How to Change a Master Cylinder on a 1996 Plymouth Voyager

The master cylinder stores the brake fluid for a vehicle until you send it to the brakes with the pedal. If the cylinder in your 1996 Plymouth Voyager is leaking fluid or otherwise damaged, the fluid loss will harm the brake system, and so you need to replace it. Replacing this cylinder will trap air within the brake system, and you'll need to remove that air from the cylinder and the rest of the system in a process know as "bleeding."

Instructions

Pump the brake pedal with the van turned off until it is firm, removing all vacuum from the brake booster.

Unscrew the cap for the master cylinder reservoir and siphon out the brake fluid with a syringe, turkey baster or similar suction tool; the cylinder and reservoir are located behind the battery in the engine compartment. Dispose of the fluid according to local regulations.

Disconnect the black negative cable from the battery in the front right corner of the engine compartment, then disconnect the electrical connector for the cruise control and the cruise control servo, which are mounted on the battery tray.

Unscrew and remove the brake lines from the the master cylinder using a flare-nut wrench and plug them with rubber plugs to avoid contamination, then unplug the brake fluid level sensor's electrical connector.

Clean the area where the cylinder connects to the brake vacuum booster using aerosol brake cleaner.

Unscrew the two mounting nuts for the cylinder with your wrench and remove it from its studs.

Connect a new vacuum seal to the replacement cylinder, inserting it by hand along the cylinder's open circular end where it connects to the brake booster.

Seat the cylinder onto its studs in the engine compartment and position it with so it lines up with the brake booster rod that goes to the pedal. Tighten the mounting nuts and wrap a plastic bag over the cylinder.

Fill the reservoir with brake fluid. Have another person press the brake pedal to bleed air out of the cylinder (the bag will catch the fluid), press your fingers against the ports as the pedal is released and wait for the fluid to flow from the reservoir to the cylinder.

Repeat the above step until all air is purged from the cylinder.

Remove the bag, making sure the fluid inside it doesn't spill, and connect the brake lines. If the lines have trouble fitting, loosen the cylinder's mounting nuts and shift the position as needed.

Loosen each brake line slowly, starting with the one nearest the brake booster, and look for air to come out. Tighten the line once fluid seeps out without air and move to the next line.

Reconnect the electrical connector for the cruise control and the cruise control servo, followed by the battery cable.

Fill the reservoir with more fluid as needed and bleed the brake system as described below.

Raise the van with its floor jack, place jack stands near the wheels so they'll catch the van along the outer edge, and lower the van onto the stands. Remove the wheels with the van's tire iron.

Remove the dust cap on the left rear wheel's bleeder screw, located in an upper corner of the brake caliper, and loosen the bleed screw slightly. Attach a rubber tube to the screw and dip the tube's other end in a small container of brake fluid.

Loosen the bleed screw with your wrench while another person presses on the brake pedal. Look for air to come out of the tube and close the screw once the fluid's flow slows down. Repeat until there are no air bubbles.

Repeat the above step for the right rear, left front and right front wheels.

Reconnect the wheels and lower the Voyager.

Add extra fresh brake fluid until it is topped off.