if possible/sleeve if necessary) clean the master cylinder again, install the new seal kit, test the rebuilt cylinder for function, package the rebuilt unit and ship it to the retailer.

Do you really think you can get a properly rebuilt part of $40 when companies such as Apple Hydraulics and White Plains Restoration are charging three to four times that for their rebuilds?

As a helpful decision maker: What are you willing to stake your life on and, perhaps, the lives of others? If the answer is a $40 master cylinder rebuild, done by someone whom you do not know and will never know you, then you have your answer.

Les
Les Bengtson

thanks for the insight guys. I suppose the thing to do is to attempt to do the seals myself. (do I trust a $10 seal kit, and an inexperienced technician like myself...) and if I am not successful i think i will still give oreilly's a try. Their part is guaranteed and "computer tested"

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/A1C0/111671.oap?year=1973&make=MG&model=midget&vi=1204906&partType=01292&parentPartType=C0066

and stage three if that fails will be to purchase a completely new lockheed unit.

I know well enough how to bleed and test my brakes and would not take a car i did not feel secure about out on the open road, so not really risking my life or the lives of others.
Chris Edwards

>>> Their part is guaranteed and "computer tested" <<<

Meaning, these brake parts did well in stopping their computer?

:-/

Gryf "Must be made by Microsoft" Ketcherside
Gryf Ketcherside

A wise man once said: "You get what you pay for."

Just went through that last summer with rebuilt starters from Auto Zone, after the second failed starter, I got my money back and ordered a new one from Moss.

Enough said...

Good luck!

Dave
Dave Rhine

Chris:

I tried that approach a few years ago with no positive results. Here is what happened: You send your unit to O'Reilly but they in turn will send it to Cardone - a major re-builder located somewhere around Philly, PA. They rejected my "core" as not rebuildable - hey, it didn't look that bad to me...

I finally got an order credit from O'Reilly whose software was not set up to track Cardone's return of my core so the "core credit" was floating around in hyperspace...I ended up scoring a unit on eBay and sent it to Apple Hydraulics in New York for a re-sleeve and re-kit. That unit is now dripping on my new carpet kit. So, this Spring, I will send my "resleeved Apple" unit to White Post Restorations who are likely to charge close to $200 but offer a lifetime warranty (I think..) - should have done that but I was trying to save a few bucks...

As a few others have suggested, don't cheap out on the brake master clyinder rebuild process. You want to go fast...but you want to stop even faster!!

In the last few months, I have seen a larger selection of "new" units listed on eBay in the range of $149 to $169 - but who knows what their pedigree really is: could be rebuilt, re-sleeved or just buffed and polished...

Working on MG Midgets might be easy - but not always cheap! As I get older, I have learned that no fun hobby is cheap!

Mike P.
Scrimping & Saving for Spring 2010
Mike Pelone

My 2 cents. Don't rebuild it yourself. The snap ring is difficult to remove. you need an extended length snap ring pliers to reach it. White Post will do a fine job for you. You and your car are worth it.
J Bubela

I'm all for make-shift "give it a try" stuff- except for my brakes. I buy new or prof rebuilt units, master cylinders and brake cylinders. i'll pay the extra for them.
don g

here's the latest update: I couldn't get the brake master cylinder apart to change the seals, and i didn't have the confidence to try. So... i got the o-reilly remanufactured unit. I haven't installed it, but i have to say it looks really great, very clean like brand new. i will be installing in the next day or two, and will let you guys know if it holds or leaks. i have one question, in the attached pic you can see the rubber bellows where the pushrod goes in. There is a round hole in the rubber, that was also present in the one i just took out of the car. But this hole is NOT in the rubber boot that came with the seal kit i bought. what is this hole for? is it important that it be there?


Chris Edwards

That generally is for leaking brake fluid to drip onto your new shoes while braking or onto your newly installed carpet set.
Clive Reddin

This thread was discussed between 17/12/2009 and 28/12/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.