Moss Motors, Ltd

Hello,

 I'm trying to refurbish the brake and clutch master cylinders. I have them off the car.
My problem is that I cannot remove the plunger assembly, spring, valve stem assembly.
I have soaked them in penetrating only. Then I blocked off one hole and forced compress
air down. No luck though.  Any suggestions or tricks on how to do this. The car sat for a long
time and no fluids in the hydralics. Any help or suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Joe

It would be wise, and probably more economical, to replace both master cylinders.

 

Alfonso 

How about the unwise and non economical approach of freeing up the pistons?

tr3joe-

I think I read somewhere that you can boil the brake parts or assemblies in water and this frees them up. Probably working with them while they are still hot would help too. Remember, I said I THINK I read this somewhere so proceed at your own risk and use common sense.

GOOD LUCK!

LCJUTILA 

Joe, I've  had some slight success in freeing up seized parts by  [long term]soaking in diesel oil, for at least week or so. I think the warm up[ but dry] idea before the dunking in diesel  might also be a good idea, hot air blower??

If things are that seized up I wonder if the bores are going to be sleevable? Hope you get her back on the road soon, my TR3 memories are old but good! Friends? once  told me that TR  stood for tractor, an unkind reference to the engines provenance, they were just jealous!!                ----Cheers steve

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To a man equipped with only a hammer, most problems look like nails

From the view of a professional, that cylinder(s) would have hit the recycle bin as soon as I found the piston uncooperative. You may get it all unstuck, but the bore wherein it is seized will almost certainly be unworthy of a rebuild, even after honing. Use new parts, not because it's quicker, but because they'll be far more reliable.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Motorbill-

I agree. Especially when it comes to doing brake work on cars. We all are so interested in getting the car to start when we work on it but it is far more important to get it to stop and stop reliably. How well the car runs will take a back seat very quickly when you find yourself in a position where you need to stop and you can't. If you are very lucky this will result in a minor fender bender whose cost will be much greater than the amount of money saved on a cheapy rebuild of questionable brake parts... and these parts are questionable at best.

You could try your luck with the clutch parts though.

As far as a method for unfreezing stuck/rusted assemblies goes... How about if you bought or found one of those heated electric foot soaker/massagers and turned on the heat, filled it with diesel, and set it to vibrate?   That would probably work great!

Also, I remember where I read about unfreezing brake parts in boiling water. It was Auto Restorer Magazine. 

 

LCJUTILA 

 

I don't know... I'd be worried about getting athelete's cylinder, or an ingrown clutch...

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Hello,

 

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the replys. some great advise. I ended up not using those pistons.
Turns out when I went though by boxes of ever growing tr3 and tr6 parts I cam across a pair of pistons that were in great shape.
So after a quick clean up, a refurbishing kit and I am nerarly done with my brakes. I'll send updates on my progress.

Again thanks for the help.

 Joe