Need help and input on a brake problem
11-04-2009, 04:19 PM
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Need help and input on a brake problem My daughters boyfriend has a 96 Camaro.
The other night he thought he had a brake fluid leak somewhere under the car, which I think he is right about that but what he did next is where the problem comes in.
The master cylinder was a little low on fluid so a friend of his handed him a bottle of what he said was brake fluid to fill the reservoir and so he did, mind you it was dark out so he didn't have a light to see what was going on.
So he fills the reservoirs with this fluid which turns out to be power steering fluid, which he didn't realize until he went driving again.
Now, fast forward to lastnight, he calls me and says his brakes are really screwed up and needs some help so he limps the thing over to my house and I pop the cover on the reservoir, this thing is full of oil.
I unhooked the brake lines coming out of the master cylinder and flushed the thing the best I could until no more oil came out, refilled and bled the cylinder, rehooked the lines and tried to bleed the brakes.
The fronts I was able to bleed but the backs won't do anything at all, no fluid or anything coming out.
Any suggestions?? Do I need to take off the anti-lock brake/proportioning valve and lines loose and flush the entire system??
The other night he thought he had a brake fluid leak somewhere under the car, which I think he is right about that but what he did next is where the problem comes in.
The master cylinder was a little low on fluid so a friend of his handed him a bottle of what he said was brake fluid to fill the reservoir and so he did, mind you it was dark out so he didn't have a light to see what was going on.
So he fills the reservoirs with this fluid which turns out to be power steering fluid, which he didn't realize until he went driving again.
Now, fast forward to lastnight, he calls me and says his brakes are really screwed up and needs some help so he limps the thing over to my house and I pop the cover on the reservoir, this thing is full of oil.
I unhooked the brake lines coming out of the master cylinder and flushed the thing the best I could until no more oil came out, refilled and bled the cylinder, rehooked the lines and tried to bleed the brakes.
The fronts I was able to bleed but the backs won't do anything at all, no fluid or anything coming out.
Any suggestions?? Do I need to take off the anti-lock brake/proportioning valve and lines loose and flush the entire system??
11-05-2009, 01:24 PM
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Your **** is fucked!!!!
The reason your brakes are screwed up is because you put power steering fluid in the brake resivior. You can not put petrolium products in there because it will ruine the seals. all the brake components need to be replaced. there is no flushing and fixing this.
The reason your brakes are screwed up is because you put power steering fluid in the brake resivior. You can not put petrolium products in there because it will ruine the seals. all the brake components need to be replaced. there is no flushing and fixing this.
11-05-2009, 07:22 PM
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Damn, I was hoping that I could help this kid out and get his crap going again.
He has a parts car so I guess he needs to start pulling parts for replacement.
Is there anything I need to know about the anti-lock/proportioning valve??? I have never messed with anything other than a normal proport valve.
He has a parts car so I guess he needs to start pulling parts for replacement.
Is there anything I need to know about the anti-lock/proportioning valve??? I have never messed with anything other than a normal proport valve.
11-05-2009, 09:50 PM
#5
Damn, I was hoping that I could help this kid out and get his crap going again.
He has a parts car so I guess he needs to start pulling parts for replacement.
Is there anything I need to know about the anti-lock/proportioning valve??? I have never messed with anything other than a normal proport valve.
He has a parts car so I guess he needs to start pulling parts for replacement.
Is there anything I need to know about the anti-lock/proportioning valve??? I have never messed with anything other than a normal proport valve.
The reason you coundn't get fluid out of the rear lines is because the lines probably collapsed from having oil in them. Petroleum damages rubber brake lines and can cause them to deteriorate or swell completely shut.
You're going to have to replace all the rubber lines and components, including the master cylinder and calipers. The ABS unit itself may have been damaged as well, difficult to tell though.