Cali,68,L-79

When I installed the new VB O-ring calipers the brakes were bleed 1st by vacuum pump then by the old fashioned 2-man method. When I'm braking and down shifting the pedal is rigid and stops much like a power steering setup. When I pull in the clutch and stop via brakes only the pedal depresses 1/2 way and feels like it needs to be re-bleed. What's the deal? Remember it's not the fact of stopping via brakes only it's the part about.

"the pedal is rigid and stops much like a power steering" versus
"When I pull in the clutch and stop via brakes only the pedal depresses 1/2 way and feels like it needs to be re-bleed"

BB68Vett

If this were a power brake car I would say the change may have to do with engine speed and hence vacuum, since when you clutch in the engine speed drops. In a manual brake system the brake system is independent and not reliant on vacuum, etc. Could it be that the engine torque is helping slow the car down and so the brake system is doing less work?

68raggtop

Just a thought. Is it possible that the pedal assembly has come a little lose or shaft worn? just trying to think of a correlation between them and I can't see anything other than the shaft or pedal assembly physically moving.
:seeya
New thought that may help, try the same, braking with the engine in neutral and the foot off the clutch to see if the pedal assy has anything to do with it? :steering:


[Modified by 68raggtop, 3:00 PM 3/4/2004]

Cali,68,L-79

Just tried that and the pedal went smooshy 1/2 way till she grabbed. I just don't get the correlation either.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

68raggtop

I also have the VBP Oring kit so I'm very interested in how this goes for you. Did you use DOT 5 and if so, did you do the switch then or earlier? I only ask because from what I understand about DOT 5 is it often requires a lot of bleeding initially. Something about the air bubbles being smaller makes them harder to get all out. The good thing is once out its fine? I see you have been doing a lot of other things latley, did you do any other mods at the same time that may be involved? One last question, how does the pedal when the car is cold compared to after a good run (I'm thinking like heat expansion of the fluid vs air in system changing the feel). keep us posted :steering:

Cali,68,L-79

Noted no differance between cold and hot as far as pedal firmness is concerned. Flushed the entire system and used dot-5 but saw no difference betwen it and Dot-3. Other than the brakes, coil-overs, sway bars, oil pan and rear main gaskets, replacing chrome etc that's about it.

68raggtop

If I remember right,I thought I saw in one post that you didn't use the piston springs. If that is the case, is it possible that has anything to do with it? Thats part of the reason I'm following this so close. I was thinking of not using them either.

68raggtop

Just curious if you found the cause of this yet. :steering:

Cali,68,L-79

I rebleed the brakes and there appears no fade at all. It took over 200 milesw till I got all the air out.