I just rebuilt the front suspension (upper and lower control arms, sway bar bushings and end links, strut rod bushings, tie rod ends, and idler arm). I finish up and go to take the car to the alignment shop and press the brakes and the pedal goes to the floor. Didnt remove the brake lines or anything the only time we touched the brakes was removing and replacing the drums. We went ahead and blead the brakes and the pedal still goes to the floor. Any suggestions on what would cause this and how to fix this? Thanks, Zach
check for leaking wheel cylinders. remove the drum and pull back the two dust boots on the wheel cylinders with a flat head screw driver. they should be dry inside. if wet then they need to be replaced or rebuilt. if they are all good then you need a new master cylinder.
Are you loosing brake fluid at a line/anywhere...Does the level in the master cyl drop ??? You may have pinched/broke one. Is your master cyl good...May have failed... Did you re-adjust your front brakes (assuming you have drums up front???) Do you have disc up front??? May have a leaking caliper piston...Check for leaks...If you are not frinding any up front and Master cyl seems fine...Pull rear drums and check wheel cyls for leakage...Be certain all lines are good and leak free/no kinks etc...Are your brake hoses new or original...If original you really should consider replaceing em...Good luck!!!
thanks. Will check the wheel cylinders tomorrow. Master cylinder should be fine replaced it a couple months ago.The Brakes hoses are 6-7 months old. Im thinking it may be the wheel cylinders. Thanks
Don't be so quick to dismiss the master cylinder. I have seen them go out for no reason from one drive to the next. Had one go out on me just the other day. Drove it around all day and parked it, went out the next morning and there was no pedal at all.
Check the master inside the firewall...Might have to pull back some insulation to see if there's brake fluid running down
finally got around to replacing the master and still no brakes. I guess wheel cylinders are next. One question though, we were looking at the proportioning(sp) valve and noticed the brake light plug is leaking a little. Also when you pull the plug out and press the brakes fluid comes out of where the plug was, is that suppose to happen?
did you inspect the wheel cylinders for leakage before you replaced the master cylinder? if none are leaking then you need to clamp off the rubber brake lines with clamps or vice grips. the pedal should be rock hard with the hoses clamped. if its soft your new master cylinder is either not bleed correctly or defective. if the pedal is hard release one clamp at a time and test the pedal. when you find the one that lets it goto the floor thats the one that needs replacement.
No, not supposed to leak there. That area is a dead chamber between fluid passages and should be dry. Replace it...
Thats the brake pressure switch...(It turns the "Brake" light on the instrument cluster on) when you have low or no brake pressure. It should be referenced to pressure hence the brake fluid coming out when you step on the brake pedal. Question??? Did you bench bleed the master cyl or bleed it on the car? If you bled it on the car (installed)...Replace it, you damaged it (tell the parts house it was defective,get your $$ back) Bench bleed the new one...Then install it on the car and bleed the brake system. This is your problem if all else checks good. Never bleed a master cyl installed on the car. The pedal stroke pushes the "Dry" pistons too far in the bore damaging them. This usually cuts the pistons as they travel over the compensating port between the bores causing lack of pressure/peadal. Good luck!!!
Always wondered why it was so important to bench bleed the MC. Could the same thing happen when the whole system is full of air even if MC was bench bled? I may need to instruct my helper pedal pusher.
If the M/C has fluid in it and you dont run it dry repetedly, it will survive just fine.Its the initial dry pumps that hurt the pistons. Once the pistons are lubricated and have some pressure behind em to expand em, its all good...
Just to be certain, check this drawing. If you're talking about fluid leaking from the port labeled "brake warning light switch" when that switch is removed, that cavity is supposed to be dry. There are seals on either side of the piston that separate the front from the rear circuits. If you are leaking there, replace the entire unit.
is there a place that sell it? I bought a used on but it didnt fit so Im assuming there is a difference between the years or between power brakes/disc brakes/ manual drum... is that right?
