Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: Master cylinder, buick riviera, open atmosphere

Question
I have a 1996 Buick Riviera with 127,000 miles.  The brakes are soft and there appears to be a leak where the master cylinder is attached to the vehicle.  I suspect the master cylinder needs to be replaced.  It appears to be a pretty straight forward job.  What is the procedure for replacing the master cylinder?  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Nick,
Pretty simple.
Get the replacement master, and bench bleed it first.
Then remove the old one, and stick the new one in its place.
The reason I would try to have the replacement ready is so the lines don't stay open any longer than necessary, although it is no major problem if you remove the old one before even getting the replacement.
Its just that brake fluid absorbs moisture, so the less time the fluid is directly exposed to the open atmosphere, the better.
Just remove the bolts or nuts holding the master cyl to the power booster, and it will come right off.

Bench bleeding the replacement is just a method to circulate fluid through it and remove all the air. Much easier to do before mounting it.

Van