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Posted By : Graham Baggaley, 16-May-2005,
11:46am
Over the years I've come accross quite a few seized slave cylinders and master cylinders, all of them have been very awkward to get apart. I normally soak
the offending part in petrol over night... then, with the retqaining clip removed... throw it on the floor, at this point the whole thing usually falls
apart (I realise i run the risk of cracking the casting but its a chance i'm prepared to take)
Naturally this time i have come up against a slave cylider (mk 4 spit) that simply will not budge,
has anyone got any good tips for freeing the little blighter so i can install my repair kit?
Graham
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Posted By : Philip Rosenberg,
16-May-2005, 01:42pm
i'm afraid I have always just done as you mentioned and banged it on the floor until enough protruded to get my mole grips round
Sorry I can't be more help
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Posted By : Chris Taylor, 16-May-2005,
02:23pm
The ultimate force applied in the optimum way is hydraulic pressure. I presume you have tried soaking it in various tried and trusted release fluids,
and various sources of heat, so I suggest you couple it up to the master cylinder (and bleed the system) again and try pressure on the pedal. If it
doesn't shift I doubt it ever will so by a new one! If it does move, then it'll probably come out with a bang so beware where the end of the cylinder
is pointing so you do not lose the piston, and of course brake fluid will go everywhere!
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Posted By : William Davies,
16-May-2005, 09:43pm
There is one way of exerting more force, but do it at your own risk. I have only done this on an Austin A35 where wheel cylinders reatil at
£75 each, and there are four of them..... buying new was not an option!
I had already tried penetrating oils so there was at least some (probably a lot) remaining inside the cylinder. I blanked both of the hydraulic
fitting points with bleed nipples, then reached for the blowtorch. Just think back to those physics lessons, Boyle's law in particular. Applying
heat ultimately resulted in a large bang and a largfe flame from the burning (exploding?) oil, with the (very hot) piston flying about 30 feet down
the garden. It came to rest having punched a hole in a new tarpaulin.
Bear in mind that this was when I was young and irresponsible, I'm now older and not quite so reckless. Saying it's possible does not mean I
recommend this approach. Just an anecdote, I was lucky not to shoot a neighbour with the flying piston.....
Cheers,
Bill.