anyone know anything about braking systems? im at a loss when it comes to brakes. ok heres my problem. i have a 1961 cadi coup and i belive the master cyclnder is going out on it. is there any way to know if it is forsure the master cyclnder or something else. when im stopping the brake loses pressure. im not leaking an fluid anywhere. any ideas? and or some sources for replacment or up grading parts?
It seems like it should be leaking from somewhere, if it's losing pressure. Did you pull off the drums and check the wheel cylinders and shoes to see if they have had fluid on them? A small amount of fluid is normal when you pull the rubber boot back. Does it lose pressure when the car is off? Master Cylinders for those are suprisingly easy to find, if I remember correctly. It has the firewall dual chamber master cylinder and not the one where it is mounted closer to the front nof the engine, correct?
Take vise grips and lightly pinch off the 3 brake hoses. The pedal should be hard as a rock. If the pedal sinks to the floor with no external leaks, fluid is leaking by the seals in the M/cyl and it needs to be replaced.
You could screw plugs into the master cylinder as well... but it should probably have new lines and rebuilt cylinders anyways. Brake line is cheap.
the brake pedel gets firm when the car is off. i have checked the fluid level and it is stil the same as it has been for the past 2 days. and some times its firm and then other times there is no presure on the pedel when the car is running. but latly it has seemed to be getting more and more frequent that its lossing pressure
I wonder if it has something to do with the vaccuum booster... my 64 caddy hearse has a major leak in the booster and it kind of did the same thing. Is it still real firm at the bottom of the pedal?
not really. when im braking the pedel kind of just slowly losses presure and goes all the way to the floor and i have to pump it to come to a complete stop but even doing that it still goes all the way to the floor. but some times it works fine. i wonder if just replacing the master cyclinder all together would just be the way to go
My 62 did the same thing. Bad M/C. And mine was a Bendix . Damn near impossible to find. Changed the whole thing over to a Delco(booster and m/c)available at most parts stores. If it IS the booster(I'm betting not) I have a good Bendix booster---I'll hook ya up mid-tenn mike
i have been thinking about switching the front brakes over to disc brakes so im wonding if i should just replace the m/c and all that good stuff when i do the conversion or if i should just wait on that depending on the cost for the fact money is tight right now. just trying to see if anyone has any guesses as to what it might be before i go replacing things i dont really need to.
Money's really gonna be tight when ya lose them brakes and knock the nose off that 61 Have you priced front sheetmetal for a 61-2 lately? The delco changeover was $100 my cost. Discs are real nice and more efficient, but chasing down 67-9 spindles and poppin for new hoses, an eldo booster/m/c, pads, rotors....bleh. I cruise low and slow, and Cadillac designed big enuf brakes to stop it(unless you're autocrossing or something ) Good LUCK, amigo mid-tenn mike
The key thing is you are not loosing fluid. If it was a line, hose or wheel cylinder the fluid would be lost. The front seal on the master cylinder is leaking and letting the fluid bypass back to the reservoir. Good time to upgrade to a dual chamber one. Just get the same bore size.
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