Topic: Boiling Master Cylinder?

[campbmic]

I've been trying to get my snap ring out of my master cylinder today and went and bought the special snap ring tool. The ring is completely rusted to the master cylinder and I was thinking about boilg the whole the in water but wanted to know if that would damage anything? I already took the boot off by the way

Thanks

[Frankenkit]

Maybe try saturating it in PB blaster first?  Otherwise, I don't know that boiling the MC in regular water would hurt anything per sé, because all that should be left to it is the metal, correct? 

oh... maybe just don't use one of the pots you ever intend to cook from again.  ATF is bad stuff.

[tomkimberly]

Get yourself a pick or other type tool and loosen that snap ring. It helps to depress the piston while doing this. After you work it free, use the snap ring pliers.

A old screwdriver with a pointed tip works great!

Tom

[Frankenkit]

cheapo dental picks from Harbor Freight do a good job.

[campbmic]

I have a perfect tiny flat head screwdriver but the thing just doesnt budge!

[Frankenkit]

try maybe not boiling it, but getting it good and warm anyway, then spray some PB blaster in and let the heat help it work in?

[cookindaddy]

You need to take the tension off the piston before the circlip will come off easily. Have a look at this:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=70468.msg782505#msg782505

Mine didn't even have the boot in it so it was rusted really badly.

Although it may look ugly for you now, the circlip is steel and the housing is aluminum. I don't think that they are rusted together. When you do get the circlip out and the guts out of the housing, hopefully you will be able to clean it all up like new.

[BLUE71TURBO]

If it's rusted that bad it's probably pitted also. I wouldn't trust it. Find another one. It's your life when it comes to brakes.  That's my opinion.

[cookindaddy]

The housing is aluminum. Once you get the circlip and the guts out, and if you have the rebuild kit (still available from Honda) and clean it up well, it should be just fine.

[campbmic]

I just dumped a ton of boiling water on it. Then I WD-40'd it and went at it. Still not moving  do I need to push the piston all the way down to remove the pressure?

[Frankenkit]

yes.

[Spanner 1]

No..... the minimum pressure of the piston spring would have zero effect on circlip removable difficulity

[campbmic]

Finger has been jabbed. Towel thrown in. Ebay has commenced.

[Spanner 1]

Look at the big pic....... think of the reason you got this bike, the help you've got here... don't throw it away, your close to lots of miles of riding and super enjoyment....IMO.

[Frankenkit]

oh yes there's that. dull those picks or they'll go further into your fingers than you ever expected.

[scottly]

Finger has been jabbed. Towel thrown in. Ebay has commenced.

LOL!!!

Spanner, I think he's gone to Ebay to find a new MC, NOT to sell his bike(at least I hope not)

[Spanner 1]

Dang...I hope yer right !!!.. my fatialist 'side' ist uberverstantlich...!

[Frankenkit]

Spanner: Captain of the Good Ship "Worst Case Scenario"

[Spanner 1]

O.K....no-one's jumping off the bridge, right ?

[scottly]

O.K....no-one's jumping off the bridge, right ?

I doubt it: campbmic has the persistence of a pit bull!

[campbmic]

Bahaha no I'm not selling my bike I'm just looking for a whole new front brake system. My mastercylinder is dead, my front brake switch is broken, and my caliper nipple is stripped. So I think I'll just get a new one. I've decided that my grandchildren will be riding this bike....or in any case atleast pushing it

[scottly]

I've decided that my grandchildren will be riding this bike....or in any case atleast pushing it

ROTFLOL!!! Keep up the good attitude.

[scottly]

Hey, on the bright side: if they are pushing it, maybe the front brake isn't necessary!!

[Blasbo]

Hey, on the bright side: if they are pushing it, maybe the front brake isn't necessary!!

Unless they are pushing it downhill. 

[GammaFlat]

Put it in a vice with wood on either side and get the strongest pick you can find in one of the holes.  My big problem was that I was trying to work both holes at once and be gentle with it... tried using c-clip pliers (broke 2 bits).  If you can get a rigid pick in one of the clip holes, drive the end of the clip (with great force) toward the other end of the clip.  Once you have that clip hooked with a good pick or punch, you're home free.  Decide you don't care what happens to the clip - even so, it will still probably be re-usable with a little straightening.  It will give.  I had to find this out (with great embarrassment) after I gave up and brought it to my local motorcycle shop - he made me look like a monkey - it took him all of 5 seconds to get it apart after my hour-plus adventure.  I was sure it would never budge. 

[Kframe]

cheapo dental picks from Harbor Freight do a good job.

And even cheaper, next time you go just ask your dentist if they have a drawer full of old ones that you could have a couple from.
That's how I got the five I have.
 
-K

[Frankenkit]

ewww, Kframe.  I can't even imagine jabbing myself in the finger with something that was in someone's mouth.... ewwwwwww.

[BeSeeingYou]

  My big problem was that I was trying to work both holes at once and be gentle with it...  

Are you talking about motorcycles here or..........


Anyway, did you make sure you removed the wire clip that holds the boot on. Sometimes it stays in place right above the c clip when you pull the boot off.  It is hard to see.

[Kframe]

ewww, Kframe.  I can't even imagine jabbing myself in the finger with something that was in someone's mouth.... ewwwwwww.

That would be nasty if they weren't sterilized.
They run them through the autoclave before they go in the box; I asked.

-K