Bad break master cylinder???

So my mechanic told me I have a bad master cylinder because how my brake pedal almost touches the floor . It kinda makes sense when I brake my pedal is not firm and it kinda goes far in and takes me a while to stop, but I been reading online and I've come to the conclusion to get my brake fluid flush and replaced . I got a 06 Tacoma with 86,000 miles I'm the second owner .I got it when it had 18,000 miles . Since I've had the truck I've never replace the brake fluid . Can it be that the brake fluid is old and I need to flush out ? And I don't see no visible leak around the master cylinder, and I think the first owner did not do change the brake fluid, by changing the break fluid will I feel or see any difference in my brake pedal been more firm or should I save my money and change the master cylinder.

Do I go for a flush at pep boys for 69.99 or pay almost 400 bucks to replace my master cylinder from the mechanic?

 

You can try bleeding the brakes first, if you need a New M/C then you will be having to change the Fluid out at that point.

 

I think you posted in the wrong forum. You need the 2nd Gen forum. vvv

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/2nd-gen-tacomas-2005-2015.5/

 

Oh. Well this is the third gen forum so I figured the problem was legit.

 

I mean, hey - you never know. Could be...

 

Do you trust your mechanic?

 

haha i came in here thinking "I'm not surprised. I had my entire brake assembly replaced"

Toyota Tacoma 3rd gen: Where 86K mile problems come from the factory!

 

Side note: That absolutely sounds like a brake master cylinder. Old fluid wouldn't cause that problem. You could try bleeding the brakes, but that would be just as disconcerting if it fixed it--because how would air have gotten in there?

It's probably the master cylinder. I wouldn't even bother with the fluid change.

 

While we are on this topic, would this apply to the 3rd gens as well? can't seem to find anything via search. Play a bit in damp, and I want to flush in the spring. If anything I guess I can do the 2 person flush but this seems so much easier.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-4x4-trd-off-road-with-speed-bleeders.368080/

 

Brake bleeding is pretty easy... one person pumps brakes hold down pedal, other person opens the bleed valve lets fluid out.... top off reservoir, repeat x3. Air in the lines will do what the OP has.... how air got in... that's gonna be a problem on a hydraulic system.

Note to self... don't run low on brake fluid.

 

Yeah I was wondering if the speed bleeder with ignition on would work on 3rd gen. It would be so much better to do a one person job with speed bleeder if the same setup worked. Usually the second person on brakes is my wife. Within the first brake pump or two, an argument is guaranteed.

 

If your doing it yourself i would say a bleed first is a no brainer. A quart bottle is cheap and would be worth the effort just to find out. If its low and has never been serviced i could see air getting into the system. I have speed bleeders on my bike and they are wonderful. I got mine from goodridge. If you dont have them a vac tool is also very helpful and can make it a one man job.

 

I don't recommend flushing the electronic booster. It's best to leave it to a shop that has access to the scan tool if its needed.

2nd Gen tacos do have masters that fail, it's also critical to be careful when installing the new master and to measure the depth of the pushrod with a specific tool.

 

This. It may well be a bad master cylinder, but bleeding the brakes is worth a try simply because it's cheap. Fluid at the dealer is only $5, and you can make a one-person bleeder bottle for next to nothing:

 

I know I know... "you aren't doing it right".... I tell myself that all the time... saves my wife from having to tell me while she helps out.... as best she can.

Last time I bled my wife's Honda I did the tube into bottle trick. I actually changed the brake fluid that way.... and I could get all the old fluid out of each brake line & master cylinder. I didn't have to employ my wife for that...

 

I do the tube into the bottle with a little bit of fluid at the bottom hose. I use a 32 ounce rubber made water bottle because it was cheap and the lid's a nice heavy plastic to drill into.



I have the tube through the drilled hole in the lid nice and snug and sealed it with hot glue on top and bottom so the hose doesn't move, lift up/come out of the fluid reservoir in the bottom. I also have a small hole for air to bubble out of on the other side. I have a few fridge magnets hotglued on the bottle. I like to use my floor jack since it's easy to roll around, jack up the truck/car to get the caliper higher. I set everything up and stick the bottle on the jack so it doesn't move. Everything is on there pretty good and doesn't move around. It's a pretty stable set up. About $10 altogether in parts and it's held up for 5 years. 2 vehicles so 1 is always due for a fluid refresh every year.

I drain the reservoir of old fluid. I have a red stripe bottle with the bottom cut off. I put the bottle neck into the reservoir. Red stripe just has a short little neck so it's great on newer cars that have the stupid little filter in the reservoir. The top of the bottle is a nice upside down bowl that will fill the reservoir opening.


Then I start filling the reservoir through the bottle until the reservoir is full and I have fluid IN the upside down bottle. As long as you don't have more fluid in the bottle than in the reservoir, it will not overflow. The oval top on the bottle keeps enough pressure on the reservoir opening as you fill it more so that it doesn't leak. Plus the weight of the bottle works nice. That reduces the risk of running empty. I can usually have about 8 additional ounces of fluid in the upside down bottle along with what's in the reservoir. Only downside is the glass is brown and it's a little hard to see unless you get right on top. But a worklight on the hood helps.


Even with that I still like to have the wife pump the break while I open and close the bleeder. so I can keep an eye on things. I just have to look up to see if the bottle is empty or not, instead of having to move to the front. Plus my wife can peep under the opening in the hood while in the driver's seat when I'm in the back. If there is anything simple, I can come up with the absolutely most useless way to make it more complicated. Trust me.