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how to keep brake cylinders from rusting?

ok, this really is metal related, right? I've got a car I'm parting out (an

87 porsche 944S if that matters to anyone) - and the brake master cylinder, and clutch master and slave cylinder are in good condition - If I just put them aside, they will be worthless in a year because the brake fluid is hydroscopic and I'll just have a corroded mess. I could pump a little DoT 5 fluid (a silicone oil) through them, but I'm not convinced that will really stop the corrosion because some of the dot 3/4 fluid may remain to cause trouble. I can disassemble, but then they will probably not work right upon reassembly (and kits are not generally available at a reasonable price).

There must be some reasonable way to protect these cylinders during storage - any suggestions?

Reply to
William Noble
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Zip-bag with silica gel?

Nick

Reply to
Nick Mueller

and flush them through with fresh fluid first?

Reply to
Newshound

You could try putting them in plastic bags or containers and drawing a vacuum on them. Maybe even put some dessicant bags in with them to absorb any moisture that might remain.

Jim Chandler

Reply to
Jim Chandler

Flush with new fluid, then put in a container backfilled with argon from the TIG. Welding gas is very dry. Ziplock bags are better than nothing, but polyethylene is slightly permeable to water vapor. I like those cheap 1-gallon styrene or PET wide-jars with screw-top lids found at Wal-Mart.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Just about any plastic is permeable to water- that is why homebrewers use glass for lagering (slow fermentation).

-Carl

Reply to
Carl Byrns

On a related note, why can't we make functional copies of said cylinders out of stainless? Is there a good reason the OEM parts aren't, other than the 27 cents each of cost savings?

Reply to
Dave Hinz

Dave Hinz wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

The extra $5 each in machining costs.

Reply to
Anthony

I have had some cylindes on one of my older cars sleeved with brass - by a company called "white post restorations" - good folks, by the way - they said that SS was too hard and would not form a good seal. I've seen a service to sleeve older Corvette calipers with SS, but not drum brake cylinders or master cylinders.

Reply to
William Noble

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