Daskoff
10-10-2004, 11:05 PM
I started off by printing out the "how-to" section from BMWe34.net. Everything is correct and helpful, except you should also have a 7/16" flare wrench in addition to the 10mm. My '90 535 used the 7/16". Also different is the metal brake line from the slave to the master. I actually had a rubber hose in-between, which actually made it easier to disconnect the master cylinder. If you have this set-up, disconnect the rubber hose at the master cyl. rigid line. Make sure you use the 11/16" flare for the rubber side and the 7/16" for the rigid side. Then work the master cyl. out from the firewall until you have just enough space to put the 7/16" flare wrench at the end. Now you will not have room to turn the flare...I jammed the flare so it won't move, then I used a pipe wrench to turn the old master cylinder.
I bought my master and slave from BMA. The master is aluminum, so be very careful as to NOT cross thread when you're threading the line. I ended up cross threading...so I now had an excuse to by a tap & die set. (I spent about 30 minutes trying to install the master, until I realized i screwed it up). Lowes had a Vermont 40 piece set for $75. Well worth the price. Once you figure out the thread, you pick the appropriate tap and have at it.
Another thing you should watch out for is the supply line from the brake fluid container to the master. You have to pull it out of the master which is difficult enough but putting it back was even harder. There is a rubber grommet in the master so take that out and put it on the supply line. The install it in the master.
I got to admit, it was way harder then I thought. More than the indicated 3 banannas. All in all it took me about 6 hours not including the trip to Lowes. Hope this helps anyone contemplating the project.
Adrian
I bought my master and slave from BMA. The master is aluminum, so be very careful as to NOT cross thread when you're threading the line. I ended up cross threading...so I now had an excuse to by a tap & die set. (I spent about 30 minutes trying to install the master, until I realized i screwed it up). Lowes had a Vermont 40 piece set for $75. Well worth the price. Once you figure out the thread, you pick the appropriate tap and have at it.
Another thing you should watch out for is the supply line from the brake fluid container to the master. You have to pull it out of the master which is difficult enough but putting it back was even harder. There is a rubber grommet in the master so take that out and put it on the supply line. The install it in the master.
I got to admit, it was way harder then I thought. More than the indicated 3 banannas. All in all it took me about 6 hours not including the trip to Lowes. Hope this helps anyone contemplating the project.
Adrian