Loose Brake Fluid Cap

[mdwyer]

A few months ago, I sent in my VX for some 100k lovin'. One of the problems they spotted was that the brake fluid cap was loose, causing brake fluid to leak. Their solution to this was to just replace the cap with a new one.

When the new one arrived, the tech screwed it on, wiggled it around, found that it was still loose, shrugged, and continued with his day.

Today, I was checking the VX fluids, and after missing the oil filler and pouring half a bottle of oil down the side of the engine (Argggggh...), noticed that I was low on brake fluid again.

So, here's the thing. My cap is loose -- apparently loose enough to leak out during what they call 'spirited' driving. Which would also seem to suggest that it is also soaking up moisture from the air, too. This seems like a Bad Thing to me.

Is your brake fluid reservoir cap loose? There really isn't a way for it to not be tightened enough, since the molded cap fits into molded grooves, so I have to think I'm missing a gasket or something, but that should have been part of the cap, right?

[circmand]

wrap some thread tape around it and/or cut a piece of rubber out and put it in the top of the cap. Either way stop using that shop. A good shop doesnt just replace a part and not worry about whether the issue was fixed.

[MSHardeman]

From what I can remember the reservoir cap has two fingers that lock onto some threads on the reservoir itself. I ended up stripping the threads on my original reservoir and the cap would never seat down tightly after that. I never really lost fluid, but then again I don't really do any "spirited" driving. Maybe check the threads that the cap screws onto and see if they are intact. I have NO idea how to fix it, though, so I don't guess I'm much help.

[mdwyer]

From what I can remember the reservoir cap has two fingers that lock onto some threads on the reservoir itself. I ended up stripping the threads on my original reservoir and the cap would never seat down tightly after that.

Yeah, I think you remember correctly. Maybe the same is what happened to me -- the threads got stripped somehow. I don't think I'm THAT spirited, but with the VX suspension, each and every speed bump is an opportunity... Anyway, it seems like short of replacing the entire assembly (which wouldn't be that bad, I don't think), it sounds like maybe my best bet is to find an o-ring of the right size and wedge it in there.

Anyway, I'm just happy to know that someone else is seeing this, too.

[Dmitrikr]

quick fix: rubber band around master cylinder going on top of the cap

[Marlin]

Just replace it, its like 50 bucks or so. The real questions is how did it get this way?