Dave,
Thank you very much for that concise and informative email. I will flush my
rad as you suggest. The MC is another story and I will publish what I find.
Thanks again for your help.
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Wood<mailto:dwood143@comcast.net>
To: James Schulte<mailto:schultejim@msn.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: Master Cylinder
Jim,
It isn't necessary to drain the brake system before removing the M/C. The
M/C should not leak and the lines should not leak in a closed system. You
may get a drop or two that can be handled with a rag under the fittings.
If
one of the fittings is leaking, it may be cross threaded or may have been
tighten too tight. I have successfully run taps and dies over/though the
threads and cleaned them up enough to tighten properly and not leak, but it
isn't a sure thing. One of the main problems with M/C's is that the
alignment of the fittings tends to be difficult. I try to line up the
lines
and gently turn the nut backwards (unscrew) until I hear or feel a give,
which indicates the threads are aligned and then tighten with my fingers
for
as many threads as I can to insure that the threads are indeed aligned. As
you have probably figured out that is easier said than done, but the effort
can save you a lot of expense at the cost of a few scratches on your hands.
As to your radiator, all you need to do is drain the radiator if you have a
drain cock or pull the bottom hose if you don't. I usually fill my
radiator
back up with water and run a while to mix it in with any remaining
antifreeze and drain again. Be sure to have the heater open so that it
will
also change. As long as everything is clean that's all I would do. If not
I would consider doing the fill and run and drain over until everything is
clear. If you have a hose fitting for flushing the system, you can hook it
up to the heater hose and run the engine with the hose on until the water
is
running clear (out the top of the radiator with the cap off). When
flushing
it is best to drain the radiator first to get rid of the most potent (to
animals) mixture and then you can let it drain on the ground if you don't
have a rabid environmentalist hanging around. I usually catch my
water/antifreeze as it drains in a bucket or oil drain pan and pour it down
a mole hole as I really don't mind killing those little varmints. One last
thing in case you are thinking of leaving the water jackets empty all
winter. Don't, they will rust with the remaining water and cause problems
next spring. Always refill the radiator with 50/50 mix or whatever is
recommended in your area and run the engine to mix it up. In Oregon where
I
live, I put a gallon of antifreeze in the radiator and fill the rest with
water and that approximates a 50/50 mixture. I don't use a premix except
to
top up the radiator.
Good luck,
Dave 72 B
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