Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Replacement caps for all 3 hydraulic reservoirs

Some ham fisted mechanic has "gorilla'd" all three of the caps on my brake and clutch fluid reservoirs, breaking the tops off the male threads below. Steve at M3W Services does not have any of these original style caps and does not know of a source for them. Any suggestions folks as to where I might source 3 replacement caps? I understand later cars went to a single reservoir. Mine still uses the original 3 reservoir system from 2012. I will try Brands Hatch Morgan on Monday.

Wilson

Although the reservoir is different the caps (not sold separately) look similar to the AP clutch reservoir ones on my Roadster. If you can somehow confirm you can buy them here. FWIW Morgan part number for complete early M3W reservoirs is U220019.

Thanks for the information Richard. I am going to temporarily repair the caps with Araldite if I can unscrew the sleeves off the bodies. I thought the caps were male thread as you can see the threads through the sides of the reservoir tops but on closer examination they are female threads and the threaded sleeves have broken off the tops of the caps. As all three have broken, I wonder if that will mean that the threads on the cap sleeves have seized onto the male thread bodies. I will bring out three new reservoirs next spring.

Wilson

We had to replace all our reservoirs to use a pressurised brake bleeder as the original tops popped off - link below was the source. I may have a couple of the caps in a spares box but that probaly does not help you if you need all 3. Worrying if all 3 have gone - plastic embrittlement?

https://www.carbuilder.com/products/lockheed-brake-fluid-reservoir

I too had found that link. As I am only staying in France for another 5 weeks this year, I will just do a temporary fix and bring out 3 new reservoirs next year. Now whether I go for the same or look for something better is to be determined. The fractures I suspect are a combination of three factors, age embrittlement, the threads being stuck with dried up hydraulic fluid and a less than sensitive mechanic (if it doesn't work, use a bigger hammer).

Wilson

ATE do a similar reservoir but with a different type of cap, which might be more breakage resistant. Of course being German and ATE it is nearly triple the price of the Lockheed ones.

Wilson

PS. I have found them for €5.50 each in France which I have ordered. Once my son gets here in two weeks time, we will fit them and bleed the brakes. I need to buy some more DOT 4 fluid as the only fluid I have is Porsche 911 Turbo fluid for Carbon Ceramic Brakes, which I have no idea what it is or its miscibility. Porsche say: "On no account should other fluids be used." but that may just be to make you buy the ultra expensive stuff from their dealers. W.

On a further point, as I was getting ready to flush the brake fluid and bleed, I found that my brake flare nut 6 point spanners kit has either gone for a walk or it got taken back to the UK at some point, I suspect in the tool bag I used to carry in my Porsche 911 RSR rally car, because I did bleed the brakes on that when I had it down in France to do the Coupe des Alpes and Circuit Corse rallies. Does the early (2012) M3W have the same size bleed nipples back and front and if so what are they: 8mm, 10mm or a weirdo 9/11mm, like some older French cars use. I don't like using 12 point or open ended spanners on modern brake bleed nipples as they appear to have the same resistance to rounding off as a piece of cheese, so will order the appropriate flare nut spanner from Monsieur Bezos.

Wilson

From Alternative Parts List: Brake bleed nipples Front - M10 x 1.0 Rear - M7 x 1.0

Many thanks Andy. I think I may have some 6 point 1/4" drive deep sockets that may work but I am not sure they go down as small as 7mm. I will have to check. If not I will get my daughter to look in my tool chest in the UK where there is at least one roll of flare nut spanners, if not two sets. She can send the 7 and 10mm ones up to my son in the peak district as he is coming out to France with his family in 10 days time.

Wilson

PS I looked in another tool chest in France and I had 7 and 10mm 6 point pipe wrenches with open tops to fit the bleed pipe onto the nipples. They will work just fine.

The brake bleed nipple sizes that Andy quoted are the thread sizes not the across the flats spanner sizes. I think that the bleed nipple spanner size you require will be 11mm front and 8mm rear, those are the sizes for the ABV's fitted on my car at least. You will maybe make bleeding the brakes a simpler operation in the future if you fit ABV nipples at the same time. Info for them is also in the Alternative Parts List.