Posts: 942
Saab xRef from O'Reilly has a lifetime warranty: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...der_1265307_-1
Unit is proportioned 50/50, but quite a few owners are running one without incident.
eBay and Amazon also are full of them, sans lifetime warranty of course. You can get one with a new reservoir already attached.
Reservoir seals on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-1988-19...tT7db9&vxp=mtr
Bill Robertson
#5939
Posts: 942
Local parts house may not have a free replacement if/when time comes. Autozone used to sell Saab brake masters with lifetime warranty as well, but no longer stocks them. Competition in the parts business is fierce so they drop parts that don't sell enough to be profitable.
xRefs will be available on eBay far into the future (don't forget to search British eBay: www.ebay.co.uk).
As stated, the Saab unit is proportioned 50/50. I spoke with an owner at the DMCMW open house who's running one no problem.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Has anyone tried silicone brake fluid in their D? Does not draw moisture. Brake components last much longer...
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,581
My VIN: 10757 1st place Concourse 1998
Although silicone brake fluid, aka DOT 5, does not absorb moisture it is not meant for our brake system for 2 reasons. Just because of that fact, that it will not absorb moisture, any moisture that does get into the system will lay there in a bubble and rot the insides. The other reason is you cannot get ALL of the air out of the fluid so it is partially compressible. That means you never get a firm pedal. Stick with DOT 4 and change it every 2 years.
David Teitelbaum
Location: Taylors SC
Posts: 5,326
My VIN: (former)05429
Club(s): (DMWC) (DCUK)
I've seen a couple cars with silicone brake fluid, not impressed. The rubber stuff fails at about the same rate, and parts can rust just as bad as moisture still gets in there. The ONLY advantage is that leaks won't mess up the epoxy. It's not good in clutch systems as it is slightly more compressible, as David mentioned harder to get the bubbles out, and this is more critical in a clutch than in the brake systems. Slightly squishy brakes are just squishy brakes, but a clutch that doesn't disengage all the way will damage the trans.
Dave S
DMC Midwest - retired but helping
Greenville SC
I have used it in some of my other cars, and I swear by it. Yes....pedal is a bit squishier....but no degradation to metal. My calipers on my 74 corvette would constantly pit and leak. I honed them and switched to silicone...never another problem.
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,581
My VIN: 10757 1st place Concourse 1998
On many other old cars there is not enough pedal travel for squishy brakes. Before you can lock up the brakes the pedal is to the floor. Not good by any measure. The main reason racers use DOT 5 is for the very high boiling point. If you want long-lasting brake parts just get the cylinders sleeved or change the fluid every 2 years.
David Teitelbaum