OK, so I Just bought my 1989 F350 Dually Diesel.

It sat for a year, possibly a give or take a few months type of situation, I've already determined the fuel is far too degraded to allow it to run on for very long at all, i.e to the fuel station directly from it's location, a new filter being installed directly after a few minutes running some fresh fuel through the lines.

I also noticed a key part of the trucks mechanical integrity, the brakes, no pressure whatsoever at the pedal, I will be including a video I posted to youtube so you can see exactly how the pedal is reacting.

I've heard a few things, but I will just include what I was told, and what I saw/experienced in full detail, and see what some of the more knowledgeable members of FTE have to say, hopefully one of you may be a brake tech.

I purchased my truck for $2000 about an hour after the video was taken, after my wife and I sorted through the pros and cons of the purchase, but it still sits on the PO's property, and I HAVE to have it removed by Friday, and it has to be driven, no money to have it towed, I'm in Cheyenne, WY and my truck is in Arvada, CO (108mi away) So I really need as much help as possible to be sure I'm not going to go about things wrong and waste money.

I arrived to find the truck parked, not running, I pushed the clutch in, and it started right up, I went through and looked over everything, I depressed the brake pedal and it went right to the floor, ZERO resistance.

I addressed the problem, and the owner informed me that they were in working order when it was parked a year prior, I immediately checked the reservoir, it was full, that was when the owner stated he had filled it prior to my arrival due to it being mysteriously empty, but I've never heard of a brake reservoir being drained by just simply sitting for an extended period, I've seen junkyard trucks sit for years, and still have fluid in the reservoir, which made me wonder "Good, or Bad?" the master cylinder has seemingly been completely drained, leaving me to bench bleed without a vise, and the angle it sits at demands I not complete such while installed on the vehicle, that, and something I was told about the plunger and air bubbles in front of it......I also made sure the vacuum pump was operating, being unsure how much suction it should produce, I did note it provided suction in general, enough to make my thumb stick to the grommet insert.

I had no extra time to look at the lines much, quick glances, but all the parts to replace them would me less that $100, which I can spare if at all absolutely necessary, but would rather avert a 3-4hr job, I would like advice as to how to properly determine the issue, and bleed it, or maybe bleed it, and have sufficient fluid fill to have someone pump the pedal once bled to find a leak, at a distance to avoid hypodermic injection, i.e looking for drips on the frame, or a pre-inspection search for caking in vicinity of the lines, which I am unsure is possible seeing DOT3 fluid isn't very viscous.

Any help is appreciated, and will be held close in mind as i drive down Friday afternoon to repair the brakes, I've got it insured and the new plates, just need the truck drivable.

In the provided YouTube video, the brake issue is shown at roughly 0:48 into the clip.

YouTube Video:

 

fluid can leak out if you have a bad line ( rusted steel lines pin hole ? ) , bad wheel cylinder , front caliper piston popped out ? , vermin chewed a hole in the rubber lines ?

bleed the brakes to see what happens ! start at the right rear then go to the left rear then go to the right front then the left front !

 

Farthest to closest.....I'm familiar with that routine, Thanks CJ06, I just got a text from my brother (finally) he's friends with a Ford Master Mechanic of 21 years, he said to pull the master off and check the rear seal, they are known to fail I guess.

 

If both chambers in the resevoir are empty then the master cyl seals would be a good bet. If it is that then all the fluid will be in the booster which is not good at all.
If you do try bleeding the brakes first then the RABS module is bled after the rears and before the fronts.

 

Just pump the brake pedal and look to see where the fluid runs out.

 

I'm really hoping the fluid didn't end up in the booster housing, although, I guess $110 for the combo won't be a bad bet, could you define what you mean by the "RABS Module" by chance? I don't think I've ever heard that acronym before, I probably know what it is, just can't peice it together right now.

well that's what my plans were, and I appreciate your input, I just hope I don't watch the cost to fix my truck rise like a last minute auction.

 

RABS= rear antilock brake system. The rabs valve is on the drivers inner frame rail at the front of the door. I have never had a problem with just bleeding at the rear wheels, the air seems to flush out of the rabs valve and back to the wheel cylinder bleeders.

 

See, I knew what that was, just never seen it addressed like that.