[TR] Spit: 3 dumb discoveries

[Tim Gaines]

Thanks for the good suggestions on my brake problems.  I 
had the "duh" experience while thinking about some of the 
possibilities mentioned by listers late last night.  I 
just tried it out, and now I have good hard pedal 
pressure.  This one really has me kicking myself, and I'm 
embarrassed to confess my stupidity.  I had put the 
caliper assemblies on their sides on the frame and then 
tried to bleed them in that position.  It never dawned on 
me that I couldn't accomplish that without having the 
nipple at the highest point, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT! 
 Maybe senility is here for me.  The bleeding process took 
5 minutes after remounting the calipers.

I still have to deal with the car pulling, but I'm 
thinking that may not be brakes after getting some advice 
from a couple on the list.  And then there is the PDWA 
which should have closed off the front lines when I lost 
pressure there, so I'm not out of the woods yet.

Thanks again,
Tim

On Sat, 30 May 2009 18:40:08 -0400
  "Tim Gaines" <mtgaines at mail.presby.edu> wrote:

> Now for the problem where I haven't yet had the "duh, oh 
>sh_t" moment.  I need help.  I put in rebuilt brake 
>calipers a couple of years ago along with new flexible 
>hoses.  Car has since pulled to the right UNTIL the 
>brakes are applied; dragging I figured.  Measured rotor 
>runout with dial gauge, but it wasn't excessive.  Bled 
>lines again with EZ-bleed but no change.  Decided to take 
>calipers off the wheels but leave them attached 
>hydraulically for a little drive to see if the pulling 
>persisted.  I put blocks of wood between the pistons on 
>the calipers and wired the units to the frame so they 
>wouldn't fall out.  But one of the blocks did fall out 
>and I blew a piston all the way out while sitting in the 
>garage.  The piston was still sitting in the caliper, but 
>brake fluid was everywhere.  So I put it back and rebled 
>the lines.  At that point the brake pedal would go to the 
>floor with no resistance.  Did the bleeding again.  Same 
>problem.  There was no leaking of fluid at any of the 4 
>wheels.  So I got out a new master cylinder seal kit and 
>put in the seals.  Everything seemed fine on the bench. 
>Installed the mc, filled it (did not bench bleed it) and 
> bled the brakes with my wife pushing the pedal.  It took 
>forever.  Afterward, no pedal resistance.  Rebled with 
>the EZ-bleed, but still no resistance.  There is no 
>leaking. Adjusted REAR brakes, but no change.  The 
>pressure 
> differential warning switch is working as it should I 
>think.  Despite blowing out a piston earlier, the brake 
>light comes on only at startup and goes off after that. 
>That means both front and back systems should be okay, 
> right?  I am at a total loss now and frustrated beyond 
>belief.  I WANTED TO BE ON THE ROAD BY NOW!  At this 
>point, I'd be happy to have brakes that drag again.  Does 
>anybody have any ideas?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Tim
> 1980 Spitfire
> 1974 TR6