Monday: Passenger side rear brake wheel cylinder was installed, brake parts reassembled drum and wheel installed. I will have Kristen help me bleed the brakes.
The drivers side rear has no evidence of leaking brake fluid, however it would not be surprising to see that begin. It would be best to replace that wheel cylinder too but I don't have one right now. Still I sprayed the bolts and brake line there to get them ready to take apart. Could not get brake line fitting loose. Will let it soak a long time.
The truck has been raised up on three wheels over the weekend so I lowered the rear then removed the jackstands at the front. It now looks normal.
I tried to start it up but it wouldn't fire up. The battery got weak so I took it inside to charge up.
Spent a few hours on it this day.
On tuesday, Kristen helped bleed the brakes but the fluid and air didn't flow like I think it should. I don't know why. It was pretty cold so I stopped for the day.
Only after using starting fluid did it start. Need to get it to start better. Kristen drove it in a small loop. The brakes barely work. Now what?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Front brakes maybe done
Wednesday I atarted on the drivers side front wheel area. cleaned off clumps of mud, grease, and tar, like I did on the passenger side, for over an hour. Installed flexible brake line. Went to the passenger side and installed flexible line. Now i needed to get a new solid line for the one (36 inch) I had to ruin (rusted connection).
As I worked on the truck I noticed a guy nearby working on a car. I was kind of anticipating him coming over and asking to borrow a tool. Well he did come over and ask if I was going to the APS soon and I said yes in an hour. Anyhow I went to APS ( Went to Autozone )with him. He is a young black guy named Mark and is a friend of a neighbor. He was dropped off at this neighbors so he didn't have a car of his own. He is from Gaffney. Make sense? He is working on a Buick Roadmaster with the A/C compressor froze up.
I got a solid brake line and two rear brake wheel cylinders. Also temp bought a tubing bender.
We left and he wanted me to stop so he could buy a case of beer. I waited about 5 minutes on him.
I installed the solid tubing which was 40 inches long so it was difficult to fit into the old spot right and would have been even if it was 36 inches. Tubing bender wasn't really necessary. Had to remove radiator fan to ease access. Took an hour. And it was dusk, getting colder. Put on extra shirt. Then later another and put on sockhat. Later yet drank pot of hot coffee and put on a jacket with hood. I bled the brake lines and found loose fittings (darn!). Continued til I seemed to get no more air bubbles come out. Lot of walking involved. So front brakes may be done if calipers are not messed up and frozen. They probably are, darn it. Spent from 1:30 to 9 pm working on it.
Thursday I started to put on rear brake wheel cylinder and found it was the wrong type. Had to go to APS for exchange. They found the right one (I took old one in to match). They only had one so they had to have 1 shipped over from another store.
Had to work on Saturn (parked at Wade Hampton HS) and so not much got done on the truck. Also I needed to get in some kind of workout so I went to the Y to swim.
As I worked on the truck I noticed a guy nearby working on a car. I was kind of anticipating him coming over and asking to borrow a tool. Well he did come over and ask if I was going to the APS soon and I said yes in an hour. Anyhow I went to APS ( Went to Autozone )with him. He is a young black guy named Mark and is a friend of a neighbor. He was dropped off at this neighbors so he didn't have a car of his own. He is from Gaffney. Make sense? He is working on a Buick Roadmaster with the A/C compressor froze up.
I got a solid brake line and two rear brake wheel cylinders. Also temp bought a tubing bender.
We left and he wanted me to stop so he could buy a case of beer. I waited about 5 minutes on him.
I installed the solid tubing which was 40 inches long so it was difficult to fit into the old spot right and would have been even if it was 36 inches. Tubing bender wasn't really necessary. Had to remove radiator fan to ease access. Took an hour. And it was dusk, getting colder. Put on extra shirt. Then later another and put on sockhat. Later yet drank pot of hot coffee and put on a jacket with hood. I bled the brake lines and found loose fittings (darn!). Continued til I seemed to get no more air bubbles come out. Lot of walking involved. So front brakes may be done if calipers are not messed up and frozen. They probably are, darn it. Spent from 1:30 to 9 pm working on it.
Thursday I started to put on rear brake wheel cylinder and found it was the wrong type. Had to go to APS for exchange. They found the right one (I took old one in to match). They only had one so they had to have 1 shipped over from another store.
Had to work on Saturn (parked at Wade Hampton HS) and so not much got done on the truck. Also I needed to get in some kind of workout so I went to the Y to swim.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
All weekend work
I have worked all three days on the truck. Friday I took it for another short drive in parking lot and the brakes sure are totally gone. The steering is no good either. I replaced the V belt and now the steering is just fine.
Took the brake master cylinder off to drain it out and inspect. I took it apart and the cleaned it up. Put it back on and filled it up with new fluid. The brakes still don't work.
Saturday I took off the master cylinder and took it to to APS (Auto Parts Store) and bought a new (remanufactured) one for $16. A rebuild kit was like $45! Makes no sense. After doing a bench bleed, I installed the master cylinder. Brakes wil not bleed right. I always remember helping brother Andy when I was maybe 13 to bleed brakes. All I remember is sitting in drivers seat and pushing the brake pedal when he yelled. It was a mystery to me then.
After an hour or more trying to remove the pressure differential /regulator and combo switch I gave up on that. Some nuts were frozen with rust. I need a 3/8" line wrench! Later I discover a leak from the front passenger flexible brake hose. It is only 40 years old and already needs replaced. Ha. The rain started up, it was late and I called it a day.
Sunday tried to get flex hose off and got kinda sidetracked on removing heavy amounts of dirt and grease and such caked all over the left front suspension and brakes. It needed done. I felt like an archeologist unearthing something. Really bad.
By the way the rain had moved away and it was a pleasant 55 to 60 degrees. Rusty bolts are always the big pain. So frustrating. Plus don't have the right wrench. Been working on the brakes. I decide to go to APS and talk and maybe buy.
It is 7:30 pm and I am listening to game (but I'm not even paying attention). I just went to two auto parts stores. Got some sandwiches from Wendy's. Got parts at Advance Auto then went to Autozone and bought same parts for $6 less and they had the right flare nut wrench. Went back to return items at Advance. Maybe now I'll have some luck.
Took the brake master cylinder off to drain it out and inspect. I took it apart and the cleaned it up. Put it back on and filled it up with new fluid. The brakes still don't work.
Saturday I took off the master cylinder and took it to to APS (Auto Parts Store) and bought a new (remanufactured) one for $16. A rebuild kit was like $45! Makes no sense. After doing a bench bleed, I installed the master cylinder. Brakes wil not bleed right. I always remember helping brother Andy when I was maybe 13 to bleed brakes. All I remember is sitting in drivers seat and pushing the brake pedal when he yelled. It was a mystery to me then.
After an hour or more trying to remove the pressure differential /regulator and combo switch I gave up on that. Some nuts were frozen with rust. I need a 3/8" line wrench! Later I discover a leak from the front passenger flexible brake hose. It is only 40 years old and already needs replaced. Ha. The rain started up, it was late and I called it a day.
Sunday tried to get flex hose off and got kinda sidetracked on removing heavy amounts of dirt and grease and such caked all over the left front suspension and brakes. It needed done. I felt like an archeologist unearthing something. Really bad.
By the way the rain had moved away and it was a pleasant 55 to 60 degrees. Rusty bolts are always the big pain. So frustrating. Plus don't have the right wrench. Been working on the brakes. I decide to go to APS and talk and maybe buy.
It is 7:30 pm and I am listening to game (but I'm not even paying attention). I just went to two auto parts stores. Got some sandwiches from Wendy's. Got parts at Advance Auto then went to Autozone and bought same parts for $6 less and they had the right flare nut wrench. Went back to return items at Advance. Maybe now I'll have some luck.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Movement
Tried to start it up and it idled very rough at maybe 500 rpm then died several times. Added 4 gallons of new gas. The old gas has been in it for maybe 7 years! Had to take out battery and charge it up a few hours.
Meanwhile I found a set of new spark plug wires that I bought for it 10 years ago. I thought might as well install. Also covered up a few vacuum leaks with electrical tape. So many old rotten rubber parts. So after an hour or more of sitting in the engine compartment, I changed out the wires. The cap over the distributor was a pain.
Hooked up the speakers to the radio and replaced the fuse. For an unknown reason many of the fuses have the glass broken. Did old age crack them? High heat? So the crummy old pushbutton type AM radio with a separate FM converter is working.
Got the battery and reinstalled. This time it started real well but with tons of oil smoke. Huge cloud. I felt embarrassed. Oh yea I had noticed the radiator was full of fluid so I let it run about 5 minutes. I put it in drive and went around a bit of the parking lot. Smoke billowed out. The power steering was without power. I know the V belt is worn out and very loose. Need to replace. Also the brakes didn't want to stop it right. They also became locked up on at least one wheel. I was lucky to get the truck back to the parking spot. Actually the one next to where it was. The debris of where it was had accumulated.
To do next is determine what brake parts need worked on; replace power steering V belt.
Meanwhile I found a set of new spark plug wires that I bought for it 10 years ago. I thought might as well install. Also covered up a few vacuum leaks with electrical tape. So many old rotten rubber parts. So after an hour or more of sitting in the engine compartment, I changed out the wires. The cap over the distributor was a pain.
Hooked up the speakers to the radio and replaced the fuse. For an unknown reason many of the fuses have the glass broken. Did old age crack them? High heat? So the crummy old pushbutton type AM radio with a separate FM converter is working.
Got the battery and reinstalled. This time it started real well but with tons of oil smoke. Huge cloud. I felt embarrassed. Oh yea I had noticed the radiator was full of fluid so I let it run about 5 minutes. I put it in drive and went around a bit of the parking lot. Smoke billowed out. The power steering was without power. I know the V belt is worn out and very loose. Need to replace. Also the brakes didn't want to stop it right. They also became locked up on at least one wheel. I was lucky to get the truck back to the parking spot. Actually the one next to where it was. The debris of where it was had accumulated.
To do next is determine what brake parts need worked on; replace power steering V belt.
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