LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

What the hell is wrong with my brakes??!!

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Old 07-06-2009, 08:11 PM
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Default What the hell is wrong with my brakes??!!

Posted in the brakes section but no one seems to give a **** there.

This is driving me crazy so I will detail my setup to see what's going on here cuz I have no idea anymore.

Background: Car is 396 LT1, has vacuum modulated 4l60e with a 236/245 camshaft, Baer calipers on the front.

Previous situation WITH brakes: ABS modulator still installed but unplugged, line lock installed but not working, front and rear brake lines reversed at the master cylinder (not installed by me). Braking fine with this setup believe it or not. Vacuum line for tranny teed at booster.

Current situation WITHOUT brakes: ABS deleted, front brakes teed together with a NEW line lock solenoid. Proportioning valve added for rear, line orientation from master cylinder corrected. Replaced master cylinder. Moved tranny vacuum hose to throttle body. Check valve at booster good.

The pedal will go to the floor but I can kinda pump the brakes up a little. I have some braking at the rear but none in the front. I have bled over 5 qts of fluid through the system. All 4 calipers **** brake fluid like crazy so I do not think there's any damage in the system or any blockage. Saw little air in the bleeding process. Rear calipers are oriented correctly as I had read about in another thread. I don't feel like both front calipers can be bad since they both don't work. I am starting to question the brake booster. Brakes hard with engine off. I can start the engine, pump them up, shut the engine off and the pedal sinks quickly to the floor. Then pedal gets hard again when I let off. What say you guys?

Last edited by dhdenney; 07-06-2009 at 08:54 PM.
Old 07-06-2009, 08:31 PM
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Sounds to me like the master cylinder is leaking internally.
Old 07-06-2009, 08:53 PM
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Yeah but this is my second MC. What are the odds of that???
Old 07-06-2009, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by dhdenney
Yeah but this is my second MC. What are the odds of that???
Well, that depends. Did you buy new or reman?

About your only other option is a bad booster, but this doesn't have the right symptoms.
Old 07-08-2009, 11:30 AM
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It's a used MC. I've contacted the guy who owns the ginormous F body junkyard whom I bought it from and he said he'll send another. Not found it yet but I have another booster on the way.
Old 07-08-2009, 11:35 AM
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My $0.02...

Originally Posted by dhdenney
Yeah but this is my second MC. What are the odds of that???
Good luck - it sound like you fixed all the previous mistakes.
Old 07-08-2009, 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by dhdenney
It's a used MC. I've contacted the guy who owns the ginormous F body junkyard whom I bought it from and he said he'll send another. Not found it yet but I have another booster on the way.
There's times when it makes sense to go cheap, and get parts from the wrecking yard. When dealing with brake issues.....that's not one of those times.
Old 07-08-2009, 07:15 PM
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Im having the same problem. I bet a lot of us are having this problem and havent realized it yet. On shbox's web site there are procedures to adjusting the e-brake. In a search I did on this topic I found several ppl saying that they got their brakes to work best after adjusting the allan head bolt on the caliper. I also have the same hard spot.
Old 07-08-2009, 08:25 PM
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Originally Posted by fleetmgr
There's times when it makes sense to go cheap, and get parts from the wrecking yard. When dealing with brake issues.....that's not one of those times.
Well with a thing like brakes, they work or they don't. I haven't found the problem yet but I'd be willing to bet another used MC or a brand new one would not fix this. Quite frankly I'm tired of spending money on the car and I'd have hated to throw $400 at it to buy new components when eventually I'll find the problem.



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