VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Drum brake woes...how to check master cylinder?

A complete brake job was performed on my car 25 years ago...Haven't had much in the way of problems other than the occasional sticky piston...Until, last summer when the "well ran dry"...Pulled all the wheels off...Checked the MS for leaks...Found nothing but brake dust...I figure an "insigificant" amount leaks passed the piston seals over time ( I can see where dust has stuck ) and so in a sense it did "evaporate"...

With the same modern car I was referring to, the shop manual stated that it was normal for a small amount of fluid to seep past the wheel cylinder seals over time. I don't recall reading that anywhere else but found that interesting.

A sensible approach to brake maintenance on our old cars is to at least inspect the system every two years and change the brake fluid as recommended by the manufacturer of the fluid (about every two years). To assume you should wait until you have a problem is not responsible and should not me endorsed by VCCA members. Someone who does not know the background of his car's brake system should carefully examine it before driving the car. It is one thing to test drive a car in a area where you will not be endangering others lives, but it is wrong to assume brakes are ok because the last time you used them they worked. It is also wrong to drive one of our cars with an emergency brake system that is not functional. One of the first things you should do upon owning any of our old cars is do a complete brake inspection and know the condition of the brake fluid. Thanks, Mike