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Author Topic: brake light  (Read 11632 times)

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Offline ToniJ1960

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brake light
« on: February 10, 2013, 06:43:10 PM »
 My brake light had been lighting and it only happened once in a while.I checked the fluid in the resevoirs and the front chamber was only half way full maybe less. I had the pads replaced and shoes not too long ago and Im not sure if they topped it up or not. So anyway filled it up to a 1/4`` from the top.

 Driving tonight the brake light came on while I was at a stop. But it came  a few seconds after I took my foot off the pedal. At the time it came omn m,y foot was not on the pedal.

 Ok what do you think is going on here. And is the front chamber for the rear brakes? The smaller chamber.

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2013, 07:41:15 PM »
 ok if I pres the brake pedal down normally or quickly it stays very firm. If I let it back up and just hold liight pressure on it it drops until the light comes on.

 Air in the lines? Bad master cylinder? I had them go bad before seems they dont make them to last. My last one leaked, autoz one. Are they more likely to drop in the front section or back section if they leak?

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: brake light
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2013, 09:52:52 AM »
Try bleeding all 4 & see if it stops the problem but my guess is you either have a leaking master cylinder, rear wheel cylinder or possibly a pinhole in a brake line.
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Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: brake light
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2013, 12:20:25 PM »
Do you have power brakes ? Sounds like the system is leaking. Check the hose going from the intake manifold to the vacuum brake booster.

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Re: brake light
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2013, 05:49:28 PM »
 I should have mentioned its power brakes. Do you mean check the inside of the hose to see if its zooping in brake fluid?

 Is the front reservoir for the back brakes? Would it be low in that one more than the larger reservoir would be if the mc was leaking? I guess it would a smaller reservoir would drop faster. I have a new mc I kept so I guess I can put it on.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: brake light
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2013, 06:31:00 PM »
Check both rear wheel cylinders for leaks 1st but usually pedal creep combined with fluid loss is the O-rings on the master cylinder plunger letting fluid past.
 
You may see fluid leaking where the MC bolts to the booster.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2013, 08:03:30 PM »
 I dont think I would see much there isnt there an o ring to seal off the booster from the master cylinder?

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Re: brake light
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2013, 08:56:05 PM »
I dont think I would see much there isnt there an o ring to seal off the booster from the master cylinder?

I don't think so but it gets pretty nasty in there with rust & crud.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2013, 10:26:53 PM »
Im going to watch for one anyway when I take it off I guess.I remember one time having the master cylinder replaced and my car came back running really rough. They swore it couldnt have been anything they did.I found out from someone else they had pinched or left out the o ring that seals it. I think theres one in there but I guess ill see.

Offline 289Wagon

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Re: brake light
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2013, 09:11:21 AM »
vacuum seal
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Offline 289Wagon

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Re: brake light
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2013, 09:23:20 AM »
seal
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Offline 289Wagon

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Re: brake light
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2013, 09:50:05 AM »
 I've never seen an o'ring on the rear of a Ford m/c. The only rubber piece I've seen between the m/c & booster is the vac. seal in the above pics.
If the m/c is leaking fluid externaly it would (should) be coming out of the grove in the1st pic. If you can't see any sign of fluid leaking anywhere in the brake system, then the cups on the m/c piston are by passing internaly. Which is quite common.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2013, 04:38:18 PM »
 I guess thats what hey pinched before when I had my master cylinder replaced at Western Auto.It really made my car run rough.

 Well we changed the master cylinder today, the pedal is still pretty good, I guess I should bleed it anyway.

 But, the pedal still drops with light steady pressure and it maks the light go on. So maybe its a pin hole somewhere?

 Doesnt anyone know if the front chamber is for the back brakes? I thought thats the way it was but its been so long since I thought about it.

Offline 72pair

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Re: brake light
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2013, 05:36:37 PM »
Can sometimes take a lot of bleeding to get the air out of the lines. Did you bench bleed the new master?
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Offline 289Wagon

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Re: brake light
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2013, 05:46:52 PM »
 No matter what make of vehicle if there are two different sized chambers the smaller is for the axle with wheel cylinders. In the case of a Pinto that would be the rear wheels. No I've never seen a vehicle with drum front & rear disk. But I've come to learn on here to be very careful of what I say or risk being bashed by someone that knows much more than me.
Since you have replaced the m/c & still have the same issue I 'think' you should really look for an external leak & remove the brake drums to see if you have any signs of a leaking wheel cyl.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2013, 06:30:08 PM »
 We did bench bleed the master cylinder.

 And it was the large chamber that was low before so maybe I should check the front brakes. Whats really weird is if I press the pedal firmly its fine it doesnt drop no matter how long I hold it. Only oif I press it lightly will it drop far and even though it doesnt drop so far that I cant get my other foot under the pedal still. It does make the light come on though. I read somewhere front hoses can bulge maybe if I press firmly t hey already bulged and if I press slowly they let the pedal drop?


 Getting those lines to thread into the master cylinder was no fun either is there any trick for it? I used good line wrenches and we did finally get it to thread in right. I just dont want to think about doing it again.

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #16 on: February 15, 2013, 04:49:22 PM »
 I found a leak it looks like its leaking from. Theres a steel line the comes down from under the hood loops back up and bolts to a bracket. The hose screws to the top of the bracket part. Well its leaking a tiny tiny drop under the nut at the bottom and dripping down the steel line. Cant find any on top of the nut that attaches the line or at the bottom of the hose area.

 Could it stil be a bad hose? A loose nut I might try to tighten it but afraid to if its already tight and I dont have to.

 A split in the flare letting it leak from area between the nut and line? Pinhole?

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #17 on: February 16, 2013, 01:56:35 PM »
 Noones had or seen this before? Any suggestions? Its been over 12 years that I changed one of these hoses and not knowing what ill run into with that bottom part that goes to the hose Im not rushing into it right now.
 
 Has anyone got some pictures or drawings of the line and nut piece that goes to the bracket where the hose goes to?

Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2013, 02:37:54 PM »
 Does anyone have some pictures/drawings of how the hose goes on and off? Im going to try changing the hose and if it still leaks then I guess it needs a new line that goes to it. Can you still get those fittings? Anyone know what it is exactly?

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: brake light
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2013, 06:43:08 PM »
Are you talking about the front brake hose going to the caliper? If that's leaking change both sides. Autozone & others can get them for about 10 bucks each or get em on Ebay.
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Re: brake light
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2013, 08:20:05 PM »
 Yes the front brake hose that goes to the caliper. I was hoping someone had some pictures or images of hw it disconnects at the opposite end from the caliper. Where it goes to the steel line. And maybe a picture or something I can use to tell if that fitting on the steel line might be damaged. Im not sure if its leaking due to the hose or not.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: brake light
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2013, 08:30:33 PM »
I don't know if this pic helps. My lines are street rod braided due to drop spindles but the attach at the same point.
 
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Re: brake light
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2013, 08:39:54 PM »
 So the hose just unbolts a the top? My chiltons has no images for it but says something about a horseshoe clip.
 
 I really need to know how to check the fitting on th end of the steel line. The drop I found is running down the line and it seems like its coming from the nut where the line goes through it.

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Re: brake light
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2013, 09:38:45 PM »
The rubber line is the female end & the hard line threads into it. The horseshoe clip keeps the line in place on the L bracket
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #24 on: February 17, 2013, 10:42:09 PM »
 No need to remove the horseshoe clip? Can I get a line somewhere with the male fitting on it?

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Re: brake light
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2013, 12:09:13 AM »
The clip can stay on. The brake line is a  standard line you can get at any parts store.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #26 on: February 18, 2013, 01:58:42 AM »
 With the right fittings on both ends? And is there any place that will bend it or do I have to get a tubing bender of some type?

Offline r4pinto

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Re: brake light
« Reply #27 on: February 18, 2013, 08:41:46 AM »
The parts stores will sell straight pieces of brake line with both ends on it. all you would need to know is the length of the brake line and they will sell you a piece. The correct size you would need is 3/16" & when you take it off take a measuring tape & follow all the curves & contours of the line. That will tell you how long of a line you will need. Another trick to doing this is to take some yarn or string & do the same thing, then cut it off at the end & measure that instead.
 
As for bending it yes you will have to bend it yourself but the parts stores also sell cheap tubing benders & they might even have a loaner tool for the job but I'm not too sure of that. If you have a harbor freight tools store around you they have them really cheap & they do the job.
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Offline ToniJ1960

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Re: brake light
« Reply #28 on: February 18, 2013, 03:12:24 PM »
 The only place close enough to me to get to easily right now is OReillys. Im not real happy with them they never have in stock what you need and they wil try to sell you something they know you cant use (I needed cobalt bilts and they tried to get me to buy `high speed` steel bits when they probably knew darn well they wouldnt work for what I told them I needed. I have to be careful with them.
 
 So, in that regard, can anyone tell me  what tubing bender they have might be worthwhile and any I should definitely avoid? They are recommending this performance tool one that looks like pliers with a roller on the end.

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Re: brake light
« Reply #29 on: February 18, 2013, 04:12:15 PM »
That's the right one. I got me one of them for Christmas a few years ago & it does a great job at bending the lines
 
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