New Booster master cylinder frustration

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
barnesjtsl
Posts: 203
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:13 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider
Location: Hillsboro, OR

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by barnesjtsl »

Thanks for the reply. It looks to me like the rod with the black cup out is close to 3/16 of an inch (see the picture above). The rod is screwed in as far as it will go. I thought there might be and adjustment for the fork that goes through the firewall and connects to the brake pedal but that is not the case.

Any ideal how i can get it in further? Could I possibly put a thin gasket in between the MC and the Booster?
tonym
Patron 2020
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Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:22 pm
Your car is a: 1979 spider 124

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by tonym »

Could be as simple as a clogged bleeder screw? I had one in the rear that wouldn't pass any fluid. Have you completely pulled the bleeder to see if any fluid flows? I've also read that the back brakes won't actuate until the fronts have full pressure but your situation seems the opposite. Good luck, hope you solve it.
JohnMc
Patron 2018
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Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:30 pm
Your car is a: 1970 Fiat 124

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by JohnMc »

One of my manuals shows that the hydraulic piston control rod should extend out about 1.05 mm - but might not be for your year.
If it cannot I would return it. I would not put plates or spacers etc - these are your brakes.
What is pretty/fairly good about these old cars is the brakes and handling.
I had received a new power brake assembly and did not like the way the piston worked so cleaned up my old one and put it back. Might be some bad ones out there.
JohnMc
Patron 2018
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Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:30 pm
Your car is a: 1970 Fiat 124

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by JohnMc »

I am not an expert on this at all.
I just looked at the new brake booster I have in a box. Playing with the hydraulic piston control rod on mine there seems to be a center point that you can push the rod back fairly far and then if you bring it quite a ways out and push it back it might not hit that correct "hole". Kind of have to move it around so that it goes in the correct hole inside the booster. Probably not making much sense but that is the best I can explain.
On mine when the rod is in what I think is the correct center hole it will go back far enough that I can adjust the end so that it is out where the specification shows.
I do not know but I was thinking that the black plastic piece was for shipping - mine also had a rubber band to keep it the rod somehow in place.
I would ask the supplier about the plastic piece. Was there a plastic piece on the one you took out?
Am sure that others can explain this better - again not an expert on this at all, but just looking at mine.
BEEK
Posts: 1833
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:45 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: clermont fl

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by BEEK »

I have run int this issue myself. The boosters being sold by at least one of the vendors is not exactly correct in the fact that the rod will not adjust short enough to work properly. I made a metal flange that i bolted behind the master cylinder spacing it out to make things work. I first used washers / shims to get it to where it needed to be then made a plate. The reason I wanted a plate is i felt full contact was better than just point contact of the washers.

Now having said this I ordered another one of those not perfect fit boosters for another car and will install it the same way. The booster is perfectly fine and I am glad to be able to purchase a new unit for the price. Having to make a small adaptation for a 40+ year old car is not a big deal in my opinion
Automotive Service Technology Instructor (34 year Fiat mechanic)
75 spider
, 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
son has 78 spider
rodo
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 5:50 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider

Re: New Booster master cylinder frustration

Post by rodo »

Hi Beek. I'm going nuts with the same issue. Why can't they just offer a slightly different rod set up that enables more range? or why don't vendors offer a shim? Oh well. What I'm wondering is if you could post a photo of your shim. Did you make this out of stainless? I estimate that I'd need about 2mm to make up the difference. Sound like about what you needed?
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