something is wrong with my Mavericks brakes. it is a 1970 2 door with an inline 6 and column shift. I put it in drive and accelerate a little bit, just enough to get it moving and ill press the brake pedal and it wont brake at all. I have the press the brake real real hard to get it to barely stop. I was researching brake problems online and from the information i found i think the master cylinder has no brake fluid and i will have to buy some and refill the master brake cylinder. I also read that i might have to bleed the hydraulic system or something. Also read that there might be a leak in the brake hydraulic system. I read that maybe the brake shoes were worn out, but according to the previous owner he installed new ones. Any suggestions??? What kind of brake fluid should I use with the car?? How much would a mechanic probably charge me to fix the brakes?????? How much would they charge to fix the leak or bleed the brake system or whatever???? Pleases answer these questions so I can find out what to do. Thanks alot and I really appreciate everyones help!
You definately have a leak. Was both reservoirs empty? Dont know what it cost to have someone else do the work but you can try filling the mastercylinder up and bleeding them yourself first. My opinion about brakes is if your not sure of what your doing, get someone who is. Brakes are the most important system on the car.
Get some help...If your brakes won't stop the car,Ya' don't need to be driving it...especially the way other people drive....Just my
I live in the Southwest area of Houston, on Westheimer and Hillcroft, but my car is in Needville, near rosenberg. I know that one of the reservoirs has fluid but one doesnt. As far as filling the master brake cylinder with brake fluid, that i can do, but bleeding the brakes myself i dont know how. How do you bleed the brakes? there is a mechanic shop near where my car is, but I need an idea of how much they would charge so i can get some money and then go. Thanks much for your comments
look on the back side of your wheels to see if one of them is wet. that will give you an idea of the one that is leaking...frank...
Ok, here goes: to bleed the brakes, fill the Master Cylinder with fluid. Get a piece of clear tubing (Home Depot has this) and put it over the little nipple on the bleeder valve. The bleeder vavle is on the back side of the wheel cylinder just above where the steel (rear) and rubber (front) brake lines screw into the wheel cylinders. Get a clear plastic bottle and fill it about 3/4 with brake fluid. (old Gatorade or water bottles work fine for this) Submerge the other end of the clear tube in the plastic botte. Open the bleeder valve and pump the brake pedal until air bubles stop comeing out of the clear tube. Stop about every 6 or 7 pumps and make sure the Master Cylinder still has plenty of fluid. When you are sure there is no more air in that line, close the bleeder valve BEFORE takeing the clear plastic tube off. Move on to the next wheel and repeat. You want to start at the wheel farthest away from the Master Cylinder (passenger rear) and work your way to the closest wheel (drivers side front). In other words, bleed the passenger side rear wheel first, the drivers side rear wheel second, the passenger side front wheel third and the drivers side front wheel last.
Before you try to bleed your brakes you should find out if you have a leak or bleeding them will do no good.. Dean
Yea Duster you need to know where the leak is and which parts are going out when you do fix the leak. The hydralic parts are inexpensive and not too hard to install with the right tools and tech support which you have here. I too have brake question. Which resivour is for the front on a 73 w/drum drum and which is the front on 74 w/disc drum? I'm thinking they are opiset.
The brakes are your life guy.. If you dont know what to do then find some1 to help you. FIRST find the leak, either a wheel cylinder or a broken brake line,or possibly the master cyl has become porous and is leaking. solve the leak first then think about the bleeding of your system.. as some have said start with the Pass side rear, then driver side rear ,then front pass side,and then finish with the driver side frt.. If still no brakes then master is fubar. Best of luck and happy motoring
