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Little help - brakes

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jlaird

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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74 Midget, can not get brakes to work correctly.

Master cyl ok. Wheel cyl ok.

I bleed as standard then found that I have a specisl valve that turns off the front or rear if pressure is lost.

I have no brake pedel or very little if I pump like crazy.

Emer brake works ok.

Actually drove it around the block this morning after many years of it sitting. Replaced fuel tank and system, reworked ign system. Reworked brakes and golly only knows what else. Got the clutch free and drove it.

Now what can you tell me about brakes on these critters.
 
Jack,

Did you replace hoses? Especially the rear hose that collapses all of the time.
 
Replaced both front hoses and rear one looked like it was newish.

Supose that could be it?
 
Possibly, I still think you've got are in the lines, I'd still replace the hose in hte rear. As I recall you stated that this car had been sitting for a long, long time. Even if it looks newish, hoses swell on the inside and fail. Cheap insurance as that hose is only a few bucks. Eliminate the possible variables and causes.

We'll assume when you stand on the brakes you can't get the rears to lock up. Sound like minimal "scary" braking period.
 
Possibly, I still think you've got are in the lines, I'd still replace the hose in hte rear. As I recall you stated that this car had been sitting for a long, long time. Even if it looks newish, hoses swell on the inside and fail. Cheap insurance as that hose is only a few bucks. Eliminate the possible variables and causes.

We'll assume when you stand on the brakes you can't get the rears to lock up. Sound like minimal "scary" braking period.
 
lot's more air in those things than you'd think - don't ask me how I know. One help for me was to bleed to the "splitter" then to the lines - seemed to help
 
There is also a shuttle valve inside the brake union/failure switch.
If the shuttle valve is stuck, it needs to be opened up and pushed back.
This will stop the fluid from reaching the rear brakes.
 
When I bleed front and rears I do get fluid. Does that mean the shuttle valve is OK.
 
I am having the same problem, can't get my brakes properly bled.

I am considering picking up a spare Master Cylinder cap and rigging up a simple system to powerbleed with 10psi or so. I think the issue is I can't get enough volume after fitting new lines from the rear flex backward to force the air out. If I can rig something to feed brake fluid into the MC and the pressure hose to force fluid though, I'd be in good shape.
 
Kevin,

I've successfully used a Power Sprayer Attachment for an air compressor, $29.95 at Sears at the time, that has a pickup tube to go into a soap bottle. That pickup tube provided negative suction power. I took an old glass qt spaghetti sauce jar with a screw lid and drilled two holes in the top. I glued in two clear plastic hoses, one to go to the suction pickup hose and the other to the bleeder screw on the clutch slave.

I fired up the compressor, daughter pumped the clutch, cluch fluid was captured in the spaghetti sauce jar and the stubborn air bubble finally was sucked out. This solved 2-3 days of clutch bleeding attempts and knock on wood clutch has been fine for past 9 years.
 
Sounds good Jim. I was considering a pump sprayer for insecticide - it'd pull brake fluid so I wouldn't have to worry about the reservoir drying up. I see Harbor Freight has a 1.25 gallon one for about $10. I have an old Master Cylinder cap, so I can drill and attach a fitting to get the hose on it.

Do you still need to pump the brakes in this scenerio, or will it push fluid by itself? My understanding (from googling) is that you wouldn't have to pump.
 
Jack, the dual line systems can be a bear to bleed. Using a pressure or vacuum bleeder is highly advised. I use a home made vacuum bleeder and even with that it usually takes a couple of trys before all the air is flushed out. Don't worry about the shuttle valve. Experts say that it won't block fluid flow to either end, just shows lower pressure on one side or the other.
 
Somewhere I've seen a web site that shows how to make a home made pressure bleeder using parts and pieces from True Value that works on a Spridget MC. Even lists all of the part #'s and price is under $25.00 of so. Uses a True Value Pressure Sprayer. Anyone got that link for these folks?
 
Good to know, thanks for the link! That's exactly what I was thinking.
 
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