Author Topic: What should I be looking for ?  (Read 1654 times)

Offline whitesatinmopar

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What should I be looking for ?
« on: June 29, 2007 - 07:40:54 PM »
First here is what happend and has been done :

Pam had taken the Chally for a short drive last fall right after we took it to the garage. When she retuned she said the brakes were working but fading away, would not "hold" a firm pedal. I checked the master cylinder and it was down but not very much. I put the car in the garage and the breaks were fine but the pedal would just fade away, but would pump right back up. I told her somehow it was getting air in the system and needed the lines bled, I'd do it before we took hte car back out.

So, a few weeks ago I crawled underneath and began the bleeding process. Passenger side rear, a little air then just fluid coming into the catch jar. Driver's rear, air, air, and still more air. Started looking alittle closer. Yep, the flex line to the junction block on the axle had a small leak, old line was cracked from age. Ordered the replacement line, added brake fluid and began the successful bleeding process. Took the car for a little drive, but the brake light on the dash did not go off. Pulled back in the garage and re-bled the brake system again, did get a lil more air but the lines was cleared and now full of just fluid. BRAKES WORK FINE, AND HOLDS A GOOD SOLID PEDAL.

But, the dang dash light still is on ?? I asked her if when she drove it if she had used the emergency brake, I thought maybe it was hanging up enough to trigger the brake warning light? No, she never used it. I set the emergency brake and it released fully, did this a couple times. Light is still on ? ?  So a friend of mine said that perhaps the emergency brake switch had gone bad. Now, to my understanding if your remove this switch, the light should go off, correct?  Well, it's disconnected (off) and the light is still on.

I'm now assuming the switch to be OK, but why is the light still on the dash? And where do I start to trouble shoot to get the warning light to go off?  I mean, it's manual brakes, line replaced, brakes bled and work fine. WHAT CAN IT BE ?

How about a piece of black electrical tape over the lil red light?  :roflsmiley:  :roflsmiley:

 :feedback:  In other words.................H E L P .............Thanks - Jim
1969 Polara 500 vert.
1970 Charger 500
1971 Dart Swinger
1972 R/R 440+6 (wanabe)
1973 Challenger




Offline buzzard

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2007 - 08:09:01 PM »
Your prob is most likely in the metering orpsi diff warning valve if the leak was in the back system create a small leak in the front system apply slight pedal pressure to re center valve piston. The light will go out and fix your small leak. Plan B many bails of hay GET the mother stoped. Good luck.

Offline Bullitt-

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2007 - 09:38:50 PM »
I'll paraphrase the service manual re. warning switch. Bleed rear brakes, then bleed front brakes, depress pedal & it should re-set.
Wade  73 Rallye 340..'77 Millennium Falcon...13 R/T Classic   Huntsville, AL
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Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2007 - 10:24:16 PM »
First of all,  Unplug the brake light sending unit's wire from the proportioning valve to be sure that is the circuit causing the light to come on.
Rob

3 E-bodies, Megasquirt-1v3.0, Edelbrock Pro-Flo-1, Holley C950, FAST EZ-EFI; say no to carbs...yes to throttle bodies

My Pace Car restoration thread:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.0


Offline whitesatinmopar

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2007 - 08:18:33 AM »
I'll paraphrase the service manual re. warning switch. Bleed rear brakes, then bleed front brakes, depress pedal & it should re-set.

I have twice bled the system from farthest brake to closest to the prop. valve. No air in system now.  I will try shelbydogg's suggestion to see if indeed that is actuating the light. If it isn't ? Then what ?
1969 Polara 500 vert.
1970 Charger 500
1971 Dart Swinger
1972 R/R 440+6 (wanabe)
1973 Challenger

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2007 - 08:32:01 AM »
as Buzzard said push hard ont he pedal if it will not reset open the front bleeder slightly & push hard again to reset [recenter] the switch in the prop valve

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline FY1 RT SE

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2007 - 09:51:37 AM »
Assuming you have a '72 up with a vertical valve.


Offline whitesatinmopar

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2007 - 05:45:36 PM »
Thanks guys, I will to try this tomorrow. However I do not have any special tool to hold that valve open while bleeding the system. Is there some other item or way of doing that?
1969 Polara 500 vert.
1970 Charger 500
1971 Dart Swinger
1972 R/R 440+6 (wanabe)
1973 Challenger

Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2007 - 05:57:42 PM »
Just have someone pull up on it with a pair of pliers or vice grips. It's the little metal tip that sticks out of the top of the prop valve.


If for some reason you pull off that wire and the light stays on,  then that wire or your parking brake wire is shorted to ground somewhere.

Rob
Rob

3 E-bodies, Megasquirt-1v3.0, Edelbrock Pro-Flo-1, Holley C950, FAST EZ-EFI; say no to carbs...yes to throttle bodies

My Pace Car restoration thread:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.0


Offline whitesatinmopar

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2007 - 10:02:06 AM »
Thanks to all who sent me a helpful (potential) cure. I really didn't want to bleed those brakes again. Went through some of the above and..................one (1) firm push on the brake pedal and the darn lil annoying light went off. I had drove that car near 70 mile after bleeding the final time, I guess I just never stopped quick enough  :roflsmiley: musta never saw any hotties out working in their lawns.  :smilielol:
1969 Polara 500 vert.
1970 Charger 500
1971 Dart Swinger
1972 R/R 440+6 (wanabe)
1973 Challenger

Offline Bullitt-

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2007 - 10:21:09 AM »
SOOOOOOOOO  what got ya firm this time??  :naughty:
Wade  73 Rallye 340..'77 Millennium Falcon...13 R/T Classic   Huntsville, AL
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Offline whitesatinmopar

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2007 - 11:18:12 AM »
 :roflsmiley: just a lil bleeding and a quickie push.  :smilielol:
1969 Polara 500 vert.
1970 Charger 500
1971 Dart Swinger
1972 R/R 440+6 (wanabe)
1973 Challenger

Offline buzzard

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Re: What should I be looking for ?
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2007 - 07:59:15 AM »
 Keep it up an weeee all will wish our breaks wern't working