NEW wheel cylinders leaking

[vdub.grego at gmail.com (Matt Gregory)]

With the one's I found locally, there weren't any instructions or
anything other than a wheel cylinder in a plastic bag.  They did come
assembled and with a plug over the brake line port.  But the boots
didn't fit very well and wouldn't stay on the piston as it moved.

I haven't heard back from Adirondack yet on the manufacturer and the
country of the part they sell, but just judging from the picture on
their web site, I can already see that the part is much better than
what I bought locally.  That is, assuming that the picture is correct.

I should have a chance to get out there this afternoon and dismantle
everything again and identify the problem for sure.  But I expect to
find the fluid coming from inside the boots and ordering better parts
from Adirondack.

I'm beginning to wonder why I even waste time with the auto parts chains ...

Thanks for all the advice!

matt.


On Tue, 07 Dec 2004 00:10:09 -0500, Chris <vze28h54@verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> > > Did you disassemble the wheel cylinder and coat everything (internal),
> > > especially the cups, with brake fluid?  Did you use wheel cylinder paste on
> > > the pistons?
> >No, and no.  It didn't occur to me to dismantle and apply brake fluid
> >and/or any kind of paste to new wheel cylinder assemblies.  Is this a
> >"need to do" or a "nice to do" step?
> 
> If the cups are "dry", that is not covered with brake fluid, they may fail
> before they have a chance to be lubricated by the brake fluid in the
> system, after installation.  I don't know if there is an industry standard
> or practice for delivering assembled items of this nature, but, in my
> opinion, unless the information that came with the cylinders indicated that
> disassembly and lubrication is necessary, then the units should be ready to
> install.  Was there something to keep the pistons from coming out while in
> the package and were the holes for the brake line and  bleeder valve
> plugged? (That is, was there something to keep brake fluid in the wheel
> cylinder while in the box?)  VW recommends that brake fluid and the paste
> be used, and that brake fluid alone be used only when the paste is
> unavailable.  Personally, I have just used brake fluid. Also, the brake
> system should have clean fluid in it before the wheel cylinder is
> installed.  You don't want any old crud (or even new crud) and sediment
> getting into your brand new cylinder.
> 
> You may never know  the cause of the problem. Could have been 1) poor
> quality part 2) improper assembly (somebody's first hour on the job)  3)
> sitting on the shelf too long, 4) a returned part that some doofus buggered
> up and took back to the store.  Maybe we have to be like Carroll Smith
> ("Prepare To Win", etc).  The first thing he does when receiving an
> assembled race car is to take it completely apart and then assemble it
> himself.  He is quite frank that he doesn't trust anybody in a situation
> like that.  Maybe we have to do the same.
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >Thanks,
> >matt.
> 
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