Are all master cylinders born the same?

#1

Mine is officially dead. I have had bad luck historically with reman brake parts. Is there a good source of a quality, new part? If so, what brand and where do I get it?

Thanks in advance. The list of remaining items is getting small.

-Scott

#2

why go reman? get a brand new one from bimmerworld.

#3

That was really my question, if bimmerworld has a quality, new part, I’ll be on the phone with them tomorrow.

-Scott

#4

Is this the right one, and is it legal:

http://store.bimmerworld.com/oem-e30-25mm-master-cylinder-kit-p47.aspx

Our OEM E30 25mm brake master cylinder was originally designed for the E30 M3. We now have a E30 Non-M version available. Replaces the stock E30 M3 23mm master cylinder to increase brake pedal sensitivity and decrease travel. E30 325 stock specs differ but this can still be a great upgrade for E30 Non-M drivers looking for a firm pedal and/or have incorporated a larger brake kit.
Kit includes master cylinder and custom fitted brake line.

I really don’t want to change brake lines, and unless someone tells me otherwise, I usually go smaller not larger on master cylinder size, to get more pedal travel and feel.

Thoughts?

#5

the rules don’t say you can use a larger master so not legal but im sure they have the oem ones. call them up.

#6

You can get a new master cylinder from Advance

#7

I just got one from Pelican Parts and installed it. Worked fine at Road Atlanta. There are at least 2 different models for the E30s so make sure you get the right one for your brake lines.

#8

They keep asking me if the car was built before or after 5/87. I haven’t the slightest clue. Any way to tell? The prior owner won’t know, nor will anyone else, and I don’t have the title to run a vin.

Advance has a new master cylinder, $302.00. That’s insanity.

How else can I tell which one I need?

-Scott

#9

BigKeyserSoze wrote:

Go to realoem.com and plug in the last 7 digits of the VIN and it will tell you the production date.

#10

Go here:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/catalog/shopcart/BE30/POR_BE30_BRKhyd_pg2.htm

Compare the pictures to the one on your car. None of them are over $300.

#11

yeah, i don’t get the $300 price some places quote.

#12

Production date is not definitive. They used both ATE and Girling.

The master cylinder has to match the booster. Girling or ATE. They are not interchangeable, I am told by my wholesale parts house guy.

Realoem/last7 VIN doesn’t help you, but there should be a brand label visible on the booster.

#13

ctbimmer wrote:

[quote]Production date is not definitive. They used both ATE and Girling.

The master cylinder has to match the booster. Girling or ATE. They are not interchangeable, I am told by my wholesale parts house guy.

Realoem/last7 VIN doesn’t help you, but there should be a brand label visible on the booster.[/quote]
Correct on all counts. You can use the ATE or Girling MC/Booster combination. I sort of remember having to fiddle with the lines when swapping from one combination to the other. So get the MC that matches your booster.

#14

Real OEM says the car was built 06/87. I’ll check the booster to make sure, but based on the Real OEM website its an ATE.

-Scott

#15

OK, you guys are going to think this is odd but here we go:

I want the master cylinder today, and I was shocked with the pricing of the new ones, so I send a friend to the junkyard to get one.

My car was built 6/87. It has an ATE master and an ATE booster.

The junkyard has 5 of these cars. 4 of them are 5/87 built or later. Every last car in the junkyard had a Girling master on an ATE booster. All of them. We sized up the ATE master that came off my car and compared it to the Girling master that came off the donor car, everything was identical, same line size, same inlet size, everything was the same except for the fact that the striker rod on the master cylinder on the Girling master was slightly thicker than the ATE. I bolted the Girling master on my car, bled the system and the car stops great.

So, I don’t know how to explain it all, but a Girling master cylinder will bolt up and work well on an ATE booster.

Thanks to everyone for the help. I will be putting the wheel sensors back on and hoping the ABS works.

-Scott

#16

You aren’t really a SpecE30 type until you’ve stood in the middle of a PickNPull and exclaimed “Eureka!” Welcome aboard.

#17

I’m envious that you have a Pick N Pull with 5 E30s in it.

#18

Scott Mc, thank you for the junkyard/parts book assessment.This is valuable information and in the world if internet geekdumb it should be one of those “sticky” things? Anyone know how to do this?

Add to the brake discussion: You can change all of these parts looking for an answer to a soft/lots of travel brake pedal as the system heats up in a long/break demanding race.You can change boosters. You can change fluid. You can change pads.You can change master cylinders.You can change calipers. You can pull your hair out, but until you install less compliant/stainless steel brake lines the problem will persist.

Moral of the story (x3 cars that I own) install the lines during your build or you may have problems down the road as you tax the OEM 20+ year hoses, they expand, or worse yet fail (one of mine did) and you end up in a bad situation.

Don’t be cheap, change the hoses now.

Regards, Robert Patton

#19

And the brake lines are getting cheaper. I had to order a set to replace one that had a fitting fail while removing. I got these:

http://www.bmaparts.com/item.wws?sku=SSBRAKELINE6&itempk=121248&mfr=BMA&weight=1

and with free shipping and the 1555 code for 5% discount I was happy. They are very well made. Much better then the one I replaced that cost more.

No affiliation with BMA just a long term customer who has always been happy.

Michael