'82 Brake Question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 299
Likes: 2
From: North Carolina
'82 Brake Question
My neighbor has an '82 model with 96000 miles. After cranking, when you press down on the brake pedal, it goes down to the floor and the brake light comes on. It's ok for awhile after you pump the pedal. We bled the brakes and checked for leaks. No leaks found but that didn't help. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
My neighbor has an '82 model with 96000 miles. After cranking, when you press down on the brake pedal, it goes down to the floor and the brake light comes on. It's ok for awhile after you pump the pedal. We bled the brakes and checked for leaks. No leaks found but that didn't help. Any suggestions? Thanks.
There is a valve at the front of the master cylinder. Hose goes from it to the manifold. Its suppose to be one way....take it off and see if you can blow through it from both sides, If you can its bad. Cheap to replace.
also check for vaccum at the manifold.
Jim
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 172
Likes: 2
From: Cumming GA
Long winded reply
Over the years, until recently, I had never been able to get what I think was a good brake pedal on my 82 . Even after replacing the master cylinder and sometimes calipers/pads none of the shops I used over time to work on the car seemed to be to get a good firm pedal even after taking the car back where they would bleed the brakes again with little success.
Some of the other posters in this forum had talked about using a power bleeder so I decided to give that a try. After bleeding my brakes with the bleeder they was much better. I do not recall the car having such a high and firm pedal in the 13 years I have owned the car.
You may or may not have other problems such as a bad master cylinder but from personal experience you may want to try a power bleeder.
Andy
Some of the other posters in this forum had talked about using a power bleeder so I decided to give that a try. After bleeding my brakes with the bleeder they was much better. I do not recall the car having such a high and firm pedal in the 13 years I have owned the car.
You may or may not have other problems such as a bad master cylinder but from personal experience you may want to try a power bleeder.
Andy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
My neighbor has an '82 model with 96000 miles. After cranking, when you press down on the brake pedal, it goes down to the floor and the brake light comes on. It's ok for awhile after you pump the pedal. We bled the brakes and checked for leaks. No leaks found but that didn't help. Any suggestions? Thanks.
My point is with a 96k mile vehicle, its critical seals are relatively fresh and the system is void of contaminants. When the system begins to fail, the leaks are microscopic and I think we have a tendency to let it go for too long. I mean I know I have in the past.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: Fl
Brake Question
When bleeding the brakes, take a rubber mallet and gently tap on the caliper from the top of it to the bleeder screw. Helps get out the air. Make sure you keep the brake fluid level up. I used a vaccum tool, worked great, only need one person. (got it at Auto Zone about $25).
