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Failing Brakes on 87 Cherokee- Brake Booster?

When i'm driving, sometimes there will be brake pressure and somtimes there won't. If i apply pressure for a few seconds, the pedal loses presure and goes to the floor. I have to pump the brakes to get the car to stop. I tried bleeding the brakes and got through the back to wheels fine, but when i tried to bleed the front right brake, air bubbles kept coming out. After refilling the resivoir for the 3rd time (it never got completly empty), i got the idea that it might be somethign more complicated. I was able to bleed the front left with no problems but the same thing kept happening when i tried to drive it. I checked all the lines and can't find any leaks, but i have an oil leak so i might be missing something thinking its just oil and not brake fluid. There is some black fluid underneath where the brake booster connects to the master cylinder but i don't konw if its coming out of there or is oil . I can also hear some air come out of the brake booster inside the car but i dont' know if that is normal. I don't know too much about brakes and i don't want to take apart the whole system before i know what to look for. Any ideas?

Reply to
tyytyy22
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It sounds like you need a master cylinder. About 20 or 25 bucks at a parts house and a simple replacement you can do yourself. A new one will come with all connectors and hoses necessary to bleed the unit before you connect your brake lines to it. If you get a rebuilt one (no reason not to), you will need to also get a bleeder kit for it. You MAY (but probably don't) also have a problem with your right front wheel cylinder.

Dan

Reply to
Hootowl

When the pressure drops out below a pushed down pedal, you either have a leak or a dead master cylinder. If you have a leak that drops the pedal to the floor, you will run the master dry of fluid 'very' fast, there will be no wondering about a leak.

The bleeding is another issue. You likely have the type of combination valve that has a pin in the end that needs to be held from moving to get all the air out. The combination or proportioning valve is below the brake master where all the lines meet and should have a rubber cap on one end. Under this cap is the pin that needs holding.

Or, the master is just plain dead so it won't push any volume of fluid out to the front wheels so the air just hangs around.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
Reply to
Mike Romain

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