My Brake question 69 vette :)

[entropy454]

Just a quick question with a little background.
I bought a vette that had apparently sat for many years.
The previous owner had the car for a few months to clean it up and sell.

He told me he replaced the master cylinder(looks newand fluid is clear) and the passenger front caliper.
He gave me the caliper he replaced for a core and gave me another one that was new that he didn't need to install as a freebee.

The first couple of days I found a small pool of brake fluid near the passenger rear wheel. I mentionded it to him to confirm which caliper he had replaced and he mentioned that I may a while before trying to replace the other calipers because they had sat so long they may absorb brake fluid and re-seal better.
Sure enough last night, I drove around and so far haven't seen a problem.

The problem I do have is when I step on the brake sometimes the brake light comes on. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what can trigger the brake light to come on for short periods. The car seems to brake straight and decently but this is my first vette so I am not expert on what it should do.

The second question, which may be related to the first and the the time the car sat. The brake pedal seems to occasionally stick. It is hard to explain but I will try.
The brake comes up from the depressed position in what I consider nromally most of the way. The last 5% of the motion coming up it seems to stick and go slow. I can tell this because the brake lights can stay on up to 45 seconds. I can put my foot under the brake and pop them off and the pedal moves ever so little.

Any help would be appreciated.
thanks
jim

 

[gmjunkie]

Just a quick question with a little background.
I bought a vette that had apparently sat for many years.
The previous owner had the car for a few months to clean it up and sell.

He told me he replaced the master cylinder(looks newand fluid is clear) and the passenger front caliper.
He gave me the caliper he replaced for a core and gave me another one that was new that he didn't need to install as a freebee.

The first couple of days I found a small pool of brake fluid near the passenger rear wheel. I mentionded it to him to confirm which caliper he had replaced and he mentioned that I may a while before trying to replace the other calipers because they had sat so long they may absorb brake fluid and re-seal better.
Sure enough last night, I drove around and so far haven't seen a problem.

The problem I do have is when I step on the brake sometimes the brake light comes on. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what can trigger the brake light to come on for short periods. The car seems to brake straight and decently but this is my first vette so I am not expert on what it should do.

The second question, which may be related to the first and the the time the car sat. The brake pedal seems to occasionally stick. It is hard to explain but I will try.
The brake comes up from the depressed position in what I consider nromally most of the way. The last 5% of the motion coming up it seems to stick and go slow. I can tell this because the brake lights can stay on up to 45 seconds. I can put my foot under the brake and pop them off and the pedal moves ever so little.

Any help would be appreciated.
thanks
jim

My guess is you have a little air in the system!

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Brake system leaks don't fix themselves. This plus the red light coming on, which indicates unequal pressure between the front and rear systems, indicates that you should have a look at the caliper that leaked.

 

[6880 Mike]

...Brake system leaks don't fix themselves....you should have a look at the caliper that leaked.

I agree. Check all four. RF was leaking and replaced by PO; RR leaking now. You can expect the left sides to be going in a little while.

 

[Vette79]

Brake system leaks don't fix themselves. This plus the red light coming on, which indicates unequal pressure between the front and rear systems, indicates that you should have a look at the caliper that leaked.

After just completing a brake job on mine I would agree as well. Leaks don't fix themselves. A leak means air in the system so when you locate the leak and fix it then you should bleed the brake system.

 

[entropy454]

Where do you place the jack on the rear of the car to raise up the car? I have side pipes so it may make it more complicated?

 

[entropy454]

I just thought of another set of brake questions.
Please confirm or deny these are true.

If you have a leaky caliper, you probably will get in the line right?

If that is so it makes me wonder, the caliper replaced was done via gravity bleeding. I looked it up and it sounded pretty easy for me to do that. But the directions mentioned if you bleed the back brakes you should raise the the back end a foot off the ground to stop air 'domes'.

quote from The Big Block from Hell, Part 12
"Since you have to remove the rear wheels to get at the rear bleeder fittings; make sure the back of the car is jacked-up about a foot while you bleed. This eliminates air "domes" in the master cylinder and in the rear brake calipers"

I assume you don't have to do this with the front wheels?

 

[Vette79]

I just thought of another set of brake questions.
Please confirm or deny these are true.

If you have a leaky caliper, you probably will get in the line right?

If that is so it makes me wonder, the caliper replaced was done via gravity bleeding. I looked it up and it sounded pretty easy for me to do that. But the directions mentioned if you bleed the back brakes you should raise the the back end a foot off the ground to stop air 'domes'.

quote from The Big Block from Hell, Part 12
"Since you have to remove the rear wheels to get at the rear bleeder fittings; make sure the back of the car is jacked-up about a foot while you bleed. This eliminates air "domes" in the master cylinder and in the rear brake calipers"

I assume you don't have to do this with the front wheels?

I power bled my brakes using the motive bleeder. Only takes one person and it's so easy...

 

[Bwmurph]

I'll agree on the Motive Power Bleeder. It does make very easy and quick to bleed brakes by yourself. Just be sure that the plate over the Master Cylinder doesn't hang up on the clip that holds the M/C cover on like I did - you'll have brake fluid all over the place ! When I figured out what was happening I just removed the M/C cover clip and it was a breeze. Also make sure you bleed the rear calipers in correct order - there are inner and outer bleeders on the rear calipers.

Bernie O.

 

[Vette79]

I'll agree on the Motive Power Bleeder. It does make very easy and quick to bleed brakes by yourself. Just be sure that the plate over the Master Cylinder doesn't hang up on the clip that holds the M/C cover on like I did - you'll have brake fluid all over the place ! When I figured out what was happening I just removed the M/C cover clip and it was a breeze. Also make sure you bleed the rear calipers in correct order - there are inner and outer bleeders on the rear calipers.

Bernie O.

Don't use the chains or the clips that came with the motive power bleeder. Just use a piece of 2x4 on top of the rubber cover and a large c-clamp. It works great and it's recommended on their website. Bleed the inners first and then the outers. Also, tap on the calipers with a rubber mallot to free up air pockets in the caliper during the bleed.