xpoc454

I am working on my 69 vette which is leaking brake fluid on the left front and right rear wheels.
The master cylinder is newer and I belive recently replaced and the previous owner told me he replaced the right front caliper.
I jacked up the car's front tonight to see what I can.

Front driver's side first.

The brakes are also sticking just a little bit when you pump them. I tested the front brakes tonight and sure enough, when I hit the brakes neither front wheels will spin until I can see the brake lights go off in the back of the car. You can hear a sound as if pressure is being slowly released in the general area of the master cylinder. It takes about 45 seconds than the brake lights go off and the wheels move freely again.

Are there any obvious signs that prove the calipers is leaking?
The bleed screw on the top is new and shiny and showed no leakage. The rubber brake line appears to not be leaking either. There is fluid slowly dripping off the front center section of the caliper. Is there anything else it could be?

The brakes are also sticking just a little bit when you pump them. I tested the front brakes tonight and sure enough, when I hit the brakes neither front wheels will spin until I can see the brake lights go off in the back of the car. You can hear a sound as if pressure is being slowly released in the general area of the master cylinder. It takes about 45 seconds than the brake lights go off and the wheels move freely again.

On a side note. I thought I read there are two bleed screw per caliper. Is that true and if so, where is the second one? The one on the top is obvious.

Thanks for any help, trying to learn.

wombvette

Don't waist your time. The calipers are leaking. Its THE most common ailment. Put new ones on and change the rubber lines while your at it.

72LS1Vette

The fluid leaking is an obvious sign that the caliper needs to be rebuilt or replaced. The slow release could be the rubber lines. They can collapse internally and restrict the flow of fluid.

You need to do a little disassembly. Remove each caliper - save the right front for last. Take the caliper apart and look at the bores. If they are pitted and rusty trade them in at AutoZone, Advance or NAPA for Stainless Sleeved calipers. If they are SS sleeved already, buy an O-ring rebuild kit from Vette Brakes and rebuild them. Replace the rubber lines - they are not expensive and available at local parts stores. The right front caliper is probably already SS sleeved so I wouldn't even take that one apart.

Plug the brake lines as you remove the caliper. It will save you from having to bleed the master cylinder again. If the cylinder runs dry you have to either remove it and bench-bleed it or do it on the car and spill brake fluid all over the place.



Rick B.

xpoc454

I noticed the rubber hoses are connected to the caliper on one end and a clip that goes into metal lines. If I remove the entire hose while replacing the calipers, how do I plug the lines? Is there an item to fo it?
To remove both ends of the rubber line it takes a special rench doesn't it? A flare wrench or something ?

68/70Vette

Don't know what your financial situation is. However, for a 69 I think the time has come to replace the entire brake system with all new. If you try to repair and get you old system to work, it's going to be like the arcade game of Whack a Mole. Every time you fix one problem, another problem jumps up. There was a time where I did the one thing at a time brake repair strategy, but things just successfully kept failing. Consider replacing everything with stainless steel brake lines and SS fittings, new calipers (ss lined), rebuilt MC, new distribution block at the MC, and new brass brake line blocks in the rear of the car. The brake lines can be replaced with the body on. Not that hard of a job. If you've got water contamination in your brake lines..which have damaged your calipers....the contamination has also damaged your brake lines. You've got 40 years of water contamination/rusting at work. Get rid of it all with all new. On my 68, the brake lines looked fine on the outside, but on the inside, they were lined with a reddish-brown jell of rust.

Myself, for my 68 and 70, I have all new SS brake lines with SS fittings from In-Line Tubing. All new brass blocks and distribution assembly (from In Line Tubing). My 68 MC was rebuilt by Paragon, for my 70 I bought the Stainless Steel Brake Corporation (SSBC) aluminum MC replacement for the AC Delco MC. Both cars have SSBC aluminum calipers. The aluminum calipers are pricey, but you can get the factory cast iron calipers with SS liners for reasonable prices. The aluminum calipers weigh about 8 pounds each and the iron factory calipers weigh about 16 pounds.

muskegonbrake

If you've got a new master cylinder check out the Superkit M/C delete for $369 exchange

http://www.muskegonbrake.com/v4/go.g...&listTemplate=

72LS1Vette

I haven't tried this yet but I will soon since I'm going to be removing all 4 calipers - a piece of plastic wrap fitted tightly over the end of the line and wrapped with tubber bands would probably keep fluid from leaking out, as long as you don't step on the pedal. There are probably plugs available also. I haven't looked into that yet.

You do need brake line wrenches. You can get them at Sears or possibly home centers. If there is room, put a Vice Grip on the wrench to sqeeze it tightly on the fitting. Helps to keep the wrench from rounding the fitting. If the lines are rusty soak them for several days with PB Blaster or something similar before trying to loosen them. I always work a rusty fitting back and forth and slowly increase the amount of turns to keep from binding the fitting and twisting the line. Even doing that it's possible to wreck a line if it is very rusty.

The probability of twisting a rusty brake line is pretty high so be prepared for the project to expand into new brake lines if yours are in bad shape.



Rick B.

G-Sting

Try this link (click) and see if it gives you some good tips on the job. I just replaced my R/R caliper, lines and hoses. It was helpful.

Step 7 tells you how to stop the flow of fluid if you are replacing the hose.

The sticky at the top here tells you how to bleed the brakes. There is only one bleed valve per caliper on the fronts, two bleeders on each rear.

Enjoy. It's fun.

OregonVette80

ding ding ding! FTW!

Easy Mike

An unpainted golf tee (or something of similar size) will plug the metal line.

You will want a good set of flare nut wrenches for brake work. Do not make the mistake of trying to use regular wrenches. You will round off the shoulders of the fittings.

Good luck.

xpoc454

I have two brake calipers that came with my car. One I was told is a core and bad the other is good. Here are the pictures.


The top one all 4 calipers move freely, the bottom one is they do not move at all.
With these pictures can anyone tell me if the top one is stainlees steel type and can they tell me if they are o ring or lip style?
He replaced the driver's side before I got it so I assume and will be looking to confirm that it is similar to the top one above.

On a side note, Im going to replace the bad front caliper first.
It looks like I have a good caliper what else will I need?
Here is my list so far.

Driver's Caliper (got)
Rubber brake line replacement for both sides
Two brake line wrenches to remove the brake lines.
Possibily a brake pad for driver's side. (will check)
Brake fluid class 4 and lots of it.
Something to keep fluid from leaking out while replacing everything.

I keep reading that I might needs to replace some washers and c-clips. Is that true and will they sell them with the hoses?
Is there anything else anyone can think of I will need to replace both side hoses and driver's side caliper?

Thanks again for the help
jim

xpoc454

Ok making progress. Got leaky passenger front caliper replaced with one the guy gave me with the car. Also replaced , with some effort, both front rubber hoses.

Next is the right rear, it was at one time leaking like a seive.

Looks like IM going to have a couple extra calipers. Does any place buy cores? The car came with basically two extra cores.

Second question, where is the ideal place to jack the car up in the back to work on the rear brakes? Where do you set the car stands?

thanks