Ultimate Brake Fluid Reservoir

[rmgill]

I've been rolling around the idea of a replacement brake fluid reservoir for my truck. I'm finally fixing the air pack which has been spitting BFS out of the vent line on the firewall and I've been pondering this idea again.

The idea I have is this:

1. Metal reservoir, fits on the firewall in the engine compartment. Has to look like it belongs there.

2. Built in sight glass so you can see if you have fluid without having to open things up.

3. Closable valve with provisions for pressurizing to 3-5psi so as to facilitate 1 man bleeding of brakes.

4. A breather vent for normal use.

... Or I suppose just make two caps. One with a vent and one with a schrader valve.

I've been looking for reasonably priced reservoirs and just thought of making one out of 3" AL pipe and soldering a nicer end cap on the bottom with some provision for a filler cap and with a knurled top.

Brass is crazy expensive so not going that route. AL might work as it's easy to machine a spot in the lower side for sight glasses (or a sight tube). Solder the lower cap on since it's not going to need to come off. Before doing so, add a fitting for connecting brass hard line to the Brake Master Cylinder's usual vent line point.

Short of sand casting my own design for a small tank in aluminum and adding two sight glasses (low and high levels) this is what I've come up with.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[rustystud]

I will take some pictures of mine tomorrow. My main computer crashed (motherboard went bye bye) and all my pictures are on it. I bought a 2 chamber reservoir from a racing supplier that works great. It doesn't have a site glass but does have screw on lids.

 

[frank8003]

I wanted an easy place to add fluid with a good vent way above the master cylinder. I wanted to be able to remove or change location of the whole deal easily if
desired.
I wanted an easy quick disconnect place to attach my pressure bleeder. I want fluid quantity to be in plain sight at all times. I needed it to use all the stuff from 40 years of collecting up stuff.
I cobbled this together. Now I can turn two valves, bleed the system, disconnect bottle and realign valves easy.

Now I like watching the fluid level go up and down 2-3 inches as I use the brakes.

{any kind of sight glass available, make your own setup}
http://lubrication-equipment.oilrit...evel-gage-gauge-vented-brass-straight/b1145-8

 

[General Mcgregor]

So Awesome...

 

[rustystud]

OK, here is mine.

 

[lino]

And here's mine (if I get around to anodizing it, it will look less out of place):

Of course, it's full now and sight glasses are purple (BFS).

 

[bonedoc]

And here's mine (if I get around to anodizing it, it will look less out of place):
View attachment 581372
Of course, it's full now and sight glasses are purple (BFS).

Did you make that or purchase it?

 

[lino]

Did you make that or purchase it?

I made it.

 

[tcruwithme]

Great thread. This is on my project list. Subscribed.

 

[Valence]

It doesn't hold nearly as much reserve fluid as all ya'lls, but I went with the more common clear plastic reservoir, and mounted it nearly in the same place as welldigger:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...oir-Location&p=1560241&viewfull=1#post1560241

I did like, I believe it was gimpyrobb in a different thread, suggested and put a manual shutoff below the reservoir so if I need to disconnect the reservoir from the master cylinder, I end up with a lot less fluid spilling everywhere.

Bought mine here:
http://www.bigmikesmotorpool.com/co...products/remote-master-cylinder-reservoir-kit

 

[rustystud]

I made it.

Looks good Lino.

 

[JDToumanian]

Here's mine... I didn't want to have to open the hood to check the level. The fitting is for my power bleeder and the valve is to shut off the reservoir when bleeding since it has a vented cap.

Jon

 

[rmgill]

Schraeder valve? Any issues with flow rate with the power bleeder?

 

[icecreamman]

Jon, what is that reservoir re-purposed from? I reeeeeally like that.

 

[JDToumanian]

Jon, what is that reservoir re-purposed from? I reeeeeally like that.

You know, I wish I knew... It showed up in a tri-wall box of miscellaneous surplus MV parts. It's off an MV of some sort, something modern I think. I've hoped someone would recognize it.

Schraeder valve? Any issues with flow rate with the power bleeder?

The fitting is actually standard flare, with a little brass cap over it... So I just close the ball valve to the reservoir, take the cap off and connect the power bleeder. Works great, I wish I had a source for more of those remote reservoirs so I could put one on all my MVs.

Jon