how do you preserve a used master cylinder for future use?

[H2o]

I was wondering if there was any way of preserving hydraulic cylinders that have alread had brake fluid run through them? I have a master cylinder that i want to moth ball...

I just don't want to put away a working MC that will eventually rust and be useless.

I searched but did not find anything.

thanks.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I'd flush it out with clean brake fluid and then seal it up as best I could....

 

[H2o]

well... my new disk calipers seemed to have some kind of oil on them. i would think that would be the best, as opposed to brake fluid which will eventually absorb water....

any thoughts?

 

[John Smith]

You could disassemble it first then put it into your parts washer and clean it, blow it dry with compressed air then coat the bore and other parts with WD40, fogging oil, or any other anti-corrosion storage spray. This is what I use. http://www.lpslabs.com/products/CorrosionInh/Lps3.asp

 

[KLF]

You don't want to leave brake fluid in it, it will absorb water and rust the inside.

I clean mine out really well, take it all apart, make sure all the fluid residue is gone. Then I coat everything with silicone grease. I have 4 spares hanging in the garage. Geez, I should get rid of some of them.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I'd forgot about water absorbsion, I was thinking of the rubber preserving properties of brake fluid.

 

[H2o]

You don't want to leave brake fluid in it, it will absorb water and rust the inside.

I clean mine out really well, take it all apart, make sure all the fluid residue is gone. Then I coat everything with silicone grease. I have 4 spares hanging in the garage. Geez, I should get rid of some of them.

Actually, i found some reference in the toy service manual. i will have to review. silicone grease sounds good...

 

[SteveH]

I put a minitruck master cylinder into a newly purchased 1 gallon steel paint can, and hammered the lid on. I had to dent out the lid about 1/4" in the middle to accomodate the length of the master cylinder. I filled the can with about 1/2 gal. of brake fluid, so the important parts of the master cylinder are immersed in fluid. I upend the can a few times a year to redistribute the brake fluid in the can. Maybe this is redneck, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time.

Short of disassembling it and lubing it all internally with silicone grease, I don't know of another way to keep one from rusting.


Steve

 

[Lebowski]

What about just filling the can up with cheap $1 quart oil instead of brake fluid? Oil won't absorb water molecules from the air no matter how humid. Or diesel fuel? I know some guys fill their engines with diesel fuel for long term storage - pour it through the intake manifold (carb off) until engine is full.