Master Cylinder

Howdy ya’ll,

I’m being told by the mechanic who replaced my left rear wheel bearing and brake shoes that my master cylinder went bad, but it still brakes and occasionally sinks to the floor. I’m at work and have yet to pick it up.

I’m researching master cylinders and I am confused. I have a 2005 4WD MT 4 cyl Tacoma, just a base model.

Does mine require the expensive VCS one or can I get a non-VSC master cylinder?

Annnd could this possibly be a mechanic installation issue?

 

Do you have VSC?

 

I would try bleeding the air out if it's sinking to the floor sometimes.

 

I don’t think I have any traction control stuff whatsoever.

I want to make sure cause I want to do it right the first time if I can.

He quoted me around $450ish and said the part would come from Denver. I assume that is part and labor, which if it is than a non-VSC would make sense.

 

2005 did not have the VSC controls. It would be a standard brake booster. Parts sound expensive. I bet you could install yourself for half that.

 

@6 gearT444E I appreciate it! Yeah I find one just down the street I can get tomorrow. I just needed to know if it was not VSC. I’m still learning a lot about Tacomas and vehicles in general.

This looks like an easy DIY.

 

https://parts.olathetoyota.com/oem-...meT0yMDA3JnQ9cHJlLXJ1bm5lciZlPTItN2wtbDQtZ2Fz

 

One quick question, did I need to bleed the clutch or do anything in particular with that since they share the same reservoir?

 

looks like the reservoir is separate from the brake booster master. Pop the hood to check though. If they do share the same reservoir then yes you should bleed the clutch line as well down to the slave cylinder. Make sure you bench bleed the master to save some time once it’s installed.

 

I've been doing my research thoroughly so I can go into this as prepared as possible. Hopefully my last question...How do you adjust the brake booster push rod? It says with a new master cylinder that it needs to be adjusted. I have no idea how to approach this with the repair manual itself.

 

I apologize, it looks like the clutch reservoir is shared with the master cylinders without VSC. On mine it is a separate reservoir so not familiar with how the other trucks are laid out. You will find below the booster pushrod adjustment instructions.

 

The SST can be substituted with a set of vice grips, it’s just a splined piece of metal to fix the rod in place so the adjustment nut can be rotated.

 

Oh that part makes it easy! It’s the measuring that’s confusing my brain.

 

After getting my Tacoma back, my parking brake does not work. I have a spongy brake peddle and have to push it and release it multiple times to slow down.

Can poor adjusted or not adjusted brake shoes cause this?

I had to get new shoes cause it was soaked in oil. I don’t want to waste money on a new master cylinder if it’s a potential failure to adjust the brakes.

 

If the pedal is slowly sinking the master cylinder is by passing replace it. The adjustment most likely is not needed . It is much easier to blead the new cylinder before replacing it in a vice.

 

a low/soft brake pedal BY ITSELF could be a hydraulic problem like a bad master cyl or air bubbles..

If you now have a low/soft brake pedal AND no parking brake.. i would check the rear drum brakes and make sure the shoes/hardware/parking brake components are correctly installed.

 

After watching a few videos I realize that the brake booster push rod adjustment is stupid easy. My question is, where do I get that measuring “accessory” if I’m buying an aftermarket master cylinder?

 

Not trying to pester you.. but I'd figure out why the parking brake no longer works before i replace the M/C. The rear brakes are the only place where the hydraulic system and the parking brake system meet.. ya follow?

 

Not at all pestering, I appreciate it. Yeah I was just thinking that when I take my Tacoma back to the shop who did the repair to adjust and fix the parking brake first and see how the brake pedal responds before considering the M/C replacement.

They said to bring it back in and that they’ll play with it and adjust it. The parking bake doesn’t even slow my Tacoma down. I park in the same spot I always do and that thing rolls compared to before where it kept it stuck.

 

I’d go to Toyota, they might sell you one or one of the mechanics might have an extra one laying around the shop he’d throw you for a 6 pack.