93 Brake pedal very hard to push

[tim1]

I did not hear back from the shop yesterday so I hit the web looking for the problem. I found it is a plastic piece called an upper window stop/guide that is broken. I am hoping to be able to get one shipped here rather quickly so I can get the car home. Once its back here I will start working on the brake issues.

 

[John Robinson]

I did not hear back from the shop yesterday so I hit the web looking for the problem. I found it is a plastic piece called an upper window stop/guide that is broken. I am hoping to be able to get one shipped here rather quickly so I can get the car home. Once its back here I will start working on the brake issues.

Yup that is the piece that I showed in my picture that broke on my window.

 

[tim1]

John, Lots of searching so ar this morning and I have been unable to find a new window stop. I called one place in Florida and they are closed today. Hopefully I can find that part and get it shipped overnight so it can be put back together and get it back on the road. I think the body shop broke it because the window closed fine when I took it there.

 

[FForward]

Tim.....the guys on here are great and will give you lots of good info. So I'm not saying anyone is wrong with what they tell you. I had the same experience with my 89 that was very hard stopping. Its true if a caliper sticks or isn't working it will pull to one side. That is if its a front caliper, not a back one. A back one won't pull to a side. I found that my rear calipers weren't applying, so it took more pressure on the pedal to stop. So far no one here has mentioned the master cylinder and that was what was wrong with mine. I had replaced it a couple years back so I didn't expect a problem with it. I too thought it was sticking calipers in the rear and thats what the mechanics said it was. Not the case on mine. I took the master clyinder off and tried bench bleeding it and thats how I found the problem. I put another one on and my problem was solved. No lights or codes came on or were displayed at anytime.

 

[tim1]

Its going to be a few more days before I get the vet out of the shop. They shut the doors a 3 yesterday and Fedex showed up with the part at 3:15, looks like maybe Monday now. Once I get it back its head first into the brake system to try and correct them. I will keep you posted.

 

[mashinter]

Tim:

I have not had a brake problem with my '92, but I saw a thread on another forum where a hard brake pedal on a C4 was fixed by getting the brakes into ABS mode (very hard stop). I don't understand why, but it's worth a try before you tear into it.

Bill

 

[tim1]

Well it just arrived at home. It looks like new money and everything they were to do is complete. When I parked it I went to get the mail and walked in front of thecar and heard a noise that sounded like it was hot, but the temp gauge did not show it hot. I haev heard of burping the cooling system so here is the question. How do I burp my colling system???? I am thinking I need to remove the coolant cap and let the Vet run in the driveway to try and allow it to get hot and circulat the coolant to push all the air out of it. Thats my best guss, hopefully one of the experts will chime in and tell me the proper way to burp it.
This thing sure looks like new money to me and I am very pleased.

 

[boomdriver]

The burping really is'nt totally necessary most times. Even though the radiator is not able to fill thru the neck to 100%, after the first couple hot/cold cycles it fills thru the recovery tank. Keep an eye on the overflow tank and make sure thats topped off..it'll be ok. As long as your temp gauge is moving, its ok. Oil temp should be close to what engine temp is.

 

[tim1]

That really makes no sense to me at all.............. I should not have to listen to the bubbling in the cooling system if there is air in it. I sure hope someone comes up with a better response the the lastone. I wouold hate to blow an engine to something that can be corrcted with a simple process.

 

[93Rubie]

The process is in your Owners Manual. However, there really should not be any air in it unless you have a leak or it was recently serviced. Are you sure you did not just shut down the A/C and maybe hearing that???

These systems do require a few hot cold cycles when servicing the system to get the air out. It is in the FSM, states to the effect avoid aggressive engine operation for a at least 3 hot/cold cycles.

 

[John Robinson]

There are two ways to burp that I know of. One is the bolt on top of the water pump. I do not like using this method because it ends up with water running over the OPTI. The simplest way is to remove the radiator cap and run the engine until the thermostat opens up when it does then you will see the water flowing past the tank. When it does it will go down and then you pour more antifreeze in until it is at the top of the hole. You will repeat this process several times before it stops taking on more fluid. Then make sure the over flow tank has the right amount of fluid in it. My guess is that what you heard was the fluid in the radiator flowing into the overflow tank down in front of the right front wheel. With all this hot weather there is a tendency for the engine to have a heat spike when shut off which will cause the fluid to get even hotter and expand and flow into the over flow tank. By the same token when it cools down and the fluid shrinks it causes a vacuum in the cooling system and pulls the water back from the overflow tank to fill the void created by the cooing fluid. On my 93 when I shut it off the fans will run for a short period of time to control the heat spike. You may want to make sure the fans are working correctly.

 

[tim1]

That is what I attempted lastnight John. I check the resevoir cold and it was dead on the cold mark, removedthe radiator cap and started the car and waited for the thermostat to open air escaping out of the system and had to add a very slight amount of antifreeze. Hoping today I can do a little more checking now that I finally have the vet home at last.

 

[tim1]

Well lastnight I got a call from Junkie which has got me started once again on the issues with my car. Today its going in the garage so I can get under it and attempt to find and clean all of the chassis grounds. Thats what he believes is causing the ASR Service light to stay on. Then its into the brake search, starteing at the booster vac line then going to pull the calipers off and see if I might find a rear one sticking or stuck. I have thoughts of taking it to a shop and having the brake system flushed and replaced if I cant find a problem with my visual inspection. This has to be an early morning thing as the heat down here is crazy.

 

[John Robinson]

Check all the grounds. A long time ago in another galaxy Junk made me a believer that the grounds were the cause of more problems than anything else. Maybe this will help you find them all.

 

[tim1]

Well I did what I could get ot today, the grounds I could locate without having the car in the air. Trying to remember which ones I got, antenna both horns one by the evacuator and maybe one more. I have to go on the military post and get decals so I can get it into the auto shop there and use a lift. John and Junkie I am hoping you might chime in here and let me know what size wrenches I will be needing. There is very limited room to haul my toolbox so anything you can think of please drop me a line. Thanks for all the help and support on my project.

 

[John Robinson]

Well off the top of my head. Try to take a set of metric combination wrenches size 8MM to 17MM. A set of 3/8 drive sockets from 8MM to 17MM. A 3/8 ratchet and 3 extension bars different lengths Preferably the wobble type. Finally a set of 1/4" drive metric sockets. Sandpaper, Wire Brush, Assortment of star washers to put on grounds so they will dig in when tightened down for a better ground. If you have a jack and some jack stands you can get the ground on the bell housing by jacking up the car and supporting it on jack stands.

 

[2VettesMike]

You have already gotten several great suggestions on how to check the brake booster. Having gone through this recently it's no fun when the pedal gets hard as a brick to push and stopping takes a sundial....

In any case having make the change here's a DIY guide from me.
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...wer-brake-booster-installation-diy-guide.html

I will add that the first booster I got through the parts jobber as a rebuild had a rod on the pedal side that was wrong. It was about 3/8" too short and I didn't catch it until the install/test phase when the brake light switch wouldn't go off and the pedal was lower to the floor. Best to test it all before you reinstall the engine computer, I'm glad I caught it then.

Good luck,

Mike

 

[tim1]

Mike,
I have not gotten to the brakes yet. I read your write up the other day and have it ear marked for the near future. If this vet does not break the bank real quick I will be surprised. I need to slow down a bit and do this one step at a time. First is the ASR service light, doing all the ground checks and cleaning then its off to the brake issue. It would be nice to ride with the top down before summer is over but I have to watch my $$$$ as I am totally disabled. So slow and steady is how I roll.

 

[tim1]

I cant get my hydralic jack under the frame, guess its going to be a few days until I get it on the military post to change oil and try to get to the rest of the grounds.

 

[Hib Halverson]

I cant get my hydralic jack under the frame,

Drive the car up on 2x4s. Then you can get your jack under it.