Replacing front left brake line

[Mikes5thAve]

You might be able to do what you're talking about spinning the hose but on cars around here anyway usually if the fitting is seized the line is rusty too and trying to move it that much ends up with it breaking and leaking.

 

[shadango]

You might be able to do what you're talking about spinning the hose but on cars around here anyway usually if the fitting is seized the line is rusty too and trying to move it that much ends up with it breaking and leaking.

That was was I was thinking too....

Well, I decided to give it a try….after a few days of soaking……was able to spin the hose off the fitting……..I was seeing light at the end of the tunnel till I put the new hose on and it bottomed out exactly 180 out,….upside down, hose pointing into engine bay instead of to the caliper.

Ugh. MY balloon quickly burst. LOL

So I took the hose back off and tried my little pencil tip butane torch and some water a bit……wasn’t budging…..

I moved up to my MAPP torch when the butane ran out…..lots more heat...and that was scary…..the fuel lines are within 6 inches of that location……LOL

Aimed the torch away from those the best I could ……several cycles of heat and then spraying down with water then spray some PB blaster on the thing….

About 8 cycles maybe and I was about to give up…..was about to try the old candle wax trick…when….HARK……MOVEMENT!

It quickly unseized after that……spun free as good as new.

The line seems to be in really good shape actually….guess it was just age? I was able to push the spiral shield back a little and the line looks nice shiny steel color.

Got the new hose on and the line tight --- hopefully doesn’t leak.

I was gonna bleed the line but ran into a problem on the bleeder screw on the caliper…….I hadn’t been soaking that like I meant to, was zeroing in on the line….

The bleeder is solid stuck.

SO, will let it soak in repeated PB Blaster treatments for a day or two. I dont figure it will hurt anything sitting like that, with air in that line for now right?

If that doesn’t work, a new caliper is in the future…..but hoping I can get her off….

But I quit for the afternoon……I chalk this up to great progress! WALK AWAY FOR NOW I told myself! LOL

I also promised the Lord I would try not to cuss so much…..thats how happy I was!! LOL

 

[Aspen500]

With air in the line, you'll have a soft pedal and it's actually kind of dangerous.

Hopefully you can get the bleeder loose. One "trick" for bleeders before they're siezed. Make sure to cap the hole to keep water, salt and other misc crap out. It's amazing how ones that have been capped since day one come loose quite often, while ones that have been uncapped for one winter are stuck solid. The salt goes down the hole and out the bleed hole and rots the bleeder tight below the threads. If worse comes to worse and it breaks off, there are bleeder repair kits where you drill the holes out to a certain size, tap pipe threads, then a brass insert screws in that has a bleeder screw. Normally at work we just end up replacing the caliper(s) or wheel cylinders with hopeless bleeders but that comes down to a labor cost to repair vs replace the assembly and replace always wins out.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

If the calipers have been on there for a while it's usually best to replace them in pairs. For the cost of them it's usually not worth messing around with when the bleeder breaks off. M bodies aren't too bad for it but some cars you go through the extra work only to see they're leaking from the piston seal the next time they're apart.

 

[shadango]

With air in the line, you'll have a soft pedal and it's actually kind of dangerous.

I dont mean for driving....she is still in my garage up on jacks, wheels off....I wouldnt drive it without bleeding....just setting.

 

[shadango]

If the calipers have been on there for a while it's usually best to replace them in pairs. For the cost of them it's usually not worth messing around with when the bleeder breaks off. M bodies aren't too bad for it but some cars you go through the extra work only to see they're leaking from the piston seal the next time they're apart.

Yeah, I agree......thing is, had some bad experiences with reman car parts store calipers lately.....

I was thinking of just buying the calipers and hold on to them until I need them IF and when I do, as they are cheap....have to order them everywhere now....but we just changed one on the Volare and turns out the bleeder hole in tha tone was bad and wouldnt seal....lots of brake fluid, time, copper washers and cussing spent there....LOL....hate to have defective parts on the shelf and not know til I go to use them a year or three down the road.

 

[Aspen500]

I had a set of reman calipers on my car for 5 years, they never seemed right but........always had a slight pull to the right when braking. Then I upgraded to EBC Yellow Stuff pads. They "bite" a lot harder than standard pads. Then I had a huge pull to the right. After checking everything else, I got some brand new calipers and problem solved. Can't recall of hand where I got them. I'll check when I get home tonight.

 

[shadango]

Well, after a couple days of soaking and a little more heat, the bleed screw front right, it came free....

Got everything bled, no leaks ---even got the rear bleed screws free.

Was wrapping up and poking around underneath……I know it needs aligned, outside of tires in front are worn…..

Idler arm is shot. Ugh. That explains the tires...LOL

Could have had one by end of day tomorrow locally for 60…..

Ordered thru Rock , $37 shipped……by wed.

I need a break anyways. LOL

If it aint one thing…….

That said.....seems like the bolt that goes thru the center of the idler arm and the frame is gonna be awefully tight getting out due to the oil pump.....(slant 6)

Please tell me the oil pump doesnt have to be removed......?

Doing some snooping online, looks like the options are to disconnect the passenger side motor mount and hopefully lift the engine enough to get the bolt out, or use a wheel and cut the head off, drive it down and install the new bolt upside down.

What were the engineers thinking. LOL

 

[shadango]

Well, the idler arm arrived from Rock today......

Turns out I didnt have a deep enough cutoff wheel......sooooo....I threw the dice and went the route of loosening the right motor mount and lifting the engine some......

Worked great. Held my breath the whole time though. LOL

New idler arm is in service.

Probably should have changed out the tie rod ends while I was under there.....but then of course that would lead to trying the pitman arm which is probably on-for-life.....and that would have led to doing the a-arm bushings.....then the sway bar bushings...LOL

One day I will. For now, satisfied with the idler arm. LOL Picking and choosing my battles when I can these days.

 

[Duke5A]

I just replaced calipers and lines on my car this week too. Never got the the tube nuts freed, so I just replaced the line on the driver's side since it was a short run and the passenger side actually had more than enough line to cut and flare.

 

[volare 1977]

nice!!

 

[BudW]

One "trick" for bleeders before they're seized. Make sure to cap the hole to keep water, salt and other misc crap out. It's amazing how ones that have been capped since day one come loose quite often, while ones that have been uncapped for one winter are stuck solid.

I agree with this 100%.
There are a number of different designs/styles. I don't think it matters much as to which - but if car sits outside or sees any bad weather, get something to cover those bleeders!

BudW

 

[Aspen500]

I agree with this 100%.
There are a number of different designs/styles. I don't think it matters much as to which - but if car sits outside or sees any bad weather, get something to cover those bleeders!
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BudW

Those simple little caps do so much. I've had bleeders that were on 15-20 year old vehicles come loose with no problem that were capped, even tiny ones on rear wheel cylinders. A few have needed a "turbo" socket or Vise-Grip's from the hex being rotted away but they still came loose. Have had bleeders seized beyond any hope after one year (basically one winter of salt around here) because whoever worked on it last, didn't put caps on.

Haven't seen were to get them but, the type that cover the entire bleeder, hex and all, are the best. A few OEM's use them from the factory. Providing they aren't compromised (i.e. rotted), when pulling the cap off, the bleeder looks like brand new yet. Doesn't hurt to put a little anti-seize on the threads when replacing a caliper, or when the bleeder is out for some reason. Same goes for the tube nuts. A little anti-seize on the brake line, under the tube nut, and the nut threads themselves, goes a long way to helping future repairs.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

I've never found much difference being capped or not. Most of the new calipers Ive bought come with them, wheel cylinders not so much.