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Re: brakes, brakes, brakes

To: KEVIN EDDINS <eddinsk@NRISO.NOLA.NAVY.MIL>
Subject: Re: brakes, brakes, brakes
From: Vic Whitmore <vicwhit@home.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 09:24:27 -0500
Since you have done all the bleedin' work (a little Brit speak) and the pedal
goes to the metal, you should start thinking about the master cylinder. It seems
that there is leakage around the seals. This would account for the build-up of
pressure. As the fluid leaks around the seals, the pedal proceeds to the floor.

If there is air in the system, the pedal will feel spongy or springy. It will
build up pressure as the air is compressed but the build up is very gradual.
With a small amount of air, the pressure may build up before the pedal goes to
the floor. With large amounts of air, the pedal will go to the floor. With no
air, the pressure will build immediately (fluid doesn't compress) as soon as the
brake pads contact the disks/drums (be sure that the rear brakes are adjusted
first). Leakage will cause the pedal to proceed to the floor. Pumping the brake
should build the pressure back up a again to some degree.

Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario

KEVIN EDDINS wrote:
> 
> I know I am becoming quite the pest on the brake issue, but this is more
> of an update.
> 
> I've gone through 2 quarts of bleeding and I guess I still have air in the
> system.  I am going to bleed through another quart today and hope that is
> the end of it.
> 
> Last night I could feel a good pressure with a high pedal.  The problem is
> that if I pressed moderately hard the pedal would still travel to the floor.  
>I
> took it for a drive and could never get the brakes to lock up, except on
> loose gravel.  From what I am noticing, I think there is air in the front.  I
> think all tires were locking a little, but it was hard to tell with the way 
>the
> gravel was.
> 
> I will continue to bleed and bleed and bleed.  At some point autozone will
> run out of brake fluid or I will run out of air.  Hopefully my wife doesn't
> run out of leg power.  We have to do the two man bleed dance.
> 
> After a couple of emails, I decided to leave the PDWA thingy alone, since
> it shouldn't stop the fluid on a line.  Also, I am bleeding in the order of
> furthest to the closest to the MC.
> 
> The afternoon ritual of bleed bleed bleed continues today.
> 
> Thanks for the advice and encouragement,
> 
> Kevin

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