Need ideas, still have leaking brake lines
 

I've forgotten about the car the last few weeks since I did my SSBL back in January. Had issues where I would get minor leakage from the brake line to the caliper.

I would continue to tighten the banjo bolt and after a few days do a check and it would seem fine. Well, it's not.

Checked all four corners a few days ago and now I still get a sweat of brake fluid from the rear caliper connection to the line. Cleaned up the fluid and tighten the banjo bolt some more (I really don't think I can go much more now).

Just came back in from the garage doing an oil change on GF's car and rechecked the lines at the rear caliper, again still have a sweat of brake fluid from the line to the caliper.....................WTF??????

So what can I do??? Replace the copper washers again and retighten or reef it down some more???

Also wondering if just a little bit of dirt or debris around the opening will cause this.

So give me some ideas, tomorrow I'm running another bottle of brake fluid through the system and getting the car ready to be back on the road.

Tony

I was going to suggest new copper washers, but it sounds like you already did that. Maybe try again. They are not really reusable, so if they have been off, get a new set. Be careful with the torque on the banjo bolt - they are easy to twist the head off of (since they are hollow). You might try some brake cleaner on the banjo bolt and its mating surface when (if) you put new copper washers on.

Maybe someone else will have some ideas.

Good luck - Jim

New copper washers should do the trick. Definitely, stop cranking on the banjo bolt. You don't want to buy a new caliper.

I will try new copper washers. FYI the washers were new when I installed the lines. I didn't reuse the original washers when I took off the rubber brake lines.

I'm gonna get this done after making a visit to GM for new washers, hopefully this will be it and leak issue will be solved.

Any other ideas to look for or try when I re&re the washers???

Problem is really pissing me off!!!!!!!!!
 

My friend came by and got around to bleeding the brakes again (running another bottle of brake fluid through the system).

We did all four corners then I went around checking all brake line connections. Again the front is good and the rear at the caliper still have leaks, a bit more fluid now since we were pressurizing the system when bleeding.

So I got to work replacing the washers on the LR side. Took it apart had a good look make sure no dirt or particles at the connections. Checked the mating block to the caliper make sure no burrs or rough edges that would cause a problem with sealing. Cleaned all areas with brake cleaner etc. etc. (really going above and beyond what this job would require IMO)

Replaced the washers, bolted down the bolt and rebled the LR side and sure enough still leaking at the caliper connection.

I can't f-ing believe this!!!! Off and on over a 4 month period I've dicked around with this and there is a problem with something just not sure what it is.

This isn't brain surgery. It's re&re ing a brake line which I've done before on my former cars with no issues and on this car it's screwed. Two things I'm looking at:

1.) there is a problem with the mating surface of either the caliper or the SSBL's themselves causing the washers to not seal properly.

2.) there is a problem with the bolt itself. When I took out the LR caliper banjo bolt I noticed the threads that are covered by the line block looked different than where the threads screw into the caliper. By different I mean the threads that contact the caliper look fine but the threads covered by the line block look slightly "crushed" (meaning threads are not as defined as those that screw into the caliper). I don't think that would have an effect on the bolt holding the tension sealing the connection since those threads don't go anywhere near the caliper thread holes.

My friend suggested that I go backwards tomorrow and put the stock OE lines back on at the back. This will confirm whether the SSL's are a problem. If the stock lines go on with no leaks that will confirm the issue with the SSL themselves. Since the fronts are ok I will leave them on and if the rear stock lines are ok I will need to contact the vendor here about the fact that the lines I got are obviously f'd and I would want a new pair of rear lines.

I am so pissed right now it's not even funny. This is a mod I didn't need to do but wanted to since I like the benefits of SSBL's vs. stock hoses. I made more issues for myself doing this mod and that is one thing I will not accept. After I get this fixed NO MODS for a long while on my Z06 caused I've f-ing had enough!!!!!


:willy: :crazy: :mad: :cry: :confused:

Man that sucks. Like you said, should be an easy job. What brand of SS lines are you using? I've used both Goodridge and Stoptech. Both worked fine. I liked the hardware and finish of the Stoptech better.

Maybe the SS line banjo bolts are the wrong thread and allowing fluid to leak past them. You could try the OEM banjo bolts on you SS lines.

With the Goodridge, I reused the OEM banjo bolts because I read that some from Goodridge would break off easily. The Stoptech bolts seemed better made.

Only other thing I can think of --- are you sure that there is one and ONLY one copper washer on either side of the fitting? One against the caliper and one against the banjo bolt (two total per caliper). It sounds like you are experienced, but just trying to think of what could be causing the leak.

As a last resort you try a little emery paper on the surfaces where the copper washers sit.

Let us know what works and good luck...Jim

My lines are Russell lines and they didn't come with new bolts so I reuse the factory ones. I'm pretty sure the OE bolts are not a one time use deal and can be loosen and tighten numerous times and be reuseable.

Yes only one washer on each side of the line block, 2 washers per caliper.

Getting back at it again today. I will be pulling off the lines at the back and putting the stock rubber hoses back on to hopefully confirm that there isn't a problem with anything else other than the SSL's.

I really don't think the mating area on the caliper is an issue but the possible issue of the block on the line could be. If this works then I have a set of fubar lines and will be contacting the vendor about another replacement. I have enough new copper washers to do this job and I hope I don't have to make a trip for anymore washers in the future and I'm not modding the car in the near future if this is fixed.

Wish me luck.

Tony, I have a brand new set of SSBL's in the garage I was going to install myself. If you want we can try these out on your car if you want. If you need a hand drop me a line and I'll zip over! Later bro and sorry these lines have been such a pain in the azz.

really really really f-ing long
 

Ok this situation just gets better and better (and I don't mean that in a good way).

Pulled off the SSL and put the stock lines back in on the rear, everything went ok. It was a PITA to get the leaks to stop on the tube nuts but that was taken care of with my line wrench etc etc. just took numerous attempts at getting the nut tight enough so the leaks would stop (and remember line wrenches are usually anal in where they want to be pointing to get a good grip on the nut).

Tighten up the caliper bolts and funny thing is on the LR side I got it down pat the first time (more on that later). Pumped up the brakes to bleed and no issues there. On the RR side I had the small leak at the caliper again so I started tightening the nut there.

My friend Mr. 5.0 pal came by to help. Since the fronts are good and the caliper nuts were torqued with a torque wrench to 30 ft./lbs. my friend suggested I try to move the nut with my 7/16" box wrench. I couldn't move them so that was a good gauge for me to know how far I could tighten the back caliper banjo bolt (since a torque wrench doesn't fit back there this was the only way I could tighten those bolts).

Finished bleeding the brakes, did a check all good except for the RR side at the caliper. Tighten the bolt some more did another check after my friend pumped the brakes and held the pedal down. Did that several times and each time the sweat at the RR caliper got less but was still there.

Eventually after a period of time the leak stopped at the RR side. It looked like I solved the problem FINALLY!!!!! We waited a few minutes then without touching the brakes did a check and the RR side still had a minor sweat. This is f-ing unbelieveable!!!!!! Tighten the bolt some more (it would still move though not that much and since I had a gauge with the front caliper I knew I wasn't going crazy with the bolt).

My friend then pumped up the brakes, held the pedal, I went around and checked all the connections at the back, all was good. He released the pedal, waited a few minutes and did a check, all was good. We did this 3 times and everything was good. I was so happy and it looks like I got it fixed. :party::party::party:

I started cleaning up the wrenches and my friend left. I did another check and it was good. While back there on one side I checked the bracket that bolts down on the crossmember that holds the stock rubber line with the clip. Well, it turns out that the stock rubber hose has to be oriented a certain way so the bracket would fit through the right way and be able to be bolted down on the x/member. Mine were not on each side. I was shaking my head in disbelief and couldn't f-ing believe it, I really didn't want to have to loosen those nuts again so I could rotate the hose to the right position for the bracket to fit properly but I had no choice. I got back to it.

Basically I just had to loosen the nut a few turns and orient the hose so that the bracket was fitting the right way then tighten the nut again without moving the rubber line so the orientation was off, easier said than done. I took care of that after a LONG while (felt like forever) getting the line wrench in place and making sure the rubber line didn't move from where I needed it to be. A little bit of fluid dripped out but nothing major.

After that was done I thought that was it, just to make certain without a shadow of a doubt that there were no leaks I pumped up the pedal, held it then released it. Waited a few minutes and did a check. Tube nuts to rubber lines ok at both ends, RR caliper side ok, LR caliper now had a sweat. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF &&&&&&&&&########### KKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I packed up my wrenches and went into the house......................I've had enough of this.

I'm driving it the way it is and when I get a chance it's going in to a shop and they can deal with it. I'M F'ING DONE with this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What ended up being the fix on this? I'm in the same situation with my front driver side caliper line connection.

FWIW I thought I offer a point of view.
I too think this should not be "rocket science".

If the OP is sure the leak is at the banjo bolt, copper washers......

I'd first remove and inspect the mating surfaces (caliper surface, steel line mounting ends to copper washer and banjo bolt head surface) for any gouges in the surfaces and flat-ness of the surfaces.
If applicable use sand paper and a flat small sanding black to smooth.
Clean "everything" with brake cleaner including the threads into the caliper.
I'd buy a new banjo bolt.
I'd buy new copper washers.
Reinstall and don't over torque any higher than the specs.

If that doesn't do it I speculate there is an issue with the steel brake line.

Good luck and let us know when you find the issue.

This thread is a cautionary tale of "some people just shouldn't work on cars"

New washers AND bolts should do the trick. I've read countless times about people upgrading to stainless lines, or pulling calipers to be painted/coated, and run into the leak issue. Only solution I've seen is new washers AND bolts.

New washers only did the trick for me last night.

Hold dead thread return to life!!!!

The update was in this thread:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ine-issue.html