22 replies to this topic

[Chris1275gt]

I fitted a lot of non genuine parts in 2018 when I bought the car the slave cylinder being one of them lasted for 18 months before it started leaking I fitted a genuine one and it has been fine for 5 years so far. I can’t think of any of the other non genuine I fitted that are still on the car. They have all been changed for genuine ones or new/old stock so for 4/5 years the genuine ones that replaced them are all still working fine I’m not saying all non genuine parts are crap but most of the ones I’ve had have been.

Was it the seals that went or something else?
Can the forgeries be re-sealed with genuine seals?

Don’t know. I couldn’t be ars*d changing the seals no confidence in how it’s made, just bought the new genuine one. Personally I’ve wasted enough of my somewhat limited cash on rubbish parts and my experience tells me it’s true what the old saying says, buy cheap buy twice, except when it comes to buying a pint in Wetherspoons!

Edited by Chris1275gt, 22 December 2025 - 02:15 PM.

[Ethel]

It's just a rubber cup, difficult to see how anyone could make a replacement cylinder it didn't fit. They always fail because the cylinder bore gets pitted with rust on the pushrod side of the piston. A new seal can't fix that.

[BaronVonchesto]

I've had a "genuine" AP brake master cylinder and verto clutch slave cylinder leak and fail in under a year, and the temporary non genuine replacement i fitted last for several years now. So I'd say it can be really hit or miss. Genuine may not be what it used to be. I'm not sure about Pattern specifically, but I'd trust Minispares if they say they haven't had any trouble with any non genuine part.

[timmy850]

I put new seals in my original mk1 slave cylinder and it’s lasted for nearly 10 years now. It’s the type with the circlip and the seal spreader cup

[MrBounce]

Well I ended up getting a pattern part from Minimine. It's turned up really quickly, it's painted, looks good, and will be fitted and bled once I recover from my hand operation. 

 

The main reason that the old (new) one seized was due to it sitting for ages with no fluid in it. My own fault.

[gazza82]

Well I ended up getting a pattern part from Minimine. It's turned up really quickly, it's painted, looks good, and will be fitted and bled once I recover from my hand operation.

The main reason that the old (new) one seized was due to it sitting for ages with no fluid in it. My own fault.

They can seize with fluid .. it attracts moisture!

[MrBounce]

True, but I bet being dry didn't help either. The garage is hardly a well heated environment 😂

[gazza82]

True, but I bet being dry didn't help either. The garage is hardly a well heated environment 😂

Oh my mate's was. He had the underfloor heating in the house extended into the garage!! 😉