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The fine line between Karma and bad luck

Joined
Apr 29, 2001
Messages
2,141
Location
Rio Rancho, NM
Corvette
1981 HD Suspension; ZN1 Option
Well people,

Last weekend I took two test drives with the Vette, on two different days (Saturday and Sunday), at two different times of the day, and so I thought that it was Karma that the Vette was really moving like it never did before under L81 power, and the fact that both days seemed like winning examples of the soon-arriving Spring days. This could only be topped by hearing in the radio Styx's tune "Too much time in my hands" both days....and I thought -KARMA!

I am certain that while going at 75 MPH south-bound in I-25, people could hear my screeching (I call it singing)..."too much time in my hands...hmmm ...hummm"

Then while returning home through old Alameda Blvd. in Corrales, someone swung in front of me, and I had to slam the breaks...then it happened...I felt the break pedal give, the Vette did not slow as usual, and the brake warning light came-on. I could have sworn that I had bumped that car...

So now, licking my wounds from the suddenly-deflated sense of exhilaration, I imagined the venerable brake line leak pumping the old and tired fluid all over the rotors, wheels....is that a trail of fluid I see behind me? Better get home.

Fast forward: I raised the Vette on jack-stands, inspected the breaks, Master-Cylinder, proportioning valve. No missing fluid and no leaks! So after researching the CAC, I suppose that my Vette had an un-even pressure on the break lines (possibly caused by the rotor run-out pumping the caliper's pistons).

Tonight, I just finished removing the disc rotors, and the wear measurements indicate that all of my 4 rotors need to be replaced (specially the left-rear which was at 1.205" thickness:ugh :eek ).

So, my second dyno run has to wait until I get the breaks fixed.

Edit: Oops...please substitute breaks for brakes...:(
 
I hate that "sick in the gut" feeling when your limping home.
Glad to hear you got her home safe and sound (not to mention you being unharmed) and you can make the needed repairs.
 
Glad every thing worked out..I could feel your exhilaration and then your pain as I read your thread..:ugh
 
Its a very horrible feeling you get in the few seconds when you know, you aren't going to make it. Lucky for you (as I read it) it turned out oke!

Just one option I want to add to your list (if you haven't checked it yet). It could be your master cylinder has a broken or almost broken seal. You'll see no leaks because the fluid is redirected internally. Symptoms are the same... If all the fluid is out it's easy to check and it never hurts. Good luck! :)

Groeten Peter.
 
Peter,

Good guess! I have already ordered the kit for the Master Cylinder repair. I can't recall if I ever replace it or not, so I am going to make sure that it is in working order.
 
Gerry,

Glad you are OK,and your 81 is too,(at least bodywise) .

I too,feel your pain and have had that sick feeling in my gut,from experiencing a simalar instance,(but not in my vette) and that feeling of helplessness.

Have a couple (few) cold ones,for me.

Later, Ken:beer
 
Sorry to hear about your problems Gerry! She'll be back up and running in no time though. Maybe you should think about upgrading since almost everything has to be replaced anyways (drilled/slotted rotors). I had the exact same thing happen to me shorty after I bought my 'vette. $3,000 dollars later.....

-Tatortot
 
Thanks everyone,

I was just trying to stress the point of how quick things can change on you.

I ordered 4 new rotors (the premium ones) from Ecklers last night. So $300 dollars later, they should be here by Monday.

I wanted to ask you all about brake pads. I think I have been using the stock organic ones. Is anyone using the semi-metallic pads instead? Or what about Hawk pads?

p.s. I can't understand why I keep using the wrong word...is not breaks is brakes:crazy :crazy
 
Hi Gerry !

Sorry to hear about your brakes.. the good news is you can get out there and drive your car:)

That is cool !:upthumbs There is still too much winter around here for that... yet.

Tom:w
 
Tom,

Thank you for giving me a clue about my misuse of the word "breaks". I am not sure why I didn't catch it before...is that darn spelling-checker;squint: . My College English teacher, Professor Wayne Shrubsall, warned me about them. :L

Not only I could get the Vette out to drive, but what I really dug was that the engine was and still is running a whole lot better. I had to keep my foot off the pedal to prevent a gross speed limit infraction.

She just wanted to go :cool

c3cvt3, Do you see a lot of brake-dust on your wheels?
 
c3cvt3, Do you see a lot of brake-dust on your wheels?

Not nearly as much as with Organic pads. There is still brake dust but I only really notice it after racing. Just the cruising around town shows really no dust.

Not sure how it would look if it was a daily driver.
 
...I only really notice it after racing. Just the cruising around town shows really no dust....

You see, I also read that some Hawk pads (Like HPS Plus) or EBC (Green, Red, Yellow Stuff) can't reach operating temperatures like they would if they were used in Autocross or other closed circuits.

On the other hand, my commuter car (1998 Mitsubishi Diamante) had common problems of brake rotor distortion under load, and it got to be such a problem that it raised the stopping distance of the car (even though the ABS were functioning). In this situation, I installed Powerslot rotors on the front axle and Hawk pads, and this was the solution to the problem -No more rotor distortion, and it stops on a dime. The best $360 dollars I have ever spent on any of my cars.

However, in my commuter car, the dust sticks to the front wheel regularly. I am not sure if it is due to the dust entirely, or if it has to do with air flow passing through the wheels from under the vehicle toward the sides and dragging the dust with it. The improvement in stopping distance allows me to put-up with the soiling of the wheels.

But on the Vette, I see the dust on the calipers and not on the wheels. Again, I do not know why, but even though I have used the stock organic pads all the time, no dust sticks to the wheels like it does to the commuter car's wheels.
 
The brakes do a fine job of stopping the car around town. I have had to hit the brakes pretty aggresively when I have had the occasional ball roll out in front of me (or spot a local cop when streatching her legs) without proper warm up and never had a problem with it. The brake dust your talking about when the air comes into the wheels from the side is an issue when autocrossing but I always atributed it to me going sideways through the corners. Never put a whole lot of thought in it but you make a great point. The dust rolling across the hot wheels probably stick alot more then when going across a cold wheel.
To sum it all up No problems on the street and very happy on the track.
 
The brakes do a fine job of stopping the car around town. ...To sum it all up No problems on the street and very happy on the track.

C3,

I called Pep-boys today, and they didn't have any Hawk P/N HB126F.505, but they're going to bring them in from Texas for me by Wednesday night.

Thanks for the input and opinion. It was very helpful in making my mind. :beer

Tonight, I finished repairing the master cylinder. I cleaned it, painted -it, and bench bled it as well. It is installed awaiting the new stock rotors. Wednesday, I'll get the pads, and I bought bleeder valves all around, so I won't have to bother my family to help me bleed the system. :upthumbs
 
It looks like you have a handle on your brake issue Gerry. I'm glad that you got stopped.

Tom
 
Thanks, Tom.

The new rotors are already installed, and I went ahead and got everything ready for the Hawk pads installation on Wednesday (perhaps Thursday, since they tell me that their supply truck arrives late in the afternoon).

I am finally installing bleeder valves in the calipers to facilitate the removal of air off the system. I'll be using synthetic DOT 3 fluid as well.

We also have a warming trend setting-in this week in the NM side of the southwest.:D

Perhaps Karma again?
 
moving on with our experiment...

Well,

The brakes are done (finally :ugh ). $500 dollars later, now it should stop every time.

I made an appointment with the Dyno-Edge's Chris for Wednesday, 14 March.

Lets see how the L81 runs then.
 
Good luck Gerry,hope the HP is where you want it...
and it STOPS!!!!!!!!
BTW,what did you paint the master cylinder with??
 
Hello Gerry,

Good to know the brake system is up and running! But $500 :W I hope it will stop like crazy now. Good luck on the dyno, looking forward to the new and better results. :cool

Groeten Peter.
 

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