No brakes
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: North Idaho
No brakes
Hello, Few weeks ago I was driving down the road and I lost my brakes. Once I opend the master cylinder lid I noticed that the rubber gasket had expanded and no longer would fit the lid. I replaced the gasket and bleed out the brake lines (to my best ability) I still have no brakes. Not even the slightest resistance. I am ashamed to say this but a while back I was going to top off my master cylinder with brake fluid but accidently grabbed power steering fluid. I did not put much in, but I did put some power steering fluid in by mistake. I was so mad at myself for such a stupid thing. However, I did read somewhere that hydrolic fluids can cause rubber seals to expand, just like my master cylinder gasket did. I dont know if there is any truth to it. What could be wrong with my brake system? Possibly the master cylinder failed? Any way to test it? I am lost to what is causing this. There are no visible leaks from the brake lines. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
'76 F150 4x4 390
Jake
'76 F150 4x4 390
Jake
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: Central Utah
No brakes
There are better experts than I am around here, but I would suspect seal failure in the MC, replacing this and bleeding new fluid through it may be your fix. Also check out my BLEEDING PROCEDURE post, Its not a well known fact but there is a pin on the differential valve that Ford manuals recommend you pull out while bleeding, although most don't noticed enough difference and don't bother with it. GOOD LUCK!
ps watch for leaking around the calipers, or wheel cyls, if those seals are eaten, youve got more work to do
ps watch for leaking around the calipers, or wheel cyls, if those seals are eaten, youve got more work to do
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
No brakes
You me$$ed up bad Jake...
You will need to replace the master cylinder, wheel cylinders/calipers, differential valve, and hoses. You will need to flush the steel lines also. The parts store can sell you a cleaner to flush the lines. You will need to blow them out afterwards to dry them out. Replace the parts and flush the lines etc very well with new brake fluid. Then adjust and bleed the brakes normally.
Petroleum products do not react well with the seals in brake systems.
p.s. You will probably get a new gasket for the MC, you will need it, even the new one is contaminated.
You will need to replace the master cylinder, wheel cylinders/calipers, differential valve, and hoses. You will need to flush the steel lines also. The parts store can sell you a cleaner to flush the lines. You will need to blow them out afterwards to dry them out. Replace the parts and flush the lines etc very well with new brake fluid. Then adjust and bleed the brakes normally.
Petroleum products do not react well with the seals in brake systems.
p.s. You will probably get a new gasket for the MC, you will need it, even the new one is contaminated.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: North Idaho
No brakes
Yeah I am hating myself right about now. Is there anyway I can test something before I go tearing everything out and replacing it? It wasnt a whole lot of of power steering fluid I put in. So is there anything I cant test?
Thanks
Thanks
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: Central Utah
No brakes
here is another question, did you add the power steering fluid to both sides of the MC, or just the large side (front brakes) or the small side(rear brakes) maybe the damage is only half the system if you only put it in one. I feel for ya man, thats like putting the last bolt in a project and breaking the bolt off, but if it were not for bad luck, we would have no luck at all !
ps, if you have front discs, the good news is a new seal and dust boot kit is only like 3.00 each , not bad to rebuild, just takes a little time after you yank the calipers. But no brakes at all after bleeding the sytem, thats not good. The Master cyl is where the fluid starts it journey, so that is #1 priority.
ps, if you have front discs, the good news is a new seal and dust boot kit is only like 3.00 each , not bad to rebuild, just takes a little time after you yank the calipers. But no brakes at all after bleeding the sytem, thats not good. The Master cyl is where the fluid starts it journey, so that is #1 priority.
Last edited by tack338; Jul 17, 2003 at 02:35 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 2
From: Gainesville, FL
No brakes
Wormy,
You have made a grave error. Pun intended. If you were the type of person to what to do harm to another this would be quite a sinister plot. I heard of an incident where the brakes locked from swollen seals due to hydraulic fluid be introduced to a brake MC. Don't cut corners on brakes. Just take stock in the fact that you will have a brand new brake system soon enough.
Good Luck,
KingFisher
You have made a grave error. Pun intended. If you were the type of person to what to do harm to another this would be quite a sinister plot. I heard of an incident where the brakes locked from swollen seals due to hydraulic fluid be introduced to a brake MC. Don't cut corners on brakes. Just take stock in the fact that you will have a brand new brake system soon enough.
Good Luck,
KingFisher
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 112
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From: North Idaho
No brakes
Yeah If I remember right, I only put the posion in the larger side (front brakes). So shouldn't the back brakes work or grab a little? Or, is it possible the back brakes are fine just and the fronts messed up? Yes I do have front disc brakes. Thanks guys!
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
No brakes
I'm with Torque1st - Contamination and cross-contamination. I did the same thing - and laughed at myself when I read your post - when I was young. Just didn't want to except the fact that I did it. Wasn't as smart as you - I did not ask for advice. Only poured in the back-brake reservoir and it contaminated the whole system. You made a mistake and now you have to correct it, but at least you ask for help before you did like I did and ran into a tree! Yep, don' take a chance - clean her out and replace the MC and Wheel Cylinders/Calipers with new stuff.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
No brakes
One side will contaminate the other thru ruined seals... -Replace it ALL!
You can get seal kits but if you are not experienced at rebuilding brake systems (kind of sounds like you are a newbie -no offense) go for new assemblies. Put it this way, I have rebuilt hundreds of master cylinders etc etc but for the time and effort and what I know that you will run into, I would get the new/reman parts.
You can get seal kits but if you are not experienced at rebuilding brake systems (kind of sounds like you are a newbie -no offense) go for new assemblies. Put it this way, I have rebuilt hundreds of master cylinders etc etc but for the time and effort and what I know that you will run into, I would get the new/reman parts.