Who here has used a master cylinder from the early manual brake cars? I just got a Cardone 10-1737 and, well, this ain't gonna work. I'm hoping it's just mis-boxed. It is 7/8" bore like it should be, but looks more like the part for the '77 Nova.
'78-'79 manual brake M/C
- Thread starter ElCaturbo
- Start date
From what I have read here, I think all of the parts store master cylinders are cast iron. I don't think they sell the aluminum ones.
Dave Schultz (manualbrakes.com; link at top of this page) should chime in, or give him a ping.
Dave Schultz (manualbrakes.com; link at top of this page) should chime in, or give him a ping.
Not iron vs. aluminum, it's supposed to have an angled plastic reservoir. The '78-up Malibu mounts both the manual & power M/Cs at an angle, the '77-down cars mounted the M/C at an angle when bolted to a power booster, but with manual brakes the M/C bolts to the firewall level and used a straight reservoir, like the one I was sent.
The pic used in all the listings for a '79 Malibu 229ci manual brake M/C show this configuration:
I need one that looks like that. I know there's sometimes a disclaimer about 'actual part may differ from photos' but what I got was a part for a completely different application.
What I need to know is: Are all '79 manual M/Cs straight reservoir like the one I got, and all the pictures are wrong, and I just bought the wrong part? Or, is it mis-boxed and I need to contact the seller and return the thing so I can get the right part? There's not much point sending it back if the replacement is going to be another '77 Nova master cylinder.
The pic used in all the listings for a '79 Malibu 229ci manual brake M/C show this configuration:
I need one that looks like that. I know there's sometimes a disclaimer about 'actual part may differ from photos' but what I got was a part for a completely different application.
What I need to know is: Are all '79 manual M/Cs straight reservoir like the one I got, and all the pictures are wrong, and I just bought the wrong part? Or, is it mis-boxed and I need to contact the seller and return the thing so I can get the right part? There's not much point sending it back if the replacement is going to be another '77 Nova master cylinder.
You need to get hold of MalibuDave1978, or contact him via the link at the top of this page "Manual Brake Kits" (manualbrakes.com). Dave will be able to confirm whether what you have is correct or now.
I looked at his documentation, and do agree with you that you have the wrong part, but please get another opinion.
I looked at his documentation, and do agree with you that you have the wrong part, but please get another opinion.
The master cylinder in the box with part number 10-1737 is a master cylinder for a Chevrolet Monza. Looks to be misboxed, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are actually trying to sell this as a g-body master cylinder. This master cylinder will bolt up to a g-body firewall and function, but mounting it on a g-body firewall will put the master cylinder at an angle and will decrease to volume of fluid held in the reservoir and the level will need to be checked more often. It is not designed for an angled firewall.
I have had better luck with the $50 to $60 master cylinders than with the $20 to $30 master cylinder. The $20 to $30 master cylinders are hit or miss in quality. Its better to spend your money on a quality master cylinder than go through the hassles and issues with changing out a master cylinder more than once.
Regardless, all g-bodies with manual brakes or vacuum boosted power brakes should all have the angled plastic reservoir . From my experience, all g-bodies came with a master cylinder with a plastic reservoir. 1978-1981 had strait bore master cylinders with plastic reservoirs and 1982 - 1988 had step bore master cylinders with plastic reservoirs.
*All 1978 - 1981 manual brake master cylinders were cast iron with the angled, plastic reservoir. They had a 7/8" strait bore.
*All 1978 - 1979 power vacuum boosted master cylinders were cast iron with the angled, plastic reservoir. They had a 24mm strait bore.
*1980 - 1981 power vacuum boosted master cylinders were either cast iron OR cast aluminum with the angled, plastic reservoir. They all had a 24mm strait bore.
To my knowledge and understanding, no g-body was equipped with manual brakes after 1981 model year. All 1982 - 1988 master cylinders were aluminum and step bore with an angled, plastic reservoir. These had a primary bore of 1.25" and a secondary bore of 24mm. The step bore master cylinders were needed to operate, the new for 1982 model year, infamous LOW DRAG CALIPER. New, step bore master cylinders are cast iron. There are no new aluminum step bore master cylinders that I know of.
From my experience when installing:
*Rebuilt master cylinders = headaches. Buy new and more expensive master cylinders. Rebuilt ones are hit or miss in quality.
*Step bore master cylinders = headaches. Hard to bleed, more internal parts to fail, and secondary bore of 24mm is too large for stock sized calipers when running manual brakes.
*LOW DRAG calipers = headaches. These low drag calipers only work with step bore master cylinders and will need to be changed out if you want to run a strait bore master cylinder.
I have had better luck with the $50 to $60 master cylinders than with the $20 to $30 master cylinder. The $20 to $30 master cylinders are hit or miss in quality. Its better to spend your money on a quality master cylinder than go through the hassles and issues with changing out a master cylinder more than once.
Regardless, all g-bodies with manual brakes or vacuum boosted power brakes should all have the angled plastic reservoir . From my experience, all g-bodies came with a master cylinder with a plastic reservoir. 1978-1981 had strait bore master cylinders with plastic reservoirs and 1982 - 1988 had step bore master cylinders with plastic reservoirs.
*All 1978 - 1981 manual brake master cylinders were cast iron with the angled, plastic reservoir. They had a 7/8" strait bore.
*All 1978 - 1979 power vacuum boosted master cylinders were cast iron with the angled, plastic reservoir. They had a 24mm strait bore.
*1980 - 1981 power vacuum boosted master cylinders were either cast iron OR cast aluminum with the angled, plastic reservoir. They all had a 24mm strait bore.
To my knowledge and understanding, no g-body was equipped with manual brakes after 1981 model year. All 1982 - 1988 master cylinders were aluminum and step bore with an angled, plastic reservoir. These had a primary bore of 1.25" and a secondary bore of 24mm. The step bore master cylinders were needed to operate, the new for 1982 model year, infamous LOW DRAG CALIPER. New, step bore master cylinders are cast iron. There are no new aluminum step bore master cylinders that I know of.
From my experience when installing:
*Rebuilt master cylinders = headaches. Buy new and more expensive master cylinders. Rebuilt ones are hit or miss in quality.
*Step bore master cylinders = headaches. Hard to bleed, more internal parts to fail, and secondary bore of 24mm is too large for stock sized calipers when running manual brakes.
*LOW DRAG calipers = headaches. These low drag calipers only work with step bore master cylinders and will need to be changed out if you want to run a strait bore master cylinder.
Thank you!
Car is a power brake 229ci 1980 ElCamino with the original braking system, except for the removed dual diaphragm booster (there was no manual brake option in 1980). I'm not trying to do anything fancy, just want to duplicate the manual brakes available in '79.
I haven't been able to find any listings for NEW M/Cs for the '79 manual brake cars, there's a choice of reman or new for the power brake M/C, but reman-only for manual. Got a lead on where to find a new, angled, 7/8" bore M/C?
Car is a power brake 229ci 1980 ElCamino with the original braking system, except for the removed dual diaphragm booster (there was no manual brake option in 1980). I'm not trying to do anything fancy, just want to duplicate the manual brakes available in '79.
I haven't been able to find any listings for NEW M/Cs for the '79 manual brake cars, there's a choice of reman or new for the power brake M/C, but reman-only for manual. Got a lead on where to find a new, angled, 7/8" bore M/C?
The part in my 10-1737 box is actually a 10-1741.
I've found listings for new 7/8" angled M/Cs...
Wagner MC101252
Raybestos MC39166 (also a Dorman using the same P/N, slightly cheaper, ~$50)
Both can be had for about $60. There's a few others but they're up around $80-100.
I've found listings for new 7/8" angled M/Cs...
Wagner MC101252
Raybestos MC39166 (also a Dorman using the same P/N, slightly cheaper, ~$50)
Both can be had for about $60. There's a few others but they're up around $80-100.
The Wagner part number MC101252 I bought in the past was defective. I bought it on clearance from rockauto.com. I'll never do that again.
The one I actually went with was a CENTRIC Part # 13062005. Worked well with stock 2.5" calipers and rear drum brakes.
The one I actually went with was a CENTRIC Part # 13062005. Worked well with stock 2.5" calipers and rear drum brakes.
This is the kind of thing that makes me want to just give up entirely.
Click the 'Applications' tab.
Malibu, Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Regal, Monza, Skyhawk, Sunbird...? wait, what? Those aren't even... ](*,)
Click the 'Applications' tab.
Malibu, Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Regal, Monza, Skyhawk, Sunbird...? wait, what? Those aren't even... ](*,)
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"I feel you pain."
That's why manualbrakes.com started offering kits that included an aluminum master cylinder with brake line adapters to mate up to stock lines.
Even with the master cylinders that are sourced for the manualbrakes.com kits, research has to be done to make sure the master cylinder ordered from an 3rd party outside vendor is what is needed for the manualbrakes.com kit.
For the manualbrakes.com kit, the master cylinder needs to be aluminum and it needs to have a 7/8" bore, but after an order is placed with a 3rd party vendor, what is received can be a cast iron master cylinder with a 7/8" bore or an aluminum housing master cylinder with a 24mm bore (most common) or 21mm bore (rare). The 3rd party vendors rarely can tell the customer if what the customer wants is what they are going to receive.
Hang in there and don't give up.
That's why manualbrakes.com started offering kits that included an aluminum master cylinder with brake line adapters to mate up to stock lines.
Even with the master cylinders that are sourced for the manualbrakes.com kits, research has to be done to make sure the master cylinder ordered from an 3rd party outside vendor is what is needed for the manualbrakes.com kit.
For the manualbrakes.com kit, the master cylinder needs to be aluminum and it needs to have a 7/8" bore, but after an order is placed with a 3rd party vendor, what is received can be a cast iron master cylinder with a 7/8" bore or an aluminum housing master cylinder with a 24mm bore (most common) or 21mm bore (rare). The 3rd party vendors rarely can tell the customer if what the customer wants is what they are going to receive.
Hang in there and don't give up.
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