master cylinder problem?

It's a 74 VW. I was thinking that perhaps either I'm leaking in the rear
brake system or the rear chamber of my master cylinder is shot somehow.
Thanks again.
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

I've been plagued lately with poorly built components... German, Italian and
Brazillian... funny thing the South American stuff has been performing
better.

Warm Regards.

T.
Tim Peterson wrote in message ...
 >It's a 74 VW. I was thinking that perhaps either I'm leaking in the rear
 >brake system or the rear chamber of my master cylinder is shot somehow.
 >Thanks again.
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

 >I've been plagued lately with poorly built components... German, Italian and
 >Brazillian... funny thing the South American stuff has been performing
 >better.

I feel your pain. I just replaced a Bosch rebuilt Generator with no miles on
it. I installed it, drove it down the street and heard a noise from the back of
the car that sounded like the fan belt snapped. The red light came on so I
pulled over and checked it out. Fan belt was in tact but a little red wire
inside the gennie was all frayed and burnt looking. Drove home and the thing
was putting out 2 volts. What a pita.
--Dan E<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

On 29 Oct 2003 00:55:37 GMT, braukuche.TakeThisOut@aol.comnojunk (Braukuche)
wrote:

  >>I've been plagued lately with poorly built components... German, Italian and
  >>Brazillian... funny thing the South American stuff has been performing
  >>better.
 >
 >I feel your pain. I just replaced a Bosch rebuilt Generator with no miles on
 >it. I installed it, drove it down the street and heard a noise from the back of
 >the car that sounded like the fan belt snapped. The red light came on so I
 >pulled over and checked it out. Fan belt was in tact but a little red wire
 >inside the gennie was all frayed and burnt looking. Drove home and the thing
 >was putting out 2 volts. What a pita.
 >--Dan E<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 01:49:02 GMT "Tim Peterson"
<tpeterson.RemoveThis@myrealbox.com> wrote:

 > My questions are these:

[74 type 1]

 > Why would I not have had the rear brakes when my front brakes went?
 >Aren't there two chambers in the MC to prevent this?

Yes a 74 has a tandem master cylinder. If the rear brakes failed also,
then that is a separate problem.

 > Is the adjustment I need to make for my brake pedal in the pushrod? It
 >doesn't seem that I should have to touch that even after a line is blown.
 >My front brakes are adjusted correctly right now.

Don't adjust the pushrod. That's an adjustment made only at the
factory to assure sufficient pedal travel if half the tandem system
fails.

 > If all brakes are working and adjusted correctly, and the pushrod is
 >about where it should be but the pedal is still dropped, is that an
 >indication that the MC needs replacement? how can I tell?

Not sure I understand the question, but...

If you're asking about a pedal that doesn't come all the way back up
when released, then look at the return spring to see if it's broken,
or the pedal shaft to see if it's rusted, or at the pedal stop plate
to see if it's misadjusted or there's dirt in there.

Make sure there is a tiny bit of free play in the pedal at the top of
its travel. If not, adjust the pedal stop plate to make it right.

If you're asking about a pedal that goes "too low" when pressed down,
then that's either an indication of air in the system, a leaking
(possibly internally) master cylinder, or of brake shoes that need to
be adjusted.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney jadney.RemoveThis@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

 >Don't adjust the pushrod. That's an adjustment made only at the
 >factory to assure sufficient pedal travel if half the tandem system
 >fails

That's assuming you have the orginal cluster or that the og has never been
removed or that the stop hasn't shifted after 30 odd years, all highly
unlikely. The BBB gives the amount of the gap necessary and you can easily
adjust it if necessary.
--Dan E<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

On 02 Nov 2003 01:14:40 GMT braukuche.DeleteThis@aol.comnojunk (Braukuche) wrote:

  >>Don't adjust the pushrod. That's an adjustment made only at the
  >>factory to assure sufficient pedal travel if half the tandem system
  >>fails
 >
 >That's assuming you have the orginal cluster or that the og has never been
 >removed or that the stop hasn't shifted after 30 odd years, all highly
 >unlikely. The BBB gives the amount of the gap necessary and you can easily
 >adjust it if necessary.

The original cluster is usually there, but I agree that it could have
been exchanged.

If the stop has shifted, or been adjusted, that's no problem, because
that's the part that you're SUPPOSED to adjust, rather than the
pushrod.

What is og?

Assuming BBB refers to a manual, then that same manual will also
explain that you should adjust the stop plate, not the pushrod, to set
the brake pedal free play.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney jadney.DeleteThis@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

 >If the stop has shifted, or been adjusted, that's no problem, because
 >that's the part that you're SUPPOSED to adjust, rather than the
 >pushrod.
 >
 >I don't want to get didactic, but either way you are goijng to affect the
clearence between the pushrod and the MC, right? So, why shold it matter if you
adjust the pushrod to determine the clearence?

  >>What is og?<<<
Yo, blood, it is a hip-hopism for "original." Its about the only hipster term I
use just because it saves me typing time.
--Dan E<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

On 03 Nov 2003 14:12:09 GMT, Braukuche <braukuche RemoveThis @aol.comnojunk> wrote:

  >> If the stop has shifted, or been adjusted, that's no problem, because
  >> that's the part that you're SUPPOSED to adjust, rather than the
  >> pushrod.
  >>
  >> I don't want to get didactic, but either way you are goijng to affect
  >> the
 > clearence between the pushrod and the MC, right? So, why shold it matter
 > if you
 > adjust the pushrod to determine the clearence?
 >
   >>> What is og?<<<
 > Yo, blood, it is a hip-hopism for "original." Its about the only hipster
 > term I
 > use just because it saves me typing time.
 > --Dan E

Or, more accurately, Original German.

Now, turn your hat back around.

<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem? 

On 03 Nov 2003 14:12:09 GMT braukuche.DeleteThis@aol.comnojunk (Braukuche) wrote:

  >>I don't want to get didactic, but either way you are goijng to affect the
 >clearence between the pushrod and the MC, right? So, why shold it matter if you
 >adjust the pushrod to determine the clearence?

I guess I'm the one being didactic here. You're right, they both
affect the free play, but changing the pushrod length can (if you
shorten it) leave you with insufficient pedal travel (pedal hits the
firewall) if one of the tandem circuits fails.

While the nominal pushrod length is given in all the manuals, they are
also careful to tell you not to change it unless the original length
has been lost. The original length was set at the factory using a
special gauge. VW did it this way because the MC attaches to the pan,
but the firewall is part of the body. Tolerance buildup between all
the related parts meant that there was no other way to maintain the
necessary clearances.

In spite of the warning in ALL the manuals not to adjust the pushrod
length, this is still something that is widely misunderstood.

   >>>What is og?<<<
 >Yo, blood, it is a hip-hopism for "original." Its about the only hipster term I
 >use just because it saves me typing time.

thanks,

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney jadney.DeleteThis@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: master cylinder problem?