Caliper oozing fluid
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Caliper oozing fluid
So I stared to bleed the brakes and both of the front brakes are oozing fluid. All of the bleeder screws and brake line connections are tight. I'm assuming that since they have been sitting dry for the last couple of years that the seals in them have gone bad. Will a rebuild kit like this fix the problem or do I need new calipers?
Thanks,
KO
Thanks,
KO
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,221
Likes: 4,312
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi K,
Yes, a rebuild kit will solve your problems as long as the calipers have the SS sleeves in them.
I had re-do the seals in all my calipers because sooooo many years had gone by with them just sitting with a tiny bit of fluid in them. The fluid had turned to peanut butter and ruined the pistons and seals. The SS sleeves were fine.
Regards,
Alan
Yes, a rebuild kit will solve your problems as long as the calipers have the SS sleeves in them.
I had re-do the seals in all my calipers because sooooo many years had gone by with them just sitting with a tiny bit of fluid in them. The fluid had turned to peanut butter and ruined the pistons and seals. The SS sleeves were fine.
Regards,
Alan
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Finksburg Maryland
If your calipers are already stainless steel sleeved, and you decide to rebuild them, do yourself a favor and buy the o-ring rebuild kit. Don't waste your money on lip seal rebuild kits. I bought the lip seal kit from Autozone and they were junk. The dust seals wouldn't seat properly and the calipers still leaked. I just bought the o-ring rebuild kits from Vette Brakes and Products and they worked great. Really easy to rebuild and it looks like they have extended their 20% off sale. Just make sure you buy the kits that include new pistons. Your old pistons won't work with the o-ring seals. vbandp.com
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
If you dont have them already, get the VBP O-ring piston conversion kit ($150 for all 4 calipers).
Did mine like this in 2002 and havent had an issue yet with them. Just rebled them this winter (Motive power bleeder is a beautiful thing). Make the brakes a non issue for these cars that spend lots of time in storage.
B.
Did mine like this in 2002 and havent had an issue yet with them. Just rebled them this winter (Motive power bleeder is a beautiful thing). Make the brakes a non issue for these cars that spend lots of time in storage.
B.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 893
Likes: 7
From: Orange Park Florida
I just repaired the same problem on my '72. I removed the leaking front calipers, cleaned them then priced a complete rebuild kit for each. I then priced new calipers (standard Fenco remanufactured ones) and since I was nervous about tearing the old ones apart, etc, I just purchased new ones. Between the time to rebuild, the chance of damaging them, and the cost of the kits, I figure I'm ahead of the game (and I have a limited warranty!)
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: SAN DIEGO(SANTEE) CA.
I just finished rebuilding mine with O-ring kits from VBP,I got the conversion kits 29.99 per wheel-the 20%. going to put them on today,VBP are the greatest people to work with, I had to call their tech guys 3 times and they were more than willing to help me.once I got the old ones cleaned up they went in like a dream I'm just hoping I don't have a keak.
I have a ? tho.Do you guys fill the caliper with fluid prior to installation? It seems like if you would it would help save time with the bleeding. I might try it to see of I'm right or wacko.
TIA
Rich
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
Dont worry about filling the calipers before you install them. Youll have lots of air in your lines that you also need to bleed out.
Just make sure your mating surfaces are 100% clean- no paint, no foreign matter -just clean and flat. Dont forget to install the small Orings between the caliper halfs. Its pretty easy to rebuild your calipers. Torqu specs are in the manual or I can look them up for you if you need them. Van Steel also has them listed in their catalog.
Serious on this one, buy the Motive power bleeder, from say Mid America, and use this to bleed the brakes.
-Its a 1 man operation and makes it another non-issue for the car.
-Dont use any fluid in the Motive unit, but use it as a pressure source only.
-Use a piece of wood and a C-clamp to hold it to the top of your MC.
-Pump it up to 15 PSI is all you need to bleed. You can go higher, to say 25PSI, but you dont need to.
-Release it and top off your MC after every bleed operation. Youll need to do this 2x on the rear calipers each as they have 2 bleeders.
After all this-go for it. Your brake pedal will be solid for many years.
B.
Just make sure your mating surfaces are 100% clean- no paint, no foreign matter -just clean and flat. Dont forget to install the small Orings between the caliper halfs. Its pretty easy to rebuild your calipers. Torqu specs are in the manual or I can look them up for you if you need them. Van Steel also has them listed in their catalog.
Serious on this one, buy the Motive power bleeder, from say Mid America, and use this to bleed the brakes.
-Its a 1 man operation and makes it another non-issue for the car.
-Dont use any fluid in the Motive unit, but use it as a pressure source only.
-Use a piece of wood and a C-clamp to hold it to the top of your MC.
-Pump it up to 15 PSI is all you need to bleed. You can go higher, to say 25PSI, but you dont need to.
-Release it and top off your MC after every bleed operation. Youll need to do this 2x on the rear calipers each as they have 2 bleeders.
After all this-go for it. Your brake pedal will be solid for many years.
B.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Hey Guys,
Thanks for the advice. I was going to go with the AutoZone replacement crap because I’m so strapped for cash. However, I’ve been down that road before and ended up having to redo the job and spend more money anyway.
So I went ahead and ordered the Complete O-Ring Caliper Conversion Kit from VBandP.
They were super nice as always and made it easy to spend the money.
So I look forward to putting this:
Into this:
KO
Thanks for the advice. I was going to go with the AutoZone replacement crap because I’m so strapped for cash. However, I’ve been down that road before and ended up having to redo the job and spend more money anyway.
So I went ahead and ordered the Complete O-Ring Caliper Conversion Kit from VBandP.
They were super nice as always and made it easy to spend the money.
So I look forward to putting this:
Into this:
KO
