OK, I need HELP

[Jerry Clark]

But ya all know that already.

]I need serious help. I have a brake problem that is eluding me, not to mention driving me nuts.

Lost most pedal last Saturday returning from an event, brakes grab hard at the bottom of travel, ( 69 with power assist ). Brake warning light says "you're gonna die any moment", no evidence of leaking fluid anywhere, good SS lined calipers, OLD MC, Master is full, bad master, right ?

Purchase a kit although original master was gone when I bought the car, I would rather rebuild it myself. Next day kit arrives, non power bore dimension, ( 1" ) need 1,125. Now I decide to order a rebuilt as time is a problem, I am taking a 73 in for complete restoration this Saturday, gotta put mine away.

Rebuild arrives today, bench bleed till no air present, bleed all four corners, NO PEDAL, tell me, do I have a bad rebuilt master. After 4 hours of bleeding I'm NOT happy.

jer

[Joe L.]

Re: OK, I need HELP

Jerry-----

You may have a bad master cylinder. I'm not too fond of "garden variety", auto parts store rebuilt master cylinders. Although the configuration is somewhat different, I'd go with a NEW M/C before an auto parts store rebuilt. Rebuilt cylinders are honed and, in my experience, will often just not hold the pressures developed.

Otherwise, assuming that the M/C is actually ok, you may just be facing the demon of getting Corvette disc brakes properly bled. Sometimes, the demon strikes without warning and sometimes he stays away. However, the most frustrating brake bleeding problems that I hear about always seem to be with respect to 69s and I'll never understand why. The ONLY unique piece in a 1969 Corvette brake system is the distribution block/pressure differential switch. And, I don't understand how that could have ANY effect on the brake bleeding process.

[Dale Pearman]

Re: OK, I need HELP

Jerry, I've suspected that you need help for some time now. Poor man! Why not let the nice man at the gas station fix it for you?

Varooom!

[Gary S.]

Re: OK, I need HELP

Is this really Jerry or this William J. C.? I'm confused here?

If all else fails, follow Uncle Joe's advice Jerry/Bill/William.

[George Daina]

Hey, I know that nice man at da gas station.....

his name is Bubba, does some mighty fine work. Looks kinda wierd when he smiles. I suspect it's because of his two front teeth that look like a golf course, 18 holes and all green.

Jerry, time to deep six that MC. If you still have your original, Muskeagon Brake, in Michigan, will sleeve the cylinder, and finish off in cast metal. Trouble is they take 3-4 weeks for turn around time.

Maybe return that piece of junk, exchange for another piece of junk, hope that works while the nice man at the gas station is working on sleeving yours.

[Gary F. LeDuc]

Re: OK, I need HELP

You know Joe - I have my '69 since '75 I have been getting the brake demon myself.

[G B.]

Are you using a pressure bleeder?

I have never had much success bleeding air out of brake fluid with someone pumping the pedal. If you don't have a pressure bleeder, I suggest renting a one to thoroughly flush the lines before assuming the "rebuilt" master cylinder is bad.

[Chuck G.]

Yes, You Need Serious Help

Hi Jer. As you know the "your gonna die" light comes on when there is a disparity in pressures between the front and rear systems. After your 4 hour bleeding session did you have good pedal? Could the switch be bad, or maybe just stuck? Hard to believe you would get a bad rebuilt MC, but anything is possible. You could also be suffering from the dreaded "air pumping" syndrome, as others have mentioned. I had major problems with my rear brakes. Had virtually no pedal when I arrived at the Montauk Regional in New York a few weeks ago. I finally rebuilt my rear calipers using the zero tolerance "O" ring kits from Vette Brakes. So far, everything is OK...no spongy pedal--no "death light" on the dashboard. Chuck

[Dale Pearman]

Re: Are you using a pressure bleeder?

I was gonna say that!

Varooom!

[Jerry Clark]

Fluid Pressure ?

Can a fluid pressure gauge be put in the brake master cylinder outlets to test the master for line pressure and if so what pressure would a correctly functioning master produce ?

Just a thought that might help to eliminate or prove the master as the culprit.

jer

P.S. After bleeding I still had no pedal, no brake warning light either, ( although the light only lit intermittently when the master quit, hard on brake ).

[Don O'Connell #33101]

Re: OK, I need HELP

Jer,

Obviously the car is no longer drivable. With that '73 resto job coming up, you're gonna need someplace to store that poor old '69. I'll arrange for a trailer to bring it out to a nice "storage" climate here. It would look pretty good sitting next to its Orange '69 "cousin".

Don

[Bill Braun #33186]

Re: OK, I need HELP

jer,

Far be it for me (a neophyte) to advise an old Corvette hand like you: may I assume you followed the LR-RR-RF-LF sequence?

Bill