[wrenchnride247]

Originally Posted by Clatter

I'm trying to get around the $800 penalty for replacing the seals.

The pistons were pretty 'extended' due to the car they came off of had worn pads.

Then, they were very carefully scraped clean using dentist tools, scotch-brite, and brake cleaner.

Next comes the paint remover, then seperate the halves and finish the cleaning.

Thinking that i could push the pistons back in, and mask w/duct tape for blasting.
(All of the fitting holes would be plugged).
Flush out all of the old fluid from the cylinders using the brake-clean and the long tube thingy that comes with it.

Then, the seals would be able to withstand the 400 degree oven?

the chance of getting them out without bending them or tearing is about nil, it looks like.
Anybody ever succeeed doing this before?

From the sound of it...your outer seals would most likely tear trying to save them for reuse. Do you have the style with the dust boot attatched to the piston, or the ones with a "scraper type" seal? When I first ordered my kit's they sent the wrong style (scraper style).

The inner seals would not like brake cleaner. In my kit instructions it states use only brake fluid or brake assy lube in the kit on the seals. The baking process would likely dry the inner seals out making them harder. It's a unhealthy risk IMO.

Sounds like your cleaning on the outside is good. The caliper paint kits work fairly good depending on the prep work...the cleaner the better.

If you try and split the caliper halves you will encounter some M5 (IIRC) button head screws holding the brake pad plates at each end inside were the pistons are. These are VERY hard to remove. Also, the four main allen bolts holding the outers together are VERY hard to remove.