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#1
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Did a brake flush damage my master cylinder?
I recently had the brake fluid flushed on my '95 Honda Civic (80k
miles). A week later I noticed my brake pedal would slowly sink to the floor while I was waiting at red lights. I took the car back to the service center (part of a large national chain), and they correctly determined that the master cylinder was the culprit. They denied, however, that the brake flush had anything to do with the master cylinder failure. (To hear the office manager tell it, you would think the master cylinder was totally unrelated to the brakes.) Now I'm not a mechanic, but I'm having a hard time believing that the master cylinder just happened to give out when it did. Earlier today I read that the seals on the master cylinder can be damaged if the mechanic drains the brake fluid by depressing the brake pedal all the way to the floor, and that a professional shop should use other equipment to get the job done. Am I wrong for assuming the mechanic took some shortcut (or just didn't know better) and ended up damaging the master cylinder? Or is this the kind of thing where, even if done correctly, the master cylinder still can get damaged? (I did read a comment that it's not uncommon to have to replace the master cylinder after having your brakes worked on.) The new master cylinder cost $260. If the mechanic was negligent, I don't want to have to pay for it. If, however, it's just part of owning a ten year old car, I'll suck it up. What do you think? - Kevin |
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#2
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) scribbled:
> Am I wrong for assuming the mechanic took some shortcut (or just didn't > know better) and ended up damaging the master cylinder? Probable. > Or is this the kind of thing where, even if done correctly, the master > cylinder still can get damaged? > (I did read a comment that it's not uncommon to have to replace the > master cylinder after having your brakes worked on.) Happened to me recently. Replaced *ALL* calipers with new ones, new rotors all the way around, new pads, new lines. Bled the brakes - never could get a solid pedal. Turned out, once I replaced the master, all was fine. And there wasnt anything wrong with the system in the first place - I had a nice solid pedal. It was time to do a brake job anyway, and I figured with 190k miles, I might as well redo the whole system (sans the master). -- remove MYSHOES to email |
#3
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>
> Earlier today I read that the seals on the master cylinder can be > damaged if the mechanic drains the brake fluid by depressing the brake > pedal all the way to the floor, and that a professional shop should use > other equipment to get the job done. Nope, not true. Mechanics have bled brakes for decades by applying pressure, loosening the cocks, and allowing bubbles and old brake fluid to exit. You dont have to use fancy equipment, although it makes the job faster, though not necessarily better. Doesnt hurt anything. |
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#7
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The manager is a big fat liar because lots of do-it-yourself articles
refer to the very same problem. You may find something about it at www.popularmechanics.com (I once read about it in the printed magazine's automotive Q&A column) or www.motor.com (back issues of Motor magazine). I ruined Dad's master cylinder the first time I ever flushed brakes, and as a result I've never pushed the pedal too far while flushing, and I've never ruined a master cylinder since then. You should file a complaint at www.bbb.org and any regulatory or consumer agencies and also do a credit card chargeback for the work already done. |
#8
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> wrote in message . .. > > > > Earlier today I read that the seals on the master cylinder can be > > damaged if the mechanic drains the brake fluid by depressing the brake > > pedal all the way to the floor, and that a professional shop should use > > other equipment to get the job done. > > > Nope, not true. Mechanics have bled brakes for decades by applying > pressure, > loosening the cocks, and allowing bubbles and old brake fluid to exit. > > You dont have to use fancy equipment, although it makes the job faster, > though > not necessarily better. Doesnt hurt anything. > > |
#9
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> wrote in message . .. > > > > Earlier today I read that the seals on the master cylinder can be > > damaged if the mechanic drains the brake fluid by depressing the brake > > pedal all the way to the floor, and that a professional shop should use > > other equipment to get the job done. > > > Nope, not true. Mechanics have bled brakes for decades by applying > pressure, > loosening the cocks, and allowing bubbles and old brake fluid to exit. > > You dont have to use fancy equipment, although it makes the job faster, > though > not necessarily better. Doesnt hurt anything. Ive seen this done, and done it myself for years, but have never damaged a master cylinder. Still, the logic is there that it could happen, and I have to retract my statement above. Just because I always got away with it doesnt mean it doesnt happen. |
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