Hey guys. Just had another problem with my car this morning. I was going to move it from the street to the garage after my dad moved his car. Keep in mind i'm 15 and w/o a license yet so when it snows i need to move it. Now i am very capable with cars, i just rebuilt the transmission in this thing. So on with the story. I go to move it in this morning, it'* something like 5 above. Of course u know the bonnie, she starts right up . So i let it idle down for about a minute before i go to shift it into drive. So i press the brake pedal, it'* good and firm for a second, then DROP! it goes to the floor. Of course i knew right away what had happened. So i used the e-brake to get in into the garage w.o ruining something and left for school. When i got home i checked it out before going to work (at a garage) and saw that there was quite a leak in the rear line. Master cylinder empty. So my main question after all that bull is should i replace the bad line only or bite the bullet and put new rear lines in all together. Thanks guys.

Well, if one broke, I can only imagine that the rest of them are in sad shape as well (unless it had been damaged, or something that doesn't apply to the others). I guess I'd at the very least inspect the others for cracks, etc., or if you can afford it, just replace them all. You've got to bleed them anyway, right?

It would just be sad for you and your car if the same thing happened to another line, only next time it was while you were moving and really needed to stop...

Are we talking about the line going to the Passenger'* side rear tire? That goes from the Driver'* side, over in between the bottom of the interior bucket, and between the gas tank, under the exhaust, and around? This is a common spot for rusting when you don't flush your brake fluid [happened to me]. First step, check all the lines [metal ones], if any of them show signs of them falling apart soon, replace them. If it'* only that one line that is in trouble [it was on mine, too], then replace it. Go to Advanced Auto, get a doubled flared line.. after removing your old one and measuring it [I forgot the size]. Once you have that, bend it to fit [I used my hands, much easier than a bender, since there are some very tight bends], install, and bleed brakes [grab 2 or 3 quarts of Brake Fluid, you'll need it]. Flush it all out, like every last bit of the old fluid, because you will run into the same problem down the line, because as you probably know, Brake fluid attracts water.


-justin

Thanks guys. The line that blew, from what i could see with my quick inspection, is BEFORE the junction block for the rear wheels, about in the middle of the rear door. They all look very rusted, so i'm going to go ahead and have them replaced. I don't do brake lines myself, not my favorite thing, so i'm going to have my boss fab up some new line from stock we had in the shop and replace them. Thanks.

You might run into a problem disconnecting the line from the proportioner valve. Don't be surprised if you have to replace the valve as well as the two lines going to the rear wheels.

Yea i figured that too. Judging by how terrible it looks under this thing i have a feeling that i'm going to be have plenty pf problems with it. But i'm planning on using this car as a beater till i save up some money for a newer bonnie Now that the tranny works 110% i'm really going to let loose on her. The other day i had it out on the road and hit 6200 rpm without blowing the SOB up! I thought for sure i was gonna throw a rod or something. Keep in mind it'* got 204xxx miles on the original engine, including the timing set i believe.

If the car is just a beater, and you could care less. You can just remove that line, and plug it up. Somehow, the brakes aren't affected, other than the rears lock up easier than normal [if you have a functioning ABS, you don't have to worry]. I did this as a quick fix before I did the full job. This will hold you over for the time being. I don't suggest this as a permanent solution, but it'll hold up until you find the time and/or money to to the job correctly.


-justin

Well my boss replaced the whole rear brake lines today when i was at school. Nice guy huh? Well we filled it up and bled it. Checked for leaks. None onder the car from what we can see. Go drive it aroudn the block. Lose pedal. Come back and the master cylinder is empty! Well i filled it back up and pressed the pedal. I can hear the fluid coming out from somewhere but i can't see it from underneath. I'm thinking bad master cylinder. I might just replace it with a unit that'* in our stock at the shop. Anyone else have any ideas though?

Well.....The brake fluid doesn't just evaporate into thin air......I'd figure out where it'* going BEFORE I'd start throwing new parts at it....

rear wheel cylinder?