Topic: Brake Light '79 Corvette
in Forum: C3 Engines, Driveline and Handling

Moderator
There is a seal between the master and the booster, but most of those by now are really nothing more than rubber dust...
Unbolt the master cyl, leaving the lines connected, and pull it forward, away from the booster. If it is leaking , it will be obvious.

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"


Moderator
The seal I mentioned above is not part of the master cylinder...it is part of the brake booster. It seals the rod on the booster that actuates the master. The outer part of the same seal also seals against the master cyl where it bolts to the booster, so, theoretically, there will be a tight seal so no vacuum leak occurs. However, if the booster seal is bad, AND the master is leaking, then the leaking fluid will go into the booster, since there will be vacuum pulling it in there. If the master is NOT leaking, and the booster seal goes bad, then it can pull fluid past the master cyl. seals, and create a leak there.

I had a vacuum leak on my '74 that I had a hard time finding. It took me several years to finally locate it(I don't drive the car much, so it wasn't exactly a priority). I finally discovered the seal on the booster was the culprit. The seal is not available anywhere, at least not that I have found. I wound up using a seal for the headlight actuator...worked poifectly!
If your master itself is leaking, it's time to either replace, or rebuild it, depending on you mechanical skills.

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"


Moderator
If you get a shallow hole master, and try to put it on where a deep hole master was, it won't bolt all the way on without bottoming the piston in the master...in that case, you won't be able to push the brake pedal down.
I think most of the parts vendors have the dimensions listed...lemmie look and see can I get a pic to show what I mean...
Looks like the '77-'82 cars had the "shallow" piston masters. I remember one time I had rebuilt a master off of a friends '81 after I had replaced his with a reman. I kept the original one. Then, one day, the one on my '74 took a dump. I figured, "Hey...I got this one here that is rebuilt, so I'll just slap it on and go!"....NOT!


Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"




Moderator
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"