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Topic: no brakes(again)  (Read 2610 times)

Offline virgo062

  • Rossville GA
  • Joined: May 2008
  • Posts: 634

no brakes(again)

« on: October 20, 2008, 08:19:42 AM »
I will splain this best I can....When we cut out the floor pans we cut the brake line. No problem ? As you all know everything has been replaced on the brakes. We repaired the cut line and now the lines are full of air. We can't get the fluid pushed through the lines. Does this make sense?

Offline Bugnut

  • padded cell.
  • Joined: Aug 2005
  • Posts: 2953

no brakes(again)

« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2008, 08:59:12 AM »
If everything is new then ya probably just need to bleed the brakes.

Offline virgo062

  • Rossville GA
  • Joined: May 2008
  • Posts: 634

no brakes(again)

« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2008, 09:04:55 AM »
We tried bleeding the brakes for 2 hours yesterday but could not get the fluid to flow.....And my Hair dyer went out this morning so my Monday is squash

Offline Zen

  • Show Chairman
  • Club Member
  • LaFayette, GA
  • Joined: Dec 2001
  • Posts: 8842
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no brakes(again)

« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2008, 09:27:56 AM »
If there is a lot of air in the lines, getting it all out can be kind'a tough.  Pressure bleeding is the best way to get ALL of the air, plus all of the old fluid out of the system.  Brake fluid will, over time, absorb water out of the air . . . which leads to all kinds of problems eventually.  You can go out and buy a high dollar commercial pressure bleeding system, but if you are just doing one car every year or two, you can make a cheap one that will do the job.

You need an extra brake fluid reservior cap.  cut out a piece of rubber the size of the inside of the cap and glue it with a little silicone (this is to help the cap seal to the top of the reservior.  Drill a hole in the center of the lid big enough to push a tire valve stem in.  I've gotten away with just pushing it in tight and not sealing it, but I guess you could use a little silicone here if you want to.

Once you have the cap, fill the resevior, put the modified cap on it and attach a small bicycle pump to it.  Now keep a very slight amount of air pressure pumped into the reservior (too much pressure can bust the reservior open) and keep a eye on the fluid level and have someone else run around under the car opening the bleeders, one at a time.  When they open the first bleeder (you can go in any order, but I start with one of the back ones) have them leave it open until the reservior is 99% empty (a pice of vacuum hose pushed over the end of the bleeder an ran into a container will catch the old fluid and keep the EPA and tree huggers happy . . . and keep the stains off your garage floor or driveway . . . etc.)

Refill the reservior and go at it again.  Don't stop a the first bleeder until the fluid coming out looks as clean as the new fluid your pouring in.  You may have to refill the reservior a time or two.  Once you've got the first one running clean fluid, move to another one.  When it is running clean fluid, move to a third one; when it's clean, move to the last one.  When it's clean, top off the reservior and put your regular cap back on.  Now your brake system should be full of fresh, clean, air-free fluid.

Offline Ret.Bugtech

no brakes(again)

« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2008, 09:29:13 AM »
Do you have fluid at the front wheels ?   You should have front brakes. What did you do to repair the line ?

Offline ASBug

  • Varnel, Ga
  • Joined: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 3032

no brakes(again)

« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2008, 10:26:41 AM »
I bet she soldered the line shut....
KC

Offline virgo062

  • Rossville GA
  • Joined: May 2008
  • Posts: 634

no brakes(again)

« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2008, 10:58:52 AM »
Well we don't have front brakes either...And we replace the brake line that we cut.

Offline certdubtech

  • In the Garage...
  • Joined: May 2006
  • Posts: 3199

no brakes(again)

« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2008, 11:27:25 AM »
If you've got air in the lines and the hoses are old, I've seen some that collapse internally and won't let the fluid through them.... how old are the hoses on the car.... if they say ATE on them, you need to replace them.

Offline virgo062

  • Rossville GA
  • Joined: May 2008
  • Posts: 634

no brakes(again)

« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2008, 12:14:24 PM »
We have replaced all the lines....And Godfather since I am new at this can you explain to me WHY I SHOULD have front brakes . I don't fully understand the logic :wink: But I am learning. Is it because the front brakes are closest to the Cylinder? When we pulled the carpet up we noticed the main line was leaking at the pedals so we replace that as well. Which may have explained why we didn't have great brakes when we got it back from the shop......But now we have zero brakes.

So you all may think your spinning your wheels telling me anything technical but I'm going to print it all out for Rick :lol:

Offline Ret.Bugtech

no brakes(again)

« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2008, 04:25:07 PM »
Call me Tue night and we will talk about this brake thing.   I need more info as to what went on here. It would be better to talk about it than "pecking" back and forth on here. :?

Offline virgo062

  • Rossville GA
  • Joined: May 2008
  • Posts: 634

no brakes(again)

« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2008, 04:36:09 PM »
I will have Rick call you tomorrow. Since he is hunting tonight can't pump pedals so I will be @ the meeting :D

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