Beater's brake probs lead to my GTU tasting salt!
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29
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From: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Beater's brake probs lead to my GTU tasting salt!
So the Snowstainer (87 Olds Cutlass Ciera, 2.8l front-driver) was leaking gasoline from a rusty line right under the driver - big deal, I don't smoke, it was only a small drip, it always leaked oil and tranny fluid all over the place anyway. I have a long-standing record of investing little to no money in this reliable hulk, so I waited until gas began to really pour out and make puddles instead of spots. OK, it's time to do some hack-engineering. I had heard it's an easy fix, simply cut out the rusty section of line and splice a new one in with fuel line hose and hose clamps. So one rainy day I swing by the ol' parts store on the way home from work (a 40 minute drive with speeds from 25mph to 80+, and some heavy braking on a nearly 2 ton car).
The parts guy asks me, "What size?" I don't know, so I go out in the rain and kneel down to feel the rust, gas-dripping lines. I take my time and feel all the lines under there, and they're all different sizes and all very rusty. Stinkin' of gas, I buy lengths of 3/8" & 5/16" steel line and some hose and clamps. Looking forward to some garage time, I start the car up and step on the brake - all the way to the floor. Whoosh... Whoosh...
I had rubbed through the rust on my brake line, just feeling what size it was (3/16 BTW).
Next weekend I spent lots more money (not including the $40 3 mile towing bill) buying more lines, brake line pressure fitting unions, a tubing cutter, a bender, and a flaring tool. After about 5 hours of work it was not leaking anything (except the ever-present tranny fluid). I only had to bleed the massive amount of air out of the system and I would be done!
Snap - the first rusty bleeder screw stopped me cold. I give up, I'm moving south.
So here I am, alternately hating the salt spraying up under my sweet little GTU or loving it because it's saving me & the GTU's butt. Even with 100lbs of cheap cat litter under the hatch my Dunlop SP Sport 9000s cannot keep an FC going in a straight line on ice & snow.
So wish me luck, fellow 2nd genners, on my brake bleeding this weekend!
The parts guy asks me, "What size?" I don't know, so I go out in the rain and kneel down to feel the rust, gas-dripping lines. I take my time and feel all the lines under there, and they're all different sizes and all very rusty. Stinkin' of gas, I buy lengths of 3/8" & 5/16" steel line and some hose and clamps. Looking forward to some garage time, I start the car up and step on the brake - all the way to the floor. Whoosh... Whoosh...
I had rubbed through the rust on my brake line, just feeling what size it was (3/16 BTW).
Next weekend I spent lots more money (not including the $40 3 mile towing bill) buying more lines, brake line pressure fitting unions, a tubing cutter, a bender, and a flaring tool. After about 5 hours of work it was not leaking anything (except the ever-present tranny fluid). I only had to bleed the massive amount of air out of the system and I would be done!
Snap - the first rusty bleeder screw stopped me cold. I give up, I'm moving south.
So here I am, alternately hating the salt spraying up under my sweet little GTU or loving it because it's saving me & the GTU's butt. Even with 100lbs of cheap cat litter under the hatch my Dunlop SP Sport 9000s cannot keep an FC going in a straight line on ice & snow.
So wish me luck, fellow 2nd genners, on my brake bleeding this weekend!
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