Review on Toyota 47201 3D380 Brake Master Cylinder by Paul Zimmer

I have a 1998 4Runner which I bought new on the 10th October 1998. First I wanted to drive it for 10 years and then sell it. However, after 10 years the car was going strong, so I decided to keep it until it broke beyond repair. The brakes became soft and had to be pumped to stop, making further movement extremely dangerous. I parked it in the garage while driving my M5. I googled all possible brake problems and the symptoms pointed to the master cylinder after photographing the connection of the brake cylinder to the booster in the car. The leak was clearly visible even though the fluid level in the cylinder was almost stable, meaning the leak had just started. I called 5 Toyota dealers (3 in my area and 2 in a town about 600 miles away where I lived before I moved to my current location). Installation costs ranged from $530 to $650. Too much to swallow in this price range. And the thought of dealers selling me unnecessary repairs scared me into going to YouTube as a last resort. After a week of observing numerous ways to install a cylinder, bleed calipers, etc., I had enough confidence to start purchasing a master cylinder and other tools needed to get the job done. Basically #10 and #12 wrenches, Dot 3 brake fluid, clear plastic hose with 1/4" ID, clear bottle, etc. I ordered a master cylinder from Revain on Jun 14, '16 for $245 including tax , even though I knew it was over. Stocks after returning the cheaper ACDelco I previously bought for $120. I thought if the Toyota cylinder lasted 18 years before it broke it was still a good $245 deal and I didn't want to risk such an important part of the car (my life depends on when it broke goes). It took a good month to be delivered on 14th July 16. I installed it on the car the next day after bleeding it. I then bled the brakes on all 4 wheels until the fluid was clear and bubble free. BTW, 2 exhaust valve caps were missing and the other 2 were rotten, so I ordered several caps to prevent the valves from getting clogged with dust, dirt, etc. Overall the install took about 6 hours as this is my first time and my garage was really hot. My 13 year old son was an assistant who pressed the brake pedal in the car to flush fluid off the wheels. I have tested the car and checked the brake lines many times since installation and it works great! Attached are photos of old and new. In all, I saved over $300, made sure everything was done right, and learned new skills.