Empty Master Cylinder; reassembling brake system soon...

[Safety Guy]

AquaMutt, my '91L, is "undergoing renovation":

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31934

My master brake cylinder has been drained of fluid for a couple months now and I didn't plug up the line input holes, but the cap has been on and the hood has kept the rain off.

I'm doing the Aspire rear axle drums right now and in a couple days I should be reassembling the whole new system and testing it, particularly the compression brake line fittings NAPA sold me. (Will they hold? Anyone ever use these steel fittings?)

Also, do I need to worry about my MC? Has being drained for awhile a bad thing? Would it rust inside? Do I need to bench bleed it like it was new? Or best to get a brand new MC?

Here's a rundown on all the other parts:

Aspire manual front brakes: used GC

Aspire rear drums: used GC, with new wheel cylinders

Brake line proportioner: used, off an Aspire

Hard lines and hoses: all new


Thoughts or worries?

Thanks,

Karl

[bhazard]

Compression fittings? Why did my dad tell me those were illegal?

[Safety Guy]

That seems to be the reaction of everyone I mention them to! However, NAPA insisted that they were rated for brake lines.

One of the three fittings is close enough to my fuel tank that when installed, it would be a pain or impossible to replace with flared connections, so I plan on hooking up the lines and testing before I install my gas tank. I'll probably just have the rear axle bolted onto the body, but no struts in. Should make correcting any problems, and installing the tank, easier.

I have my fingers and toes crossed that they work. The NAPA guy said that these fittings had been around awhile. They are all steel and "look the part."

Karl

[GenevaDirt]

the compression fittings will work. Used them in the past. But the flares are the best. Karl....not sure what the issue with the connections are but they sell all lengths of line. I redid all mine and just used flare couplings to connect them and make them longer. I started from the front and just followed the lines that were there and bent everything by hand and when the line was ending up to long you just put some bends in the right places to shorten it up. Worked great.

[Safety Guy]

I thought I would be getting flare unions, but I wound up with compression fittings. In the future I'll stick with the flare unions. I also bought two coils of brake line, so I have to do all the flares. Next time I may go straight sections that have the flares done to minimize my own flare work.

I ordered an Aspire MC from O'Reilly's today. Should be in tomorrow morning. One of my drum self-adjusters is soaking in PBB to loosen it up; otherwise I'd have both drums done by now. Instead I put my rack together today.

Karl

[GenevaDirt]

you do know they have to be double flared right?

[Safety Guy]

Yep, I borrowed the flaring tool and everything.

Karl

[Safety Guy]

I picked up my Aspire MC this morning. However, it doesn't have the reservoir so I will have to try my Festiva reservoir on it. Anyone ever do this to see if it fits? The MCs look the same length and look to be matches for attaching the reservoir, but "eyeball metrics" don't always pan out.

Karl