Braaaakkkeees

[C4ME]

Heres the deal (1986). I bleed my little brakes to perfection (in my opinion with the wifey's very agile brake foot). still have no pressure... and almost not brakes. I am a brake novice and don't know where to turn next. Master Cylinder seems to be the logical next step. Does the power booster need to be suspect? Anyone?...Anyone?...Buelar?

Thanks

 

[redc4corvette]

More information please,need input:confused

 

[Moonunit 451]

Heres the deal (1986). I bleed my little brakes to perfection (in my opinion with the wifey's very agile brake foot). still have no pressure... and almost not brakes. I am a brake novice and don't know where to turn next. Master Cylinder seems to be the logical next step. Does the power booster need to be suspect? Anyone?...Anyone?...Buelar?

Thanks

Did you use the proper proceedure for bleeding the brakes? There is one --- and it doesn't involve pushing the pedal all the way to the floor

 

[C4ME]

More info:

I have little or no brake function. I assumed that since the car has been sitting for ??? long in the Navada desert that it would need a good flushing, so I did that and got ice tea looking bf out of the calipers. System flushed just fine, buttoned her up and went to back out the driveway only to find that there is still no brake action to speak of. The pedal does not go to the floor and I have not noticed the gradual release of pressure associated with leakage.

AAAHHH????

Little frustration, sorry.

 

[C4ME]

Moony

Yep, had my block of wood under the pedal and all. Started in the left rear, RR, LF, ending in the RF according the the Haynes bubbas...did I miss anything?

 

[redc4corvette]

Sounds like the pistons are locked up.

compress the pistons slowly and see if break fluid comes out the bleeder.

on each wheel.

 

[jmccloud]

Brakes

If the pedal gets stiffer with rapid pumping, there's air in the system.
If the pedal goes slowly toward the floor as you hold pressure on it, there's a leak. Hold the pressure on for quite a while then look at all the cylinders for the wet spot. Don't forget the master cylinder (use a dental mirror to see its bottom side.
Does that year have antilocks? If so, consider the booster behind the driver's seat.

 

[C4ME]

Interesting Note

I discovered that the Haynes sequence of bleeding is different than that published on the www.alldatadiy.com service (online manual). I must assume that the ALL DATA is correct, as it is the details of the genuine GM manual.

 

[Moonunit 451]

Ya, seems to me it was RR, LR, RF, LF. Is that what alldata says?

 

[vette-dude]

Did you replace the pads?? If not, how much do you have left on the ones you are using? Maybe they are beyond the limits. Just thinking out loud ( which usually gets me in trouble)!!


Randy

 

[c4cruiser]

If the car has been sitting for a long period, you may have one or more pistons in the calipers not moving. Bleeding the system does not really cause the piston to move so you could very well see the fresh fluid come out of the caliper bleed screws and the piston will still be locked up in the bore.

From what you described, it sounds like the braking perfromance is poor, but they do work somewhat. Right?? Also, do you hear the ABS self-test (whirring noise behind the driver's seat) when you hit 3-4 MPH going forward? A bad ABS pump should not interfere with overall braking operation, but it would be nice to know if the ABS pump is working just so that part is out of the loop here.

It's beginning to sound like a new set of calipers may be needed.

 

[C4ME]

Ya, seems to me it was RR, LR, RF, LF. Is that what alldata says?

Continuing the FYI...

Haynes: LR, RR, LF, ending in the RF
ALLDATA (Which is way cool BTW): RF, RR, LR, and ending LF.

Go figure. I seem to remember reading either a post or a manual/info book that made the point for the farthest to to the closest caliper to the MC? Line length wise, the ALL data makes sense as it seems that would be the farthest.

Thanks for the info Moony.

 

[C4ME]

Did you replace the pads?? If not, how much do you have left on the ones you are using? Maybe they are beyond the limits. Just thinking out loud ( which usually gets me in trouble)!!


Randy

Only if your wife/girlfriend are around...

Heard a joke once:
If a man is in the woods and says something without a woman around...does that still make him wrong?

I have not measured, but need to. I am sure they need replacing in the front, but I have almost no brakes...I would think I would get some action...again I am a novice so I will replace them as well...and the rear!

 

[C4ME]

If the car has been sitting for a long period, you may have one or more pistons in the calipers not moving. Bleeding the system does not really cause the piston to move so you could very well see the fresh fluid come out of the caliper bleed screws and the piston will still be locked up in the bore.

From what you described, it sounds like the braking perfromance is poor, but they do work somewhat. Right?? Also, do you hear the ABS self-test (whirring noise behind the driver's seat) when you hit 3-4 MPH going forward? A bad ABS pump should not interfere with overall braking operation, but it would be nice to know if the ABS pump is working just so that part is out of the loop here.

It's beginning to sound like a new set of calipers may be needed.

NOOOOOOOoooooo.....Not new calipers...I am close to lifting the radiator cap and driving a new car under the old one.

Actually, I love my car even though I have not had a chance to drive it since owning ( got July 5 this year). I am so thrilled to own a vette, I can just look at it in the garage!

If the ABS was having problems (pump included) would I not get an INFO Center light?

Thanks for your help BTW.

 

[CaptainBlue]

I've read all of these threads and before you go and replace your calipers you should take a look at your power brake booster and the vacuum lines going to it. It sounds like you have some brake function. Is the pedal soft or hard? Can you stop the car buy pushing the pedal down? if so does the pedal seem stiff? Also, sometimes, if your calipers are frozen working them in and out with a C-clamp and someone pushing the brakes may cure this depending on the condition.

 

[redc4corvette]

When I engauge my line lock that only operates the front brakes,the peddle is rock hard.

Same as locked or frozen calapers would be.

 

[C4ME]

Update on the brake troubleshooting:

I am a clod. I feel like the little vette owner who cried "Mustang!"

I noticed while my four year old pumped the brakes (he is praticing for when he can by his OWN), that PS fluid was leaking out of the back of the master cylinder at the power booster. Now I know why I do not have any real brakes! Also, when looking closely, I noted a sizable crack in the power booster housing...So, to make a long story longer, I need a new Master cylinder and power booster. Not so bad really.

Thanks for all the help.

Joe