Ran out of brake fluid today, car is now parked outside with the parking brake on. I noticed this whenever I tried to go to the store and go to the stop sign and the breaks only worked whenever pushed all the way down. Message came on dash "Check fluid level", I'm going to get some brake fluid tomorrow and put some in, my question is this. I've heard that things can go wrong when you run out of brake fluid and I've heard that just putting new fluid in can fix it. So, when I put the fluid in what all should I do once I put it in, and what could go wrong?
Yeah, the only place you will have a rubber hose is at each caliper. Remember, the caliper is attached to the suspension and must move up and down and the fronts have to turn so they need some flex. All the rest is steel pipe. Basically every squiggly line in that diagram. #5, 46, 20, 23, 45 and all the pipes by POS #4 going to the EBTCM (#22).
Well my main deal is I want to replace the four main lines, to keep them all on the same mileage/usage time. But, I'm seriously debating only replace the parts that are leaking/heavily rusted.
I'll try and take a photo tomorrow while I have the vehicle lifted up to show where it is leaking. From what I see it's coming out right underneath the dash area. Dripping down a black canister(? Don't know how else to describe it)
If it was me I would just replace what needs to be replaced. From what you describe it sounds like it is coming out of the master cylinder or perhaps some proportioning valve. Might even just be a loose fitting.
I'm gonna have the vehicle towed down the road to my local mechanic shop and have them check out the lines and see what all needs to be replaced, should of done this the other day but I cancelled the appointment.
Got a video up of the car, I kinda show the area I was talking about and then my muffler (just for shits and giggles) and in the end I show the master cylinder which looks perfectly fine to me.
And, I don't know if this helps much, but the part hanging down highlighted in blue (just for reference) is the front of the car, the part highlighted in red is where I'm seeing the brake fluid come from.
I'm pretty sure it's brake fluid. Mainly due to the fact that I only see puddles on the ground/brake fluid anywhere on the ground, whenever I actually put brake fluid in the system and pump the brakes a few times. I don't believe it's actually coming from that part but instead dripping from above it. I today considered the possibility of having a bad master cylinder but all looked well to me. I'm going to tomorrow during the day try and get my best look down into the master cylinder area and trying to find the issue.
The wet part under the car is the trans pan. The lines above it are what's leaking. You need to follow the steel lines from the master cylinder and find the one that's leaking.
I would never get under a car jacked up with one of those unless I had a death wish. :tisk: If you want to jack it up and peek under it, that's OK, but don't go crawling under it. Just assume it will come crashing down at any given moment and you'll be OK.
Might have to wait for my money to hit and go walk to NAPA to see if they have any jacks I can get. I do have a jack right now, but I think it's low on hydraulic fluid as it will only jack the car up so much. And I am missing the original tool to it so I have to use a screwdriver and a rusty pipe I found.. :bonkers:
On the hydraulic note: I was told I can put brake fluid in it and it will work just as good, this true?
Well in that case, I'm going to wait until Friday night/Saturday morning as my buddy is going to bring by a jack and two stands. Should be plenty to see what's going on under there and to get the job done.
Just get it towed to the mechanic and let them deal with it. Brakes aren't the type of thing you want to touch when you don't know what you're doing and have never done it before, especially lines. There's too much to go wrong and by the time you get everything you need to do to it and if my some miracle you manage to get the job done it would have been cheaper and quicker to have the mechanic do it.
You only have to replace whatever line is rusted and leaking. Just because one area rotted out doesn't mean it all is but whoever looks at it will be able to tell what all should be replaced. Yes you need to put fluid in it to find the leak but leaks never magically fix themselves. Press the pedal a couple times and you'll be back to where you are now. There's no point in bleeding anything until it's fixed, it probably won't bleed properly with a leak anyway.
I just don't have the cash to take it in and have them charge me their $60+/hr rate.. I'd like to do it myself to save the cash. I called in at this one place and they might give us a discount to have to have them do the brakes, A/C, and muffler. I'll find out more later on in the week.
Well, talking to him it will save more to have all of it done at once by the guy, I already planned to do the muffler myself. (Have to get it done regardless, inspections are still done where I live)
btw: you could replace that car with an identical one that everything works on for about $2k. So think about it before dumping money into it.
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