What Does A Brake Master Cylinder Actually Do?
We should probably start by saying a brake master cylinder technically isn’t essential. You could use cable-actuated brakes, if you liked, like the cheap items you get on entry-level mountain bikes. On the other hand, to stand the strain of stopping one or two tonnes of metal, plastic and humans over 10-20 years, the cable would have to be massive.
There are more practical solutions, chief among which are hydraulics. The fact that liquid doesn’t compress makes it perfect for transferring force from one part of a system to another. When it comes to the brakes in your car, the master cylinder is the key component in making that happen.
How to Buy a Good Quality Clutch Master Cylinder
The master cylinder in a manual transmission system functions similarly to the brake master cylinder, and in fact, both systems use brake fluid to lubricate the interior components and provide the pressure necessary to operate the other elements of the mechanism.
The clutch master cylinder contains a “clutch fluid” reservoir, which actually just holds brake fluid. When the clutch is depressed, pistons put pressure on the fluid, which then travels to the slave cylinder, and the pressure in turn allows you to engage the clutch and change gears. When this cylinder goes bad, whether due to wear and tear, clogging, or a leak somewhere in a seal, the transmission will malfunction and this puts your safety at risk.
A few different things can happen when the cylinder is bad. You may experience a spongy-feeling clutch, or the pedal may go to the floor. The clutch may also suddenly engage as you are driving, sending the car lurching forward – this could easily cause an accident. The cylinder should be replaced as soon as the damage is discovered.
When shopping for a new cylinder you want a good balance of durability and price. Because this is such a vital part of your safety while driving, it’s worth a little extra investment.
How to make sure you’re getting a good quality clutch master cylinder
Look for cast steel, rather than extruded aluminum. Cast parts are generally stronger and more reliable.
Choose a trusted name brand for your clutch master cylinder. This is not the time to take chances on an unknown source.
Look for a warranty. Some brands, as well as some sellers, offer warranties – even lifetime – on clutch master cylinders. Calculate the value of price versus the length of warranty to get the right balance for your budget.
If you're still unsure of what to buy, as a good suppliers, we supplies top-quality clutch master cylinders to our certified mobile technicians. We can also install a clutch master cylinder that you've purchased.
Clutch Master Cylinders
The clutch master cylinder is directly connected to the clutch pedal and serves as the portion of the hydraulic system that generates hydraulic pressure. Master cylinders are divided into two primary categories based on the internal mechanism used to generate hydraulic pressure: seal over port systems and center-feed type systems.
Seal over port system
The seal over port system uses a push rod attached to the clutch pedal to produce piston movement in the master cylinder. When the piston moves, seals attached to the piston move forward. The primary seal passes over a small port in the wall of the cylinder, which allows fluid flow to and from the reservoir. Once the primary seal passes over the port, the fixed portion of fluid contained between the master and slave cylinder is moved toward the slave cylinder. This results in disengagement of the clutch. One variation of the seal over port is a plunger type master cylinder. Rather than using the attached seals that move with the pistons, the piston instead moves through the seals.
Center-feed type system
The center-feed type system uses small hooks attached to the nose of the piston. When the clutch pedal is not depressed, these hooks engage a flange on the valve stem. A circular rubber seal on the opposite end of the valve stem is held away from the master cylinder body. This allows fluid flow to and from the reservoir. When the clutch pedal is depressed, the hooks no longer hold the valve stem and it is pushed to the bottom of the master cylinder body. The reservoir is now separated from the fixed fluid, contained between the master and slave cylinder. As the clutch pedal is further depressed and the master cylinder piston moves even further, fluid is forced toward the slave cylinder, resulting in the disengagement of the clutch. Master cylinders are also subdivided into two additional categories: Integral reservoir systems and remote reservoir systems. The fluid reservoir of an integral reservoir system is part of the master cylinder body. The fluid reservoir of a remote reservoir system is attached to the master cylinder body via a rubber hose. The use of integral or remote reservoirs is dictated by the available room in the engine compartment. Both integral and remote reservoir types are used in seal over port and center feed type systems.