replacing master cylinder, 2007 E450

j-d wrote:
....I can say it definitely applies to a Ford dashboard area..

I bought a used 1987 Ford Taurus in 1992 with a bad heater core. When I was finished with the project, I was ready to put the car up for sale. To get to the heater core I had to remove the steering column, the dash board, the a/c Freon, and to give myself enough room to work, I also removed the front seats. That was not a good way to be introduced to my first (and only) Ford Taurus.

But afterward the car did serve my wife and later my son for many years. So my story does have a happy ending.

OP, the Reservoir probably is removable. I tried to look at ours today and couldn't see enough to be sure, but there are often roll pins holding the reservoir down through plastic "ears" on the reservoir notching into metal "ears" on the cylinder. Some replacement masters are sold without the reservoir. Might be possible to get the pins out of the old one, get the reservoir off, and see where you stand. Getting the new one assembled in reverse order, pins and all once it was in place, could be prohibitive.

Could you loosen the booster at the firewall and tip the assembly to gain some wiggle room?

A friend told me "Ford builds a vehicle like it'll last forever with no regard to serviceability." I don't think that's limited to Ford, but I can say it definitely applies to a Ford dashboard area...

Anyhow, nave, the OP has another thread where he says he's having the system bled out by a mobile professional with electronic equipment. That was needed because the master cylinder went dry while installing new calipers (and about 350 pounds of more new stuff...). He decided to replace the master since he'd done all the work and installed other new parts. So fortunately, your concern is addressed.

On many situations you need to remove several components other than the one being replaced so that you have access to the bolts and nuts, I do not know if Ford has a particular sequence for bleeding the ABS brakes, some units have bleed ports on the ABS control module that have to bee bled in a specific sequence.

navegator

To partially answer my own question, I figured out the bracket. It does indeed secure the the PCM/ECU on one side (on the the MC) and on the other side it is secured to the firewall by two nuts. I had to remove the air intake tube to get to them So the master cylinder is, technically, free.

Still, I cant get the master cylinder off because there simply isn't room. The reservoir cant get past the Battery Junction Box . The junction box may have to come out as well but one of the nuts holding it in place is hidden.

This is starting to be no fun.

Sorry for the lousy picture. The bracket in question is on the left side of the image. Right behind that bracket is the inboard nut that holds the master cylinder.

In fact, it looks like that bracket is one of the supports for the engine computer (?). It seems to have an additional mount on the firewall. Am I on the right track?
(edited for additional info)