Brake Question

[MattBelliveau]

Okay, so I blew the main rear brake line yesterday . It broke because of rust (under one of the support brakets, the same ones that hold the fuel lines). New line has been installed, but I can't get fluid to the rear of the car. I pulled the line at the master cylinder to see if I was getting fluid there. I'm not. Even if I push the brake pedal with the line loose, nothing comes out of that hole. Now, I pulled one of the front lines at the MC, and pushed the pedal. Fluid sprayed everywhere. Now, I'm assuming that the hole for the rear line (at the MC) should spray in the same fashion when the pedal is applied, correct? I'm just double checking before I spill the wallet on a new MC. Could someone please advise? Thanks!

[t walgamuth]

matt, not to be mr obvious but your rear res is not empty is it?

even if the mc is shot it should shoot some fluid out unless it is empty.

tom w

[Monomer]

yes, they should be getting pressure.



Did you fill up the brake fluid yet? the resvior is in two parts, one for front brakes and one for rear, which would explain why the fronts still work.


I'm doin the same to my car, as I broke the hardlines whaile replacing the calipers. Now is also a good time to Drain your current fluid out (if it's older than a year) and put new stuff in. Be sure also to check rear pads (which was the start of my problem) as the piston will over-extend and stick if the pads are worn to far (which takes the rotor with it)

[MattBelliveau]

I'm kinda feeling like a dumbass now. Where is the res. for the rear? My master cylider seems to have only one fill point.

[t walgamuth]

dont feel bad. ignorance can be cured with a small dose of knowledge.

one fill point. the reservour is divided inside. the rear part is a little hard to see into and is easily overlooked when empty. just fill the res up to the full line and it will spill over and fill the back part which is for the back brakes.

hope that cures it.

you will be fine.

tom w

[sokoloff]

I thought the front half of the reservoir feeds the rears and the rear half feeds the fronts. Either way, make sure you top it up and give it time to overflow to the other side. I sometimes need to hold a shop light up to the reservoir to make sure there is fluid in both.

Len

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by sokoloff

I thought the front half of the reservoir feeds the rears and the rear half feeds the fronts. Either way, make sure you top it up and give it time to overflow to the other side. I sometimes need to hold a shop light up to the reservoir to make sure there is fluid in both.

Len

The rear reservoir feeds the rear brakes.

I've now filled that reservoir for the 20th time on the SDL and CANNOT fix all my leaks. Now it's the RR brake hose connection.

If you want to be certain that the rear reservoir is filled, lean over into the engine compartment and look at the reservoir from the engine side. You'll definitely see the different fluid levels from that angle, but, not from the outside due to the arrangement of the reservoir chamber.

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I've now filled that reservoir for the 20th time on the SDL and CANNOT fix all my leaks. Now it's the RR brake hose connection.

I feel your pain.


Imagine trying to find a 3-way 10mm bubble flare brake fitting at 8pm. And this is only after spending a half-hour trying to get all the fitting out of the said block, only to strip it.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Monomer

I feel your pain.


Imagine trying to find a 3-way 10mm bubble flare brake fitting at 8pm. And this is only after spending a half-hour trying to get all the fitting out of the said block, only to strip it.

Yep, I've done similar on the Dodge van. Twisted the brake line right off.

This one is intact but the nose of the flare must be damaged in some fashion. I polished it with 400 paper and reinstalled it.......but I'm still not confident.

The m/c needs to be changed now. All of the bleeding over the past year probably took it out.

[MattBelliveau]

I'm going to take a look at it this afternoon. I can't see how blowing a line would also blow the master cylinder, but...
Anyways, thanks for the help, guys.

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Yep, I've done similar on the Dodge van. Twisted the brake line right off.

This one is intact but the nose of the flare must be damaged in some fashion. I polished it with 400 paper and reinstalled it.......but I'm still not confident.

The m/c needs to be changed now. All of the bleeding over the past year probably took it out.

The brake work on my car has been a war. For the past 2 months it's been on jackstands. Either I didnt have the right part and would wait for it to ship out, or something would break.

Today was the bleeder screw, which was shipped broken to me (thanks, A1 cardone) an Ez-out work on it, and I replaced it with a valve from the old calipers (which I cant get the core on now)

and THEN

I goto bleed the brakes with my powerbleeder, only to realize that the cap's the wrong size....

[/rant]

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Monomer

The brake work on my car has been a war. For the past 2 months it's been on jackstands. Either I didnt have the right part and would wait for it to ship out, or something would break.

Today was the bleeder screw, which was shipped broken to me (thanks, A1 cardone) an Ez-out work on it, and I replaced it with a valve from the old calipers (which I cant get the core on now)

and THEN

I goto bleed the brakes with my powerbleeder, only to realize that the cap's the wrong size....

[/rant]

I feel for you.

The brake work on the SDL has been ongoing for nearly one year!!

Did the front calipers and rotors and flushed the entire system.

Then one of the rear calipers developed a leak and I rebuilt it and changed pads in the back.

Then the second rear caliper developed a leak and I rebuilt that and changed pads again on that side (one pad was history after 10K).

Somewhere along the line, the rear rotors were also changed.

Now, the RR brake line is leaking where I replaced the caliper.

And, the m/c is "soft". It will slowly head for the floor on very heavy pressure.

Nothing but brake misery on this vehicle........amazing.

[Monomer]

oh, I forgot the mention the stripping of the rear control block.




It's brass, be careful. I was just lucky I have a machinist frind that would whip one out for me, as EVERY parts depot in the neighborhood didnt have one.



I got to stroll up and down the street in my car today, with hardly no brakes at all (it was also a good test for the emergancy flasher button)

[MattBelliveau]

That was the prob.: no fluid in the rear resivoir. Dumbass!

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by MattBelliveau

That was the prob.: no fluid in the rear resivoir. Dumbass!

just be glad it's something easy.