How To Replace Your Master Cylinder

Before you start wrenching on your braking system, you need to thoroughly clean all of the parts involved. The inside of a brake system is very sensitive to dirt and debris. Even the smallest piece can cause wear and malfunction. Spray the master cylinder, brake lines and other components liberally with brake cleaner. Let it soak and do it again. If it's extra gooey in there, you might need to steal your kid's toothbrush to take care of it. No matter how you do it, be sure the area is clean before you even remove the brake fluid cap.

Once you've got everything spic-n-span, remove the fluid reservoir cap and suck the old brake fluid out with your turkey baster. Don't worry about getting every drop, you're just making the next steps a little cleaner.

Note: Brake fluid can severely damage automotive paint, so keep it off the car!