Easy way to install Master cylinder reservoir tubes Options

[pcdarks]

I was reading somewhere here about how difficult it is to get the tubes from the reservoir into the grommets on the master cylinder. I greased them up with caliper assembly lube and they slipped in as easy as a 50 year ol....well lets just say they went right in.

[bbrock]

Oh, and I'm a huge fan of 914Rubber and have bought almost every item in their catalog. They are not perfect though. I have a list of parts I've purchased from them that simply do not work. Just a pertinent example here. The MC I bought from them leaked around the Welch plug because it wasn't pressed in properly. Mark confirmed that they found a few in the first run with the problem and gave me a generous store credit for my trouble of having to pull it out of the car to repress the plug. He would have also replaced the MC of course but that was the easier route for me.

They are a great company that stands by their products, but are certainly not perfect and do bring items to market before they are fully tested sometimes. I'm not trying to bash them. To the contrary. I think it is praiseworthy that they are willing to take the risk to develop these products for us at very reasonable prices, and stand by their products even when things don't go as planned. Another example, at this moment they are working through some issues with the new roll bar pads.

I can't say for sure what the problem with the grommets was, and can't rule out operator error, but don't assume that just because a part came from a trusted vendor, any problems must be the user's fault. I've had problems with several of their grommets that are made of silicone instead of the much stiffer rubber that OEM parts are made from. Just one example, the grommets to mount the dash instruments I got from them were worthless. Kind of hard to fuch that installation up. So yeah, I have suspicions about those MC grommets. All I can say is the dimensions matched the OEM grommets but the material felt softer and more flexible than OEM. The OEM grommets popped in with a satisfying snap that I never got from the ones that came with the MC.

[Morrie]

Oh, and I'm a huge fan of 914Rubber and have bought almost every item in their catalog. They are not perfect though. I have a list of parts I've purchased from them that simply do not work. Just a pertinent example here. The MC I bought from them leaked around the Welch plug because it wasn't pressed in properly. Mark confirmed that they found a few in the first run with the problem and gave me a generous store credit for my trouble of having to pull it out of the car to repress the plug. He would have also replaced the MC of course but that was the easier route for me.

They are a great company that stands by their products, but are certainly not perfect and do bring items to market before they are fully tested sometimes. I'm not trying to bash them. To the contrary. I think it is praiseworthy that they are willing to take the risk to develop these products for us at very reasonable prices, and stand by their products even when things don't go as planned. Another example, at this moment they are working through some issues with the new roll bar pads.

I can't say for sure what the problem with the grommets was, and can't rule out operator error, but don't assume that just because a part came from a trusted vendor, any problems must be the user's fault. I've had problems with several of their grommets that are made of silicone instead of the much stiffer rubber that OEM parts are made from. Just one example, the grommets to mount the dash instruments I got from them were worthless. Kind of hard to fuch that installation up. So yeah, I have suspicions about those MC grommets. All I can say is the dimensions matched the OEM grommets but the material felt softer and more flexible than OEM. The OEM grommets popped in with a satisfying snap that I never got from the ones that came with the MC.

Hi Brent,

I realize this is a super old post. Agree on the great customer service at @914Rubber. My car has tons of their stuff on it. My first "EZ Install" MC from them leaked from the welch plug as you mentioned. Even though I bought it new when they first came out, they replaced it no questions asked with another one and gave me some goodies to boot. All would be great except the second one from them seeps from the plug just like the first.

Did you just put yours on a bench and press the welch plug in further with a vise or tap with hammer? (I have a vise, a press, etc...) At this point I will have to go back to the new ATE I have and fight the lines... I just don't want to hassle with it if I don't have a reasonable shot at sealing this one up... Appreciate your thoughts!!

[bbrock]

Oh, and I'm a huge fan of 914Rubber and have bought almost every item in their catalog. They are not perfect though. I have a list of parts I've purchased from them that simply do not work. Just a pertinent example here. The MC I bought from them leaked around the Welch plug because it wasn't pressed in properly. Mark confirmed that they found a few in the first run with the problem and gave me a generous store credit for my trouble of having to pull it out of the car to repress the plug. He would have also replaced the MC of course but that was the easier route for me.

They are a great company that stands by their products, but are certainly not perfect and do bring items to market before they are fully tested sometimes. I'm not trying to bash them. To the contrary. I think it is praiseworthy that they are willing to take the risk to develop these products for us at very reasonable prices, and stand by their products even when things don't go as planned. Another example, at this moment they are working through some issues with the new roll bar pads.

I can't say for sure what the problem with the grommets was, and can't rule out operator error, but don't assume that just because a part came from a trusted vendor, any problems must be the user's fault. I've had problems with several of their grommets that are made of silicone instead of the much stiffer rubber that OEM parts are made from. Just one example, the grommets to mount the dash instruments I got from them were worthless. Kind of hard to fuch that installation up. So yeah, I have suspicions about those MC grommets. All I can say is the dimensions matched the OEM grommets but the material felt softer and more flexible than OEM. The OEM grommets popped in with a satisfying snap that I never got from the ones that came with the MC.

Hi Brent,

I realize this is a super old post. Agree on the great customer service at @914Rubber. My car has tons of their stuff on it. My first "EZ Install" MC from them leaked from the welch plug as you mentioned. Even though I bought it new when they first came out, they replaced it no questions asked with another one and gave me some goodies to boot. All would be great except the second one from them seeps from the plug just like the first.

Did you just put yours on a bench and press the welch plug in further with a vise or tap with hammer? (I have a vise, a press, etc...) At this point I will have to go back to the new ATE I have and fight the lines... I just don't want to hassle with it if I don't have a reasonable shot at sealing this one up... Appreciate your thoughts!!

Hi @Morrie ,

To be honest, I would use your ATE MC which is what I'm planning to do after this driving season is over. After another member posted a pic of internals of a disassembled 914R MC, I noted several differences between it and my original ATE. I don't know if those differences will affect reliability, but the part is too mission critical to take chances. I think I read that you had to cut the plastic supply lines to install the EZ option. That sucks because those lines are WAY more of a PITA to install than snapping them into the MC using the original grommets. After learning the tip of using the flare wrench to install the grommets, it was literally a snap.

But to answer your question about the plug. I don't have a press so I used a socket in my vice to fully press the plug in place. I think it was 11mm but don't remember for sure. After I was confident the plug was fully pressed in and seated around the perimeter, I filled the recess with JB Weld just for extra measure. No leaks after almost 7K miles.

[Morrie]

Hi Brent,

I realize this is a super old post. Agree on the great customer service at @914Rubber. My car has tons of their stuff on it. My first "EZ Install" MC from them leaked from the welch plug as you mentioned. Even though I bought it new when they first came out, they replaced it no questions asked with another one and gave me some goodies to boot. All would be great except the second one from them seeps from the plug just like the first.

Did you just put yours on a bench and press the welch plug in further with a vise or tap with hammer? (I have a vise, a press, etc...) At this point I will have to go back to the new ATE I have and fight the lines... I just don't want to hassle with it if I don't have a reasonable shot at sealing this one up... Appreciate your thoughts!!


Hi @Morrie ,

To be honest, I would use your ATE MC which is what I'm planning to do after this driving season is over. After another member posted a pic of internals of a disassembled 914R MC, I noted several differences between it and my original ATE. I don't know if those differences will affect reliability, but the part is too mission critical to take chances. I think I read that you had to cut the plastic supply lines to install the EZ option. That sucks because those lines are WAY more of a PITA to install than snapping them into the MC using the original grommets. After learning the tip of using the flare wrench to install the grommets, it was literally a snap.

But to answer your question about the plug. I don't have a press so I used a socket in my vice to fully press the plug in place. I think it was 11mm but don't remember for sure. After I was confident the plug was fully pressed in and seated around the perimeter, I filled the recess with JB Weld just for extra measure. No leaks after almost 7K miles.

That is the direction I am leaning towards also, unfortunately. I had "heard" that the 914 was much more difficult to install than the 911. I've done 911 MC several times with no issues popping in the lines. As far as cutting off the metal fittings, yeah, I did that but good news is that I can use the flex lines that 914Rubber supplied to reconnect them. I may still try pressing the cap in better using a socket and a carefully placed C clamp in situ. I'm mainly curious if it moves and if that solves the problem. Other than the small drip, it does work fine.... Anyway, its part of some other work I am doing mechanically now so will look at it and see what happens. Just a bit disappointing.