My Big Brother from the Big Brother organization had one of these bugs when we first hooked up back in the 70's. He drove it all throughout the U.S. and back home to Canada . He was killed in the Philippines in 2006. Seeing one like it again just brings back a flood of great memories. Big thanks Brian and another good tutorial.
Hey Brian. You’ve helped me many times. Clear delivery and easy to understand, even when you get “technical”. Just wanted to thank you for the service you provide. You have helped me save a lot of money, as well as teaching me things I thought I knew.
Beetles are very fun cars to own; i've had two in my life, a 68 Euro Bug (didn't know till after the car was totaled) and 66 US Bug which i still have. They are a great way to learn how to work on cars, since they're so simple. One thing i will caution though, there's a spacer inside the firewall that many people lose because they pull the master cylinder bolts out. Just have to loosen the bolts and then leave them in the car Great videos brian, keep it up
Awesome! Just what I needed for my '72 Hilux. Exact same problems. 4 wheel drum too. In the bleeding portion when using a vaccum pump...is there a possiblity that you're sucking up air from the bleeder valve? Does that mean I replace the nut and then do it? What happened was I did get bubbles and the fluid in the resvervor did go down. After that, I kept getting air bubbles with no chanch if the level. I checked the nut...it was only turned a bit.
@GerryJ08 Touching story. I'm glad it was a positive experience. You're welcome! My neighbor is building a white 1962. I helped out a bit with it today where they got stuck. The beetle is definitely a classic.
Like you said, no air leaking out/no leaks. Bit seems I got some brake but then pedal goes straight down. Then no brakes. S a bleeding thing? Im using DOT3 Lucas brake fuid. Is it time to replace brake system or just liquid?
Great vid thanks just have one question my front hoses are leaking and I have the new ones to change them If I change them do I have to bleed the master cylinder? And how do I properly change the hoses
i have a vw thing its the exact set up and ive never worked a Master_Cylinder b4 it was very helpful and ur goofy-ness made up for the bad lighting thanks for making this video and God bless
Great vid, Me and my Dad have owned many many air cooled Vw's. The 67 bugs are my favorite year bug (first year for 12volt). Yup can't get anything easier then them to work on heehee.
Question for you. I’ve replaced all the cylinders and hoses. Even went ahead and used plummets seal on all the lines and hoses. I’m still not getting good pressure when I bleed. I can’t figure out what the issue may be
Hey Brian, i just saw that a VW place sells the master cylinder which eliminates the far away reservoir , with his set-up reservoir is moved thus takes the place of the lines so it sits on top like a conventional master cylinder, just though you or owner might like to know
Great video it inspires me to replace my master cylinder.?I have a loss in pedal and no leaks at the wheels same as in the video.I have a pretty fast leak/loss of fluid but just damp around pedals.Could it be leakin into the tunnel/frame of car.
Hey there, thanks for the great video. I am finding another issue which i believe is also due to a faulty master cylinder: The brakes work fine on cold days, but as I drive the brake pedal begins to lose play until it doesn't move at all (Stuck right at the top). This worsens when the brakes start to prevent the tires from actually moving at all... On warmer days the brakes have almost no play at all. Any idea what could be the problem here? Thanks
Just changing the lines on a '71 and found the flexi lines are rock solid, already snapped the bleed nipples and rounded the 14mm cylinder connector, all this cos the brakes are really heavy, been told this is due to a common problem of the inner of the flexi deteriorating or ballooning and stopping the fluid reaching the cylinder. Is it possible ( if necessary ) to cut the solid lines close to the retaining clip and re-flare them in-situ?
Hey Brian nice video. I'm working on a 1970 vw beetle and haf also brake problems. I'm a machanic from trade but thote let's do som resource before is start thanks 👍
Great video! i got a 67 also, my problem is that on my clutch cable the wing nut is almost loose but the cable still tight i can`t go forward or backward. any suggestions? Thanks
Great step-by-step of brake diagnosis, however I would have liked to see the actual removal/replacement of the master cylinder. Also, a pry bar shouldn't be used to remove hub caps. A tool can be purchased or made out of a wire coat hanger that pulls on the spider bite looking holes on the rim of the hub cap. This will prevent dinging the hub cap or the finish on the wheel.
The old VW's used actual metal for their hub caps instead of the plastic junk used now. If you use it correctly, the tire tool generally provided with the car repair kit (or another small tire tool) can be safely used to pop the hub cap off without any damage.
Nice old classic VW there, my 1st car was a 61, didn't even have a gas gauge, just a lever on the floor near the gas pedal-- Brian,don't those crows feet come in handy? I got a set from Northern tools for about 25.00 shipped, needed to do the steering box on my ZJ PS hoses= 18 MM--
We have a Karmann Ghia we found warehoused in Arizona for 22 years. Mint condition but the master cylinder seems to need replacing. There's no good videos on replacing step by step, but I found one, but video wasn't that great. Do you know of good instructions or videos on Karmann Ghis master cylinder replacement??? Thanks for responding back.
Can you also leave the rod in place too? So, just loosen the bolts and then have a helper pull the Master as you are loosing and leave the bolts and rod in place??
@RelicDavvi Bench bleeding the master cylinder helps the process go faster. Likely the air is taking longer to make the trip out the bleeder. I'll make a video on bench bleeding a master cylinder.
Hey there Brian, Just want to ask couple of questions. I've done master cyl. jobs in the past and all have had reservoirs on them. So how do you bench bleed a car that has a remote reservoir? Do you have to remove the reservoir as well?
I’d love to see a response to your question. I have been working on a 63 Beetle. Replaced everything and it still doesn’t have a pedal. No leaks. Used a power bleeder, too. Frustrating
Thanks - my back yard mechanic is going to do this but at least i have a good indication of what is going to do and that he wont ripp me off with 'mumbo jumbo' that will cost me an arm and leg. Thanks
I cannot see any leaks during bleeding. Only thing is all wheels except drivers side front were solid no air. Just endless air. I looked at master no leaks but boot is deformed, can air be sucked in here?
Cool Video! Would bring you mine, if you wouldnt be so far away ;) Mine is in Wintersleep anyway atm. That was a real interesting video for me. BTW, Castle + Wolf = Wolfsburg, the city of VW Headquarter (for non V'dubers) They put away with that symbol on the later models. Mine does not have that anymore. Get into a good new year !
I installed a new TRW Master Brake Cylinder and for the life of me can I get peddle even going around and doing the bleed out process Is it possible the master I got has dry cups and wont pump up?
Hi there. I have a vw combi 1977 model and my master cylinder has failed.I have been looking for a new one but cannot find it.Could the vw beetle be compatible with my model?
I've been working on my brakes for a while I've replaced the master cylinder soft lines brake light switches all the hardware and can't get a pedal no leaking fluid getting fluid with no air at all 4 bleeders but no pressure and have to pump brakes 4 to 5 times to get a braking action good ebrake what am I missing
Dustin Tew after you adjust your brakes with the star ajuster inside your drums,pump your brakes to center your shoes,then readjust your brakes..may take a couple of times but I am sure thats your problem..
Even better tighten the star adjusters until they are tight then back off just until you feel a slight drag. dont waste your time pumping the pedal to center the shoes it will do that itself when you run them all the way out. this trick works on ALL cars with drums.
My Big Brother from the Big Brother organization had one of these bugs when we first hooked up back in the 70's. He drove it all throughout the U.S. and back home to Canada . He was killed in the Philippines in 2006. Seeing one like it again just brings back a flood of great memories. Big thanks Brian and another good tutorial.
Hey Brian. You’ve helped me many times. Clear delivery and easy to understand, even when you get “technical”. Just wanted to thank you for the service you provide. You have helped me save a lot of money, as well as teaching me things I thought I knew.
Beetles are very fun cars to own; i've had two in my life, a 68 Euro Bug (didn't know till after the car was totaled) and 66 US Bug which i still have. They are a great way to learn how to work on cars, since they're so simple.
One thing i will caution though, there's a spacer inside the firewall that many people lose because they pull the master cylinder bolts out. Just have to loosen the bolts and then leave them in the car
Great videos brian, keep it up
Awesome! Just what I needed for my '72 Hilux. Exact same problems. 4 wheel drum too. In the bleeding portion when using a vaccum pump...is there a possiblity that you're sucking up air from the bleeder valve? Does that mean I replace the nut and then do it? What happened was I did get bubbles and the fluid in the resvervor did go down. After that, I kept getting air bubbles with no chanch if the level. I checked the nut...it was only turned a bit.
Great video, with great master cylinder bleeding and removal tips! Love the pointing device, that really shows up well in the video!
Awesome. Bought a '72 Beetle . First project will be full brakes. Thanks for this.
@GerryJ08 Touching story. I'm glad it was a positive experience. You're welcome! My neighbor is building a white 1962. I helped out a bit with it today where they got stuck. The beetle is definitely a classic.
Like you said, no air leaking out/no leaks. Bit seems I got some brake but then pedal goes straight down. Then no brakes. S a bleeding thing? Im using DOT3 Lucas brake fuid. Is it time to replace brake system or just liquid?
Great vid thanks just have one question my front hoses are leaking and I have the new ones to change them
If I change them do I have to bleed the master cylinder?
And how do I properly change the hoses
You're "Happy" and you're obviously grateful. YOU are AWESOME!
Informative and very clean well spoken commentary! Great video, thank you!
@watuzi Good question! The end that goes into the socket or crows foot is shaped more like a round ball than just a cube.
i have a vw thing its the exact set up and ive never worked a Master_Cylinder b4 it was very helpful and ur goofy-ness made up for the bad lighting thanks for making this video and God bless
Great vid, Me and my Dad have owned many many air cooled Vw's.
The 67 bugs are my favorite year bug (first year for 12volt).
Yup can't get anything easier then them to work on heehee.
Question for you. I’ve replaced all the cylinders and hoses. Even went ahead and used plummets seal on all the lines and hoses. I’m still not getting good pressure when I bleed. I can’t figure out what the issue may be
On this I didn't bench bleed it. It's a longer process, but bleeding at the lines going out as I described you can make up some time.
Hey Brian, i just saw that a VW place sells the master cylinder which eliminates the far away reservoir , with his set-up reservoir is moved thus takes the place of the lines so it sits on top like a conventional master cylinder, just though you or owner might like to know
Great video it inspires me to replace my master cylinder.?I have a loss in pedal and no leaks at the wheels same as in the video.I have a pretty fast leak/loss of fluid but just damp around pedals.Could it be leakin into the tunnel/frame of car.
Hey there, thanks for the great video. I am finding another issue which i believe is also due to a faulty master cylinder: The brakes work fine on cold days, but as I drive the brake pedal begins to lose play until it doesn't move at all (Stuck right at the top). This worsens when the brakes start to prevent the tires from actually moving at all... On warmer days the brakes have almost no play at all. Any idea what could be the problem here? Thanks
richpin06a has alot of great videos not only car stuff. hes a all around Mr fix it lol
@LRCVWDude Great tip! These were rusted in-place.
@Jx1x3 I wish I had the time and resources to do that kind of editing, but I'm happy to share what I'm able to share. Thanks!
Cheers, the last point you made about bleeding brake system, ie rear passenger first blah blah, is that the same pattern on a right hand drive?
Just changing the lines on a '71 and found the flexi lines are rock solid, already snapped the bleed nipples and rounded the 14mm cylinder connector, all this cos the brakes are really heavy, been told this is due to a common problem of the inner of the flexi deteriorating or ballooning and stopping the fluid reaching the cylinder. Is it possible ( if necessary ) to cut the solid lines close to the retaining clip and re-flare them in-situ?
Hey Brian nice video. I'm working on a 1970 vw beetle and haf also brake problems. I'm a machanic from trade but thote let's do som resource before is start thanks 👍
Great video! i got a 67 also, my problem is that on my clutch cable the wing nut is almost loose but the cable still tight i can`t go forward or backward. any suggestions? Thanks
So, was the old master cyl. Bad? Did you replace it? Or just bleed it?
Great step-by-step of brake diagnosis, however I would have liked to see the actual removal/replacement of the master cylinder. Also, a pry bar shouldn't be used to remove hub caps. A tool can be purchased or made out of a wire coat hanger that pulls on the spider bite looking holes on the rim of the hub cap. This will prevent dinging the hub cap or the finish on the wheel.
The old VW's used actual metal for their hub caps instead of the plastic junk used now. If you use it correctly, the tire tool generally provided with the car repair kit (or another small tire tool) can be safely used to pop the hub cap off without any damage.
Instablaster
Great video!!! Replaced all brake feet and cylinders and still couldnt find out what was wrong!
Chinese finger traps, I finally understand the use of that material. Great analogy!
Somehow I missed this one on the first go. Thanks Brian.
Nice old classic VW there, my 1st car was a 61, didn't even have a gas gauge, just a lever on the floor near the gas pedal-- Brian,don't those crows feet come in handy? I got a set from Northern tools for about 25.00 shipped, needed to do the steering box on my ZJ PS hoses= 18 MM--
dumb question , but you do remove the lines at top prior to bleeding master??
that's a cool old ride. do you often get to work on older vehicles?
@LRCVWDude I put that in the annotations for people to see. Thanks again.
We have a Karmann Ghia we found warehoused in Arizona for 22 years. Mint condition but the master cylinder seems to need replacing. There's no good videos on replacing step by step, but I found one, but video wasn't that great. Do you know of good instructions or videos on Karmann Ghis master cylinder replacement??? Thanks for responding back.
@epiphaknee Thank you! It's a cheap plastic paint brush taped on backwards.
Thankyou for your help!! :) my master cylinder and all my break lines have to be replaced haha.
Thanks bro it's nice watching this than I can work on my bettle next time tks
This video is just what I need!
YOU are great , the best explane on VW. Great video image. Thanks.
Great vid. Because I’m a physics nerd, I thought I should point out that both liquids and gases are fluids :)
Yes, but temperature counts, too.
Thanks A LOT!! this was Extremely Help-full. Keep on filming
Can you also leave the rod in place too? So, just loosen the bolts and then have a helper pull the Master as you are loosing and leave the bolts and rod in place??
@RelicDavvi Bench bleeding the master cylinder helps the process go faster. Likely the air is taking longer to make the trip out the bleeder. I'll make a video on bench bleeding a master cylinder.
Saves time and brake fluid.
Cinnomontograhy toast crunch...... Now that was a good one!!!
Great video, thanks for the clarity and simplicity.
Hey there Brian, Just want to ask couple of questions. I've done master cyl. jobs in the past and all have had reservoirs on them. So how do you bench bleed a car that has a remote reservoir? Do you have to remove the reservoir as well?
I’d love to see a response to your question. I have been working on a 63 Beetle. Replaced everything and it still doesn’t have a pedal. No leaks. Used a power bleeder, too. Frustrating
I've always bled at the wheels, is it nessesary to do the master in v dubs or is it just good practice?
Thanks man, great video and really helpful.
Thanks - my back yard mechanic is going to do this but at least i have a good indication of what is going to do and that he wont ripp me off with 'mumbo jumbo' that will cost me an arm and leg. Thanks
@Gizmopflege Thanks- You too!
Thanks for another great video! Keep them rolling!
@TRcustomengineering My neighbor is building a 1962 that is MINT. It was in a barn the last 30 years.
Only if the MC is on the left. If it changes too then switch sides in the order too.
@spelunkerd You're most welcome
I cannot see any leaks during bleeding. Only thing is all wheels except drivers side front were solid no air. Just endless air. I looked at master no leaks but boot is deformed, can air be sucked in here?
Cool Video! Would bring you mine, if you wouldnt be so far away ;) Mine is in Wintersleep anyway atm. That was a real interesting video for me. BTW, Castle + Wolf = Wolfsburg, the city of VW Headquarter (for non V'dubers) They put away with that symbol on the later models. Mine does not have that anymore.
Get into a good new year !
I installed a new TRW Master Brake Cylinder and for the life of me can I get peddle even going around and doing the bleed out process Is it possible the master I got has dry cups and wont pump up?
Great video. Thanks a lot it really made it very simple
Great video as always.
Great info, exactly what I needed. Thank you!
Very cool videos! Glad I subscribed.
Hi there. I have a vw combi 1977 model and my master cylinder has failed.I have been looking for a new one but cannot find it.Could the vw beetle be compatible with my model?
@motfangules Your clutch disc sounds worn out (too thin for spec)
Great video, but how is a wobble extension any different from a regular extension?
It allows more movement between the crows foot and ratchet (slightly)
Question, when i back out my bug, the wheels lock in the front, then they break loose? Brakes?
@tomsuzuki2003 I've seen them take caterpillar tracks 454's you name it, it's been done!
@briansmobile1 Do you think you could make a video of the 62 your neighbor has?
@TRcustomengineering Sure.
Thanks- will do!
I've been working on my brakes for a while I've replaced the master cylinder soft lines brake light switches all the hardware and can't get a pedal no leaking fluid getting fluid with no air at all 4 bleeders but no pressure and have to pump brakes 4 to 5 times to get a braking action good ebrake what am I missing
Dustin Tew after you adjust your brakes with the star ajuster inside your drums,pump your brakes to center your shoes,then readjust your brakes..may take a couple of times but I am sure thats your problem..
Even better tighten the star adjusters until they are tight then back off just until you feel a slight drag. dont waste your time pumping the pedal to center the shoes it will do that itself when you run them all the way out. this trick works on ALL cars with drums.
You're welcome!
raise the rear of the vehicle before bleeding the rear wheel cylinder . I read that in a Hot vws magazine many years ago
thank you, great job
Very helpful, many thanks!
Thank you very much!
when using the right brake, the car smokes, what is the problem with the brake cylinder?exhaust smoke
Please show a video of removal of the master cylinder on the inside of the car.
Yo man, great video! Definitely helped! Thanks!
Great vid man. Subbed up. Thanks.
super helpful. thank you!
Very helpful.
Thank u very much
Thanks
Welcome- and thanks!
Thanks needed to know if you had to bench bleed it
Super helpful! Cheers bro
Thanks. Awesome keep them coming.
@BernDPeter Thanks man!
thanks for the tips.
Thank you!
@oabus Thank you!
Ahhh ok got ya. Thanks. Keep making these great vids. I love'em all.
would have been cool to see it replaced... cool vid though!
@dreamer2355 Thank you! Will do.
@mtlh05 He is.
i like your straw light :P
classic,nice
thanks man! super helpful