Brake problem
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Brake problem
Last spring getting my 77 ready to go i had a problem.
checking the brake fluid i noticed the rubber gasket on the master cyl was all distorted.
with this was one well of very discolored fluid.
Ramp truck down the street to a garage i have been doing biz with since the early 80's.
they flushed fluid ( they said ) and replaced gasket and bled brakes.
next day brake pedal to the floor.
back for another bleeding,yes,they know about the two rear bleeders.
next day,pedal to floor.
they replaced master cyl,,next day,,brakes almost to floor.
replaced rubber brake line one rear wheel,bled,pedal almost to floor.
replaced slightly weeping caliper,bled,next day brakes almost to floor.
car is about rust free underneath and no rusty brake lines.
they closley inspected everything and can find nothing wrong .
Said they could do no more.
Two summers now without my car is not a good thing.
I remember the brake pedal used to be very firm and did not travel very far after pressing on it and the brakes worked real well.
i do not know how they bled the brakes but i think the two person way of pumping and opening bleeder.
any insight or suggestions ??
checking the brake fluid i noticed the rubber gasket on the master cyl was all distorted.
with this was one well of very discolored fluid.
Ramp truck down the street to a garage i have been doing biz with since the early 80's.
they flushed fluid ( they said ) and replaced gasket and bled brakes.
next day brake pedal to the floor.
back for another bleeding,yes,they know about the two rear bleeders.
next day,pedal to floor.
they replaced master cyl,,next day,,brakes almost to floor.
replaced rubber brake line one rear wheel,bled,pedal almost to floor.
replaced slightly weeping caliper,bled,next day brakes almost to floor.
car is about rust free underneath and no rusty brake lines.
they closley inspected everything and can find nothing wrong .
Said they could do no more.
Two summers now without my car is not a good thing.
I remember the brake pedal used to be very firm and did not travel very far after pressing on it and the brakes worked real well.
i do not know how they bled the brakes but i think the two person way of pumping and opening bleeder.
any insight or suggestions ??
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 16
From: Los Angeles California
is the vacuum on booster good and is brake booster good. When it floors is there still fluid in mc. Are seal on calipers good. Old style tend to leak and allow air in. O ring supposedly solves that.
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,601
Likes: 7,048
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
It's a real pain bleeding the calipers sometimes! I had to replace all four flexiblehoses/clean the diverter valve (1968)/gravity bleed AND 2-person bleed the entire system......4 pints of brake fluid and 2 days later.......
The brakes finally worked perfectly (non-power brakes).
The brakes finally worked perfectly (non-power brakes).
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
when floored is still fluid in MC,plenty.
if the seal leaked enough to let air in wouldnt fluid leak out ?
Tnx.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
find a better brake shop. 1 that actually knows how to bleed corvette system.
replace those old rubber brake hoses.
they have induced air into the system, you need to pressure bleed,
all calipers and smack them with a rubber mallet, during the process,
sounds crazy but it works. this releases the air particals stuck onto the calipers.
replace those old rubber brake hoses.
they have induced air into the system, you need to pressure bleed,
all calipers and smack them with a rubber mallet, during the process,
sounds crazy but it works. this releases the air particals stuck onto the calipers.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 170
Likes: 2
From: Alice Texas
Here is my trick. Takes less than 30 minutes to do all four wheels. You will need assistance for the final bleeding (somebody will need to press the pedal).
I use a 60mL syringe that I purchase from Tractor Supply, they use them for animal injections. $3.29 for a 2 pack,
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...city-pack-of-2
Put a short section of vacuum hose on the end and suck up a load of brake fluid from the container. Attach the end to the bleeder and crack the bleeder open. Slowly inject the brake fluid and it will fill the caliper and eventually start coming out back at the master cylinder. You can suck out the extra from the master cylinder as needed. Work your way around starting from the furthest wheel. Once the system is full, you will need to bleed the wheel calipers the old way to get the last bubbles out of them.
I have done this on several vehicles and it has always worked for me.
I use a 60mL syringe that I purchase from Tractor Supply, they use them for animal injections. $3.29 for a 2 pack,
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...city-pack-of-2
Put a short section of vacuum hose on the end and suck up a load of brake fluid from the container. Attach the end to the bleeder and crack the bleeder open. Slowly inject the brake fluid and it will fill the caliper and eventually start coming out back at the master cylinder. You can suck out the extra from the master cylinder as needed. Work your way around starting from the furthest wheel. Once the system is full, you will need to bleed the wheel calipers the old way to get the last bubbles out of them.
I have done this on several vehicles and it has always worked for me.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,495
Likes: 134
From: Blanco County, TX
Here is my trick. Takes less than 30 minutes to do all four wheels. You will need assistance for the final bleeding (somebody will need to press the pedal).
I use a 60mL syringe that I purchase from Tractor Supply, they use them for animal injections. $3.29 for a 2 pack,
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...city-pack-of-2
Put a short section of vacuum hose on the end and suck up a load of brake fluid from the container. Attach the end to the bleeder and crack the bleeder open. Slowly inject the brake fluid and it will fill the caliper and eventually start coming out back at the master cylinder. You can suck out the extra from the master cylinder as needed. Work your way around starting from the furthest wheel. Once the system is full, you will need to bleed the wheel calipers the old way to get the last bubbles out of them.
I have done this on several vehicles and it has always worked for me.
I use a 60mL syringe that I purchase from Tractor Supply, they use them for animal injections. $3.29 for a 2 pack,
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...city-pack-of-2
Put a short section of vacuum hose on the end and suck up a load of brake fluid from the container. Attach the end to the bleeder and crack the bleeder open. Slowly inject the brake fluid and it will fill the caliper and eventually start coming out back at the master cylinder. You can suck out the extra from the master cylinder as needed. Work your way around starting from the furthest wheel. Once the system is full, you will need to bleed the wheel calipers the old way to get the last bubbles out of them.
I have done this on several vehicles and it has always worked for me.
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 170
Likes: 2
From: Alice Texas
How do you get the air out of the master cylinder? A portion of the cylinder is higher than the holes in the bottom of the reservoir unless you raise the back of the car and get the MC level. I haven't heard anybody have any luck bleeding brakes on a C-3 without bench bleeding the master first.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 668
Likes: 26
From: Wadsworth Ohio
You could get 6 speed bleeders(1 in fronts 2 in rear) then open one at a time 1/4 turn then depress brake pedal. These have a check valve in them that let brake fluid out when pedal is pressed then check valve keeps air from being sucked back in. Do each bleeder several times while checking fluid level in master cylinder, then tighten bleeder back 1/4 turn. Then off to another bleeder. Dorman speed bleeders are carried at Auto Zone, Advance Auto, and other part suppliers, Russel's is another brand of speed bleeders. Good luck.
