Brake Caliper Leakage
Guest
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Brake Caliper Leakage
The car got 4 new brake calipers when I purchased it in this August and the front drivers side is leaking 3 of the 4 pistons. I read in the archives that it isn't too expensive to rebuild or better yet, find an autozone and purchase new ones but I have a couple questions.
1. If I go with new do I have to replace the passenger side too? They have less than 4K miles on them..?
2. How do you disconnect the brake hose from the caliper. I felt like bubba turning the caliper to unscrew the brake line.
3. Could it be just a bad caliper? If there was moisture in the lines it would take some time.. more than 3 months to do any damage which would cause leakage. Is it a PITA to replace all the brake lines.. or expensive. I have to pull out the ZIP book?
4. Is brake fluid corrosive to paint? I haven't spilled any.. but just curious.
Any help.. as soon as possible.. is appreciated.!
1. If I go with new do I have to replace the passenger side too? They have less than 4K miles on them..?
2. How do you disconnect the brake hose from the caliper. I felt like bubba turning the caliper to unscrew the brake line.
3. Could it be just a bad caliper? If there was moisture in the lines it would take some time.. more than 3 months to do any damage which would cause leakage. Is it a PITA to replace all the brake lines.. or expensive. I have to pull out the ZIP book?
4. Is brake fluid corrosive to paint? I haven't spilled any.. but just curious.
Any help.. as soon as possible.. is appreciated.!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 1
From: Cave Creek AZ
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (Koz)
First of all YES BRAKE FLUID ID EXTREMELY CORROSIVE TO PAINT :eek: Make sure that you dont spill any on the paint. I would go to Muskegon Brakes for the caliper I thought they had about the best price around for SS calipers. You are not being a BUBBA, the rubber hose that goes from the caliper to the connector can be removed in 1 of 2 ways. You can either spin the caliper or remove the hose from the connection point and then remove it from the caliper but either way you have to rotate one or the other.
It is not all that bad to replace the rubber brake lines to the front calipers, nor is it that hard to replace the SS lines to the rear calipers and rubbers either. You must have a good set of line wrenches though. They do have a tendency to round out real easy so just watch the torque when tightening.
Call Muskegon Brake they have a web site at http://www.muskegonbrake.com They have the whole kit that can replace everything or just the parts that you need. Better quailty then Auto Zone too I would think. Ask for the Corvette Department, I forget the lady's name there but she really really knows Corvettes and a great outfit to deal with as well.
Hope that helps,
JoeB
It is not all that bad to replace the rubber brake lines to the front calipers, nor is it that hard to replace the SS lines to the rear calipers and rubbers either. You must have a good set of line wrenches though. They do have a tendency to round out real easy so just watch the torque when tightening.
Call Muskegon Brake they have a web site at http://www.muskegonbrake.com They have the whole kit that can replace everything or just the parts that you need. Better quailty then Auto Zone too I would think. Ask for the Corvette Department, I forget the lady's name there but she really really knows Corvettes and a great outfit to deal with as well.
Hope that helps,
JoeB
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (Koz)
DITTO on woodworkr's comments about the brake fluid & paint and "spinning" the caliper.
You say "The car got 4 new brake calipers when I purchased it". If you purchased them, they should be under warranty.
Usually, you replace them in pairs, but as new as they all are, I don't know that it would hurt to replace the one; unless you use another brand, then I'd replace both.
Ordinary brake fluid (versus DOT 5, silicone) absorbs water. The water in the brake fluid is what can cause corrosion to the piston walls over time. A lot of time though; years versus months. I would guess you just have a defective caliper. I'd keep a close eye on the others.
Finally, good luck with your flare nuts. I tried flare/line wrenches, but still had to resort to the good old vise-grips :rolleyes:
You say "The car got 4 new brake calipers when I purchased it". If you purchased them, they should be under warranty.
Usually, you replace them in pairs, but as new as they all are, I don't know that it would hurt to replace the one; unless you use another brand, then I'd replace both.
Ordinary brake fluid (versus DOT 5, silicone) absorbs water. The water in the brake fluid is what can cause corrosion to the piston walls over time. A lot of time though; years versus months. I would guess you just have a defective caliper. I'd keep a close eye on the others.
Finally, good luck with your flare nuts. I tried flare/line wrenches, but still had to resort to the good old vise-grips :rolleyes:
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,990
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (woodworkr)
Ask for the Corvette Department, I forget the lady's name there but she really really knows Corvettes and a great outfit to deal with as well.
Ask for Shawn Fox at Muskegon
Gary
Ask for Shawn Fox at Muskegon
Gary
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (jerryp58)
Well I found out that they only replaced 3 of the 4 calipers. Guess which one they didn't replace. I had some words with the dealership about it. He's going to check with the boss when he gets in to see what they will do. Since I don't have what he said in writting I think I'm hosed. He said he will get me the caliper for cost. I spoke to the place that did the work and he said they would be $100 new.. so I don't know what he would charge for cost but the guy said they were cheap calipers.. not SS so I don't want to spend any money enless it's for SS.. So.. I'm going to try a rebuild kit first.. $15 from the local store and see what happens.. If I can't fix them then I guess it's two new SS ones. I hate when you trust someone and then they double talk.. :mad I still would have purchased the car cause I like the way it looked.. He didn't have to lie about what he didn't do..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (Koz)
Hopefully, the walls aren't corroded beyond the point of being rebuidable.
BTW, SS calipers aren't really necessary if you (1) replace the DOT 3 with DOT 5 (silicone) brake fluid, or (2) "replace" all of the brake fluid every year or so. Either way, you'll be keeping water from building up in the fluid and your calipers should not corrode.
Also, if it were me and I didn't switch to DOT 5, I'd bleed all of the existing fluid out so that I knew I had fresh fluid in there.
Good Luck.
BTW, SS calipers aren't really necessary if you (1) replace the DOT 3 with DOT 5 (silicone) brake fluid, or (2) "replace" all of the brake fluid every year or so. Either way, you'll be keeping water from building up in the fluid and your calipers should not corrode.
Also, if it were me and I didn't switch to DOT 5, I'd bleed all of the existing fluid out so that I knew I had fresh fluid in there.
Good Luck.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (jerryp58)
Well, I decided to split the caliper in half and see what's in there before deciding on rebuild or new. It was easier than I thought and the pistons came out pretty easy. All 4 pistons sleaves had crud on them.. I took some 320 sand paper and started cleaning and they really started looking good. I was almost finished when I noticed one of the sleaves. last one of course.. had a split or thin crack about 1/2" long and close to the top of the sleave. Why couldn't that have been the first one and saved me all that cleaning.. Anyway, I called the local auto place and they wanted $80 bucks and had one in stock. On the way there I remembered the advise of AutoZone. Called information and found one about 1/2hr away. $56 bucks with life time warrantee so I made the 1/2hr trip and it's already back in the car. I was going to order it online but it would have taken almost 2 weeks and only save a couple bucks but thanks for the links! I'm going to add the brake fluid tomorrow. It's the DOT 3 stuff.. Can you just put in DOT 4 or 5? Is there anything else to be concerned about with switching? How do you drain all the DOT 3 stuff out before switching? Do I have to purchase one of those brake vaccumms?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: Brake Caliper Leakage (Koz)
<last one of course.. had a split or thin crack > -- Yup, been there with many repairs :rolleyes:
You don't have to do anything special to switch to DOT 5, except get all of the DOT 3 out.
Some here have flushed the system with alcohol, then filled with DOT 5.
Some prefer to pump, some to use gravity method. I've never used a pump or the gravity method, so I can't speak to either. I think I had pretty good success flushing all of the old fluid out by the standard 2-person bleeding method (you could see the clean stuff coming out after quite a bit of dirty/nasty looking fluid). I just bought a big bottle of brake fluid, since the DOT 3 is pretty cheap.
I HATE bleeding brakes, but even with the SS calipers I have, I'll probably flush the system every year or two just to be on the safe side.
Oh, some say there is a difference in "pedal feel" using DOT 5. I can't remember what the difference was though.
Jerry
[Modified by jerryp58, 10:02 PM 11/10/2001]
You don't have to do anything special to switch to DOT 5, except get all of the DOT 3 out.
Some here have flushed the system with alcohol, then filled with DOT 5.
Some prefer to pump, some to use gravity method. I've never used a pump or the gravity method, so I can't speak to either. I think I had pretty good success flushing all of the old fluid out by the standard 2-person bleeding method (you could see the clean stuff coming out after quite a bit of dirty/nasty looking fluid). I just bought a big bottle of brake fluid, since the DOT 3 is pretty cheap.
I HATE bleeding brakes, but even with the SS calipers I have, I'll probably flush the system every year or two just to be on the safe side.
Oh, some say there is a difference in "pedal feel" using DOT 5. I can't remember what the difference was though.
Jerry
[Modified by jerryp58, 10:02 PM 11/10/2001]
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