Seems the reman units have gone up in price over the years like everything else, $150 is the best price I have found. When I look at it, it seems so small and simple - has anyone found a simple GM/Ford master cylinder that will work instead? Maybe with an attached reservoir? The parts description mention a 15/16 bore

I suppose it is not just the $150, but I wonder if it works as well as the one on a Chevy truck?

 

why can you not rebuild it? Kits are available for as low as $30. It is a pretty simple job. If you can take off the MC then you can rebuilt it yourself.

As long as it has not suffered a major failure(broken, etc) & you just need seals then it is rebuildable.

 

Looked at it when it was out, but was too pitted because the back half had been dry for a long time. Got a rebuilt $142 Wish I had found that chevy one to fit for $14, but I couldn't be sure I had the right pushrod depth...

 

No offense, but you are talking about a 37 year old, limited production vehicle. If you think $150 is too high for a MC then reconsider the car you own. Buy an old Chevy. You will look like everyone else, but you will pay the same money they do. Seriously.

 

No offense taken, and what I was really concerned about has come true - that 40 year old design for $150 does not have as effective stopping power as a $14 Chevy master cylinder with its matching booster. I regret not making more effort to modernize the system,.... maybe in a few months. But I have a daily driver now and that is good.

The car is worth the effort and money, it has wonderful styling and just enough Chevy parts to make it at least start, run and not leak.

 

I am currently doing an overall brake rebuild. Did you ever find the Chevy master cylinder replacement?

 

Don't think there is any 'chevy' MC that will bolt on but a S2/3 XJ MC is easy to retrofit and cheaper than a S1 which is now much more than the $150 the OP from 10 years ago mentioned. That crazy talk about the $14 Chevy MC providing better stopping power is alot of nonsense as well.

Another good possibility is to have your original MC sleeved and rebuilt... Relatively inexpensive as well.

 

Rustfreemike,

Thanks for the response. I was doubtful that there was a chevy MC that would fit a series 1. I think my MC is good for now but thought it worth following up with.

 

Master Cylinders are designed to be used with specific brakes and the design is based in the principles of hydraulics. It's the MC's bore diameter for a given caliper/slave cylinder that influences how the brakes perform. The quality factor is purely how well its manufactured and what type of seals it uses. The Jaguar setup is made by Girling (I think) who have been in the braking game from the start!

 

Interesting. I have just fitted Series 2 four piston callipers with ventilated discs to my Series 1 rebuild. Now you have got me worried in that maybe the S1 M/C is not suited to the task. I have yet to inspect the condition of the said M/C, so maybe the time is ripe to upgrade that as well. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

The danger is that the swept volume of your master cylinder is insufficient to supply the bigger-pistoned brake calipers before the master cylinder runs out of fluid to push. Think of a syringe coming to the end of its travel before it has filled up a larger-volumed container. The best plan would be to measure the volume of both the S1 and S2 master cylinders; and if the newer one is larger, use that.

 

Greg, Thanks for that. I just checked Barratt's parts listing. Interestingly, the M/C repair kit for the Series 1 and Series 2 is the same. That would indicate to me the internals on both m/c's are alike and perhaps the fluid volumes are the same.
I noticed that on the Series 2 ($500 parts car) I cannibalised for the discs etc. the brake lines are much more involved, the ones in the engine bay that is, maybe because the later model incorporated some warning device. Not sure if I'm chewing off more than I can digest with this, so further research required! Cheers.

 

I doubt that you’ll run out of travel using an S1 MC with S3 callipers. At worst the pedal will travel a little further and be a bit lighter. The lightness may be unnoticeable with the servo, but the physics still apply.

 

I wouldn't worry about the larger four piston setup, the MC will cope fine. I swapped mine to V12 XJS items many years ago and they work really well.

 

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

pete