Back in December I had opened a dialogue about some rather strange brake issues I was having, and yesterday I did a bit more work which didn't really seem to help.
Before I did anything, I replaced the stop plate behind the pedals because I could see the brake pedal was coming back way too far (and was probably injecting air!). So with that fixed and adjusted properly ... I moved ahead.
Jim had suggested that I do a "drip test" on the MC. So I unscrewed the hex-switch for the front brakes and let it bleed. Nothing rushed out like I expected. I was supposed to hopefully see some bubbles escaping. I didn't. :-( I did get a solid stream, but it was a small trickle. Then I went back and bled each tire multiple times. But I still have to go all the way to the floor to get any pressure. When bleeding, I didn't see a single solitary bubble escaping. It seems to be all fluid and no air.
Then I pulled off the front tires, and pulled off the hubs to inspect the parts. It looks like the wheel cylinders are working just fine. I also removed the adjusting stars and greased them up, and then reinstalled everything. Then - adjusted each star on each tire until it was just starting to drag on the tire. And then of course, rebled each tire multiple times.
But ... I still have the same problem.
I know I should be adjusted and bleeding the back brakes as well - but that is going to mean replacing the wheel cylinders, which would lead to new lines, which might also mean a new MC. I can't do that right now, so I am avoiding the rear brakes! But that system has never been opened. It's only ever been the front brakes that I have been playing with.
Anyone have any ideas for me? :-)
Thanks,
-Steve Ballantyne
68' Bug