So I've been away from my bike while I've been at college, so I haven't been able to work on it. When I got it, the master cylinder reservoir was missing the cap, diaphragm, diaphragm plate, and the little metal protector that sits in the bottom of the reservoir. Since it's been sitting in the barn, it's collected a lot of dust and dirt in the reservoir. What would be the best method of fixing this? I know I can't just wash the brake lines out since brake fluid is Hygroscopic. Would my best bet be to just replace the line? And for the reservoir, could I just blow the dust out with some compressed air? Any help would be appreciated, it's a 1988 Honda shadow VLX.
Front brake?
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You do not need to replace your brake line. First, buy all the missing parts to get your master cylinder in working order. Then you need a rebuild kit for your master cylinder, it should include the rings and diaphragms. Remove your master cylinder from the bike and clean it out. Use a toothbrush to remove all the grime and rinse it out with soap and water. Let it dry (use compressed air), then rebuild it. Once everything is put back together, flush your brake lines with denatured alcohol a couple of times. This should clear out any remaining crud in your brake lines. Fill and bleed your brake lines with DOT4 brake fluid and you should be good to go.
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The only thing I would add is that while you are cleaning and rebuilding do the same thing for the brake calipers.
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That would be a good thing to do. All you need to buy is the piston seals.
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I would add, getting a small gauge wire (like from a wire brush or guitar string) and clean out the return port real good.
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