TOPIC:

I'm trying to disassemble the front master cylinder to clean out the gunk. I've got the MC on the bench with the brake lever off. My Clymer manual now tells me to "remove the dust seal retaining ring and the dust seal." I see the seal, but I don't see how to remove it without destroying it. Can it be done? Does anyone have a writeup on disassembling a 650C1 front master cylinder?

Thanks.

If it's really that gunked up in there, then you will have to destroy the seal to remove it.
FWIW, and even though it's only a dust seal, for peace of mind you'd be better off in just replacing it regardless of how it comes out.

Whatever you do though, just be patient and take your time.
No sense rushing it and possibly end up buggering the piston bore up.

Are you planning on installing a new rebuild kit, or just various parts of it?

Th parts diagram looks like it shows a circlip, but I am not sure if that is under the dust seal or not. It might be holding it in, but the browser I use isn't letting me zoom in.

Look @ www.buykawasaki, up at the top reads owner info, and when you put your mouse over it, you can select parts diagrams. Fill in the info, and viola: a breakdown of your motorcycle. Select master cylinder, and you at least have a diagram.

Good luck, just did mine and it worked -- for a couple of hours.

RetroRiceRocketRider,
I wasn't planning on replacing anything if I could get away with it. I just wanted to disassemble, clean, and re-assemble. If I have to replace anything, I'll just do a rebuild.

gpzrox,
I have a Clymer manual which has a good parts diagram. I see the circlip too, but I'm also not sure if it's under the dust seal or not. Looking at the actual assembly I can't see any way to get to to that circlip. All I see is the dust seal.

Looks like I may have to just rip into it and do a rebuild.

Thanks for the info.

How dirty is this? Soak it in a pan of new brake fluid and get a toothbrush to scrub it off. Wiggle it around a little bit, or try a sharp pick at the edges and see if you can pry it out a bit.

double post, sorry

Post edited by: OKC_Kent, at: 2006/06/20 11:59

There's a circlip way the heck into the master cylinder that needs to be removed to remove the piston. Good luck on finding a tool to remove this as it's too far back in the bore for normal snap ring pliers to get close to.

I see the seal, and the circlip, and I have a pair of snap ring pliers. But I see NO way to get that circlip off. I can see one part of the circlip, but not the ends where the pliers would go. And even if the ends were located where I could see them, I don't think my pliers would fit in there. Z1 Enterprises sells a rebuild kit, so apparently it is rebuildable. Has anyone rebuilt one? If so, what did you do with the dust seal and circlip?

Also, I put some new fluid in the master cylinder and tried to get it to flow through using the brake lever, but none would come out. I tried using my pressure bleeder. Same result. So I HAVE to get it apart somehow. My master cylinder is worthless as it is.

Thanks.

Can you try a pointed pick and pop out an end of the circlip? I bought a 4-pack of picks, three have angled points so you can dig into something like that...give it a try, sounds like you have nothing to lose at this time.

I was thinking along those lines, but I was going to try to make a pick out of something like a nail. A pack of picks sounds like a better idea. Where could I get a set of those?

Thanks.

OK. I've tried a variety of tools on this thing and I still can't get it apart. Are master cylinders still available anywhere? Z1 Enterprises doesn't show one for my bike, or for a '78.

E-bay has had some universals on it, and some used stock parts.

Single disc? I've seen ALOT of EX-500 master cylinders on there for really cheap.

Louie