What Mark said--the piston may be letting fluid leak past it, rather
than push fluid out of the system where you can see it. The effect is
the same as far as the function of the brakes is concerned--they will
fail in either event.

Jim

On Feb 28, 2006, at 11:05 PM, Mark Tuovinen wrote:

> John,
>
> What he is saying is that the fluid is leaking past the piston
> internally hence the the pedal is soft and goes to the floor, but
> the fluid is not getting past the external seals and thus not visible
> on the outside of the cylinder.
>
> Mark in AK  BTDT
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:52 pm
> Subject: Re: Master Cylinder
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>> Jim, please take another look at what you just wrote and  explain
>> it to
>> me. It kinda lost me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> John Rodgers
>> 88 GL Driver X 2
>>
>> Jim Felder wrote:
>>
>>> No, It can be bad and not leak. If you push on the pedal and it
>> doesn't> squirt out somewhere, it doesn't mean that the fluid is
>> not simply
>>> bypassing the piston, which may be work out completely.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>> On Feb 28, 2006, at 8:23 PM, Tim Kasher wrote:
>>>
>>>> I prove myself a beginner mechanic on this board all the
>> time.....and>> the
>>>> members remind me all the time in emails :)....but this ? may be
>> dumb>> but
>>>> here it goes.
>>>>
>>>> If I am leaking no brake fluid does this mean the master
>> cylinder is
>>>> OK?
>>>>
>>>> I have AT on a 91 carat.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>