Brake Cylinder??

[dremn2]

Hi everyone! Took the vette out of the garage today for the first time in about a month. Thought since we live on the beach and it's spring Break here that we'd see a few fellow vette owners and work on reviving the wave. Do you believe the coast is packed and we didn't see one other vette...... But...... half way through town I noticed the brake pedal was feeling soft. After a couple of stops the brake light illuminated on the control panel. I returned home and checked the brake fluid. Both resavoirs are above the low line. The fluid didn't look really great though. I'm going to try to attach a cpl of pics. I'm wondering if its the master brake cyl......... Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JonM]

I would suck out the fluid and replace it...then bleed the brakes until it runs clear...Brake fluid can retain water (just like a women :eyerole ) after a while...yours also looks dirty. After that I would make sure you keep an eye on the light and pay attention to the feel of the brake. If you see or feel anything amiss, you may have something wrong with the brake system.

 

[dremn2]

Thanks, That is what I was thinking too. If it is the master cyl. Is is a project I can tackle Myself? I had to laugh at my wife. She said that if this had happened to one of our other vehicles I would have been totally ****ed off. But with the vet its more like concern about getting it better as if it were one of the kids lol.

 

[JonM]

The MC is an easy project...if it comes to that post here and someone will help you...and tell the wife she is lucky the car doesn't fit in the bedroom...we already know she will fit in the garage.

 

[dremn2]

Thanks for the advise Jon! Ill get that fluid changed this week and see what happens. I also noticed that it appears the tach is off. (all this today....) When revved up to what I fig to be about 4000 rpm's is showing 23 on the tach. When its ideling its showing 75 -99 on the tach. The visual tach bar shows about 8 or 900 at idel.

 

[WhalePirot]

You might consider having them power bleed the clutch system at the same time, which also has brake fluid. Humid climes are harder on brake fluid than dry ones.

The tach issue may be a simple loose wire or the onset of the dreaded dash failure. Exchanges are about $250, but don't just jump on that yet. The digital idle speed looks about right, so there may be a budding issue inside the display.
Caution: don't poke around inside it with any old volt meter or you can cause damage to the circuitry.

 

[dremn2]

Thanks for your help guys! Im taking the Vette in tomorrow to have the master Cyl and the brake hoses replaced. Ill let you know if they find anything else

 

[dremn2]

Hi Guys!

Just wanted tp post an update. It was the master cyl. I had it replaced along with the hoses. Also had the front brakes done and the front wheels balanced. After 520.00 the car stops great
I had them go through the brake system and front end to check everything out. All checked out fine except the front tie rods. They said they need to be replaced...... I guess Ill have that done in a cpl of weeks. I had a vibration in the front end at about 60-65 mph. The balancing seemed to help but didnt get rid of the entire problem. Do you think the tie rods could be part of the problem?
Thanks for everybodys help and input! This is a great site!!

 

[WhalePirot]

The tires are large and quite prone to vibes and other highway ills. I went on the vibe-go-round again and again, then finally found that the factory (Mexico, I think) drilled the mounting holes on early Z-51 wheels, off center. The big Gatorbacks would balance nicely for a max of about 10,000 miles.

New (takeoff) Epsilon 17" wheels made the issue die for good.

The suspension parts can be rather easily checked for 'play' as can the roundness of the tires. Some radials take a 'set' and might cause some vibration on the front, but not the rear.