Master Cylinder - still struggling

[rickt]

I put the '78 GS750 front master cylinder away for a couple of weeks with the hope that divine intervention would cause the piston to come out and the reservoir to become free. No such luck! I even bought the right angle circlip tool with the hope that I could actually see and remove a circlip. Not yet. The piston moves freely and smoothly but the dark gunk that remained in the reservoir clearly means that the MC requires disassembly and probably a new piston. I have thoroughly cleaned the recessed area around the piston and see nothing that resembles a circlip (i.e. two small little holes waiting for the pliers). I suppose if worse comes to worse, I will have to take it to a shop, but my stubborness says that I shouldn't have to do it. Besides, a bought the pliers! The reservoir is also firmly attached and no amount of twisting on the cap has managed to free it.

Does anyone have any suggestions for my problems? I would really like to get the front brake taken care of so that I can move to back and see what adventure awaits me there.

rickt

[Nessism]

Try depressing the piston with a screwdriver and looking down the bore with a flashlight. The clip should be more visible when the piston is out of the way.

[chef1366]

It's there or the piston would be pushed out by the spring. There is a lip where the cir-clip is located underneith. There is a space in the lip where the cir-clip should be rotated to find the two ends. The slot is facing the brake lever side.

[SqDancerLynn1]

IT DOES NOT have ears, It's like one big round piece of wire. The trick is to find the split & work a very small screwdriver under the clip to pop it out