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Thread: no brakes at all

  1. #1
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    no brakes at all

    stored my 1984 2wd 5 spd van for a year. when i came to get it it started up without issue, but the brakes go to the floor with no stopping power. i tried bleeding them and adding fluid but i barely helped at all. I'm not sure where to start can someone point me in the right direction?

  2. #2
    Van Enthusiast brentlehr's Avatar
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    Re: no brakes at all

    Is the reservoir holding fluid? Bleeding until no air and all bleeding valves are operational?

    If so then you either have a leak or the master cylinder is shot. Check you rubber lines at each wheel and for signs of brake fluid leakage as well as the front calibers and rear cylinders. Hydraulics are pretty straight forward in that it's a sealed system.

    If it is the master cylinder I've never had to replace one on a TV so hopefully someone can provide more detail.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Ok so I think it's the master brake cylinder. I w as able to shove me phone up in there and take a video. These are some screenshots of that video. This part has a bunch of what looks like rust and brake fluid at the back of it. Where can I find a replacement part and how do I access it to replace it.
    Attached Images Attached Images   

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    Re: no brakes at all

    I am going to be replacing my master cylinder on my 1985 this weekend and I will post lots of pictures and a step by step process. I said I would do that for the manual transmission replacement on my 86 and I have not yet done that but it is coming!

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    Re: no brakes at all

    You can order a new brake master cylinder on www.rockauto.com
    The price varies from about $32 to $92 plus shipping.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Is that what I'm seeing in these photos? It doesn't look like the master brake cylinders in the photos.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Ok I ordered another brake booster. The brakes work if I put fluid in and bleed the lines but they're weak and dangerous to cruise on. So I figured the booster is bad. Now if I can figure out how to get to it and remove the existing I'll be in business.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    You should buy the factory service manual for your year of van. They can be had on ebay rather reasonably. You will need to remove the instrument cluster and vents from the drivers side of the van.

    I see you are in Dallas. I am going to be in Dallas/Ft. Worth from March 27th to April 16 for Bell 205 factory school and if you need a hand in the afternoons when I am out of school I would be glad to help.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    You should also try the search feature (upper right corner of all forum pages). I typed in "Master Cylinder" and got lots of great information....probably more and better than the manual will give you. Here's a few of the better ones:

    http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...aster+cylinder

    http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...aster+cylinder

    http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...aster+cylinder

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    Van Enthusiast brentlehr's Avatar
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    Re: no brakes at all

    Here's what the manual says about testing the brake booster. Might want to try this before replacing it.

    OPERATIONAL TEST OF BRAKE BOOSTER
    NOTE: If the booster leaks or lacks vacuum, repair
    before testing.


    1. OPERATING CHECK
    (a) Depress the brake pedal several times with the
    engine off, and check that there is no change in the
    pedal reserve distance. .
    (b) Depress the brake pedal and start the engine. If the
    pedal goes down slightly, operation is normal.


    2. AIR TIGHTNESS
    (a) Start the engine and stop it after one or two minutes.
    Depress the brake pedal several times slowly. If the
    pedal goes fartherest down the first time, and gradually
    rises after the second or third time, the booster
    is air tight.

    (b) Depress the brake pedal while the engine is running,
    and stop it with the pedal depressed. If there is no
    change in pedal reserve travel after holding the pedal
    for thirty seconds, the booster is air tight.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Master cylinder came out easy enough but I'm having trouble removing the booster. Any tips? It's hell for a big man in there.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Why would you remove the booster.........did it fail too?

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    Re: no brakes at all

    HB - Boosters practically never fail, when they do, the result is usually a massive vacuum leak from a breached diaphragm.
    Check valves can go too (also very rare), but there are simple tests to rule both of these out (see Brenthlehr's post above)

    After having been sitting for a year, I would be more inclined to do a full brake service then bleed the brakes again (don't forget about the 5th bleeder screw).
    Nothing like seized callipers/sliders to make the brakes seem ineffective.
    BB

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    Re: no brakes at all

    I decided to put my new cylinder on and test it and you are correct, the booster is fine. So my new question is:
    Anyone want to buy a new brake boster for a 1984 van let haha

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Quote Originally Posted by Burntboot View Post
    HB - Boosters practically never fail, when they do, the result is usually a massive vacuum leak from a breached diaphragm.
    Check valves can go too (also very rare), but there are simple tests to rule both of these out (see Brenthlehr's post above)

    After having been sitting for a year, I would be more inclined to do a full brake service then bleed the brakes again (don't forget about the 5th bleeder screw).
    Nothing like seized callipers/sliders to make the brakes seem ineffective.
    BB


    I used to remove these on my old school street rods and put back together after they were polished/chromed, but never removed one due to failure.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    I’ve had hard brakes that don’t do much, and I’m trying to figure it out. I replaced the master and front calipers about 6 months ago and they were working fine after bleeding a few times. Now, the peddle is very hard and they work badly. I popped off the check valve and heard a loud sucking sound, so I’m assuming the booster was holding a seal. The check valve tested good. The peddle stays the same when you run the engine and turn it off. It doesn’t climb or sink. It stays the same when you pump the peddle with it off or running, and doesn’t change when you start the van with the peddle depressed. Is that a bad booster? I got sidetracked thinking that it was a vacuum problem after I tested the vacuum at the hose into the booster and it was 5 Hgv. Not sure if that’s what it’s supposed to be, but I was told it should be closer to 20. I smoke tested the manifold and found some leaks on the valve cover gasket and at the hose from the PCV valve and the EGR modulator. I changed all that stuff, and it still measures 5 wherever I test it on the manifold, with the air box snorkel blocked -off. I’m starting to think that I’m just going to try and change the brake booster and see what happens.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Snorkel was only blocked off when I was putting smoke into the manifold.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    "I replaced the master and front calipers about 6 months ago and they were working fine after bleeding a few times. Now, the peddle is very hard and they work badly."

    Are you saying the problem was resolved with the parts that were replaced but the fault has now returned?

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    Re: no brakes at all

    The problem started after I replaced the master and wheel
    cylinders, but I don’t think they are related.

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    Re: no brakes at all

    Boosters are not a known problem area and I wouldn't go changing one unless I was damn sure mine was faulty (horrid job to do)

    Generally speaking, when a problem develops shortly after installing new parts, its always best to revisit last work performed, before jumping to new repairs.
    Were the parts new or remanufactured?
    When you were bleeding did you get clear fluid from all 5 bleeder screws?

    So its clear you replaced the master, but was it fr callipers or rear wheel cylinders that was replaced at same time?
    Why were those parts replaced? (leaks, maintenance, parts cannon??)

    A hard pedal can be caused by several different things.
    My money would be on seized front brakes (pads welded to saddle &/or sliders seized)
    At the very least, I would want to eliminate everything I could before succumbing to a Booster replacement

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