One more disc brake conversion post.

[rikubot]

I meant to put "any", not "and". Made myself sound like an ass lol..

Wow, that should help a lot. I'm over here trying to use Harry Potter spells to get to it when I should try using MY BRAIN! Thanks again brother haha.

I see, I see. I'm sure when it goes back in, that thing is gonna look great (engine bay). I'm probably gonna go stock looking as well. So cool looking to me. What color are you going with? Just thinking about fixin up my engine bay gets me excited. It's got a long way to go but with new wiring and a scrubbing it looks a little better. I might wrinkle my valve covers still and paint my air cleaner.

[Dino]

Don't beat yourself up over it.  There's usually a few ways to get something gone on these old beasts and you can't always pick the best way.  That's why it's good to ask.  I have the dumbest things to ask all the time, and I always get an answer that helps me out.   

Getting all the dirt and grime off will do wonders.  If most of the bay is in good shape then a quick rub with an all purpose polish and some touch ups here and there will make it look a lot better.  Clean organized wiring and some fresh paint on various components never hurts!

You mean color of the engine?  Plain old orange but I'll be painting the hp manifolds cast iron grey.  That is if I ever find the passenger side I can afford.

I just started work on the doors and windows.  As of today the car has power door locks.   

All the power window parts are ready to go in as well but I have to fix the sagging hinges first.  I do not look forward removing and hanging the doors by myself!

[rikubot]

My engine bay looks like something from WWI. Poor thing has rivet holes and poor paint overspray everywhere, among other evils. That brings to mind a question: The hole for the tach harness is drilled open on my car, but the hole looks very strange, like jagged, but consistent. Any idea if this was a factory thing? I'd be pumped if my car had a tach from the factory (no fender tag).

Yessir the engine. That's what I'm gonna do too. Best of luck with that manifold, those things are ridiculously pricey!

That's very exciting! Gonna be real nice too. I can't say I've ever even seen a Charger with power windows. I knew they made em but it seems rare. Your car is ultimate! About the doors, I'd love to help you hang those suckers, but I'm freezin' my quevos off over here in CO

[rikubot]

I got my booster in today, looks good! Any tips on puttin it in? I was gonna just put grease on the threads and the eyelet where the linkage hooks up.

[b5blue]

You gotta adjust the booster's plunge rod tip to the master cylinder. Make the rod's length as long as the depth of the master's plunger hole by adjusting the cap-nut. You can make a gauge out of a coffee stirrer or coat hanger wire. (anything)   

[rikubot]

You gotta adjust the booster's plunge rod tip to the master cylinder. Make the rod's length as long as the depth of the master's plunger hole by adjusting the cap-nut. You can make a gauge out of a coffee stirrer or coat hanger wire. (anything)   

So I gotta open up the lines and push the rod in to measure, right?

[Dino]

No the MC rod needs to be out.  The idea is to have the booster push rod sit just off that mc cylinder rod so when you push the brakes it pushes the mc rod in.  If it's even putting a little pressure on it without pushing the brake pedal you'll have issues.  Best is to make sure the mc is bled.  Then measure how far into the mc it is.  Measure the booster rod from the mc mounting flange and make it just a hair shorter.  It can touch the mc rod but not put any pressure on it. 

[rikubot]

To clarify, you don't mean to take the pushrod out of the MC, do you? You mean while the booster isn't installed, measure the distance within the MC until you reach the pushrod, then measure and adjust the pushrod on the booster? In concept this makes sense, but once it's together it will be hard to tell if it's too long/short. Also, should I put a gasket between the MC and the booster?

[Dino]

You got it.  Measure within the MC.  You can use some putty or playdough or something to stick in there to see how flat it gets when you mount them together.  Yes there's a bracket with a gasket between MC and booster.  I think drum MC's use the top gasket in the pic:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DMT-MOPAR-3PC-Master-Cylinder-Gasket-Set-Cuda-Charger-/290406700550
or all black:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DMT-MOPAR-BLACK-62-76-3-Piece-Master-Cylinder-Gasket-Set-/360926861352

And there's a gasket between booster and firewall:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/DMT-MOPAR-B-Body-66-70-Brake-Booster-Gasket-Charger-Coronet-Roadrunner-GTX-/290608417311

[rikubot]

Cool deal. The firewall/booster gasket looked pretty nice but the master/booster gasket won't work. I was thinking about using silicone, or should I just order up that kit?

[Dino]

You're just preventing dirt from getting into the booster and MC so any gasket works.  You can make one from a piece of thin foam scrap even.  I'd go with the DMT gaskes personally simply because it's no fuss and I'd spend more buying gasket maker in a tube.

[rikubot]

I figured that's what you would say. I've adopted a mantra: WWDD? "What would Dino do?", so I try my best to make an attempt at doing things the right way (if affordable, and within my skill set  ). I'll measure the master tomorrow after work and probably put the booster on and wait for the gasket, then start her up and see how she feels. Thanks for the links and advice as always. If I win CO powerball, I'm buying you a golden Charger 

[Dino]

Haha thanks!  It'll be too heavy to drive though so if you win I'll send you a parts list so I can finish my own car.   

[rikubot]

That will work too. But if you get a package containing all the stuff to make the first AWD 572 Hemi Charger, it was no mix up...

[Dino]

Not to worry, I won't complain.    

[rikubot]

Well, shucks. I slapped my new booster on and hooked up the master just to see if it felt better or stopped better, and it's still the same. It was really promising in the driveway, as always, but once you go a block it's back to insurance claim stopping power. I've bled the lines, replaced a bad wheel cylinder, and adjusted the shoes, now I've replaced the booster. Good news is the hissing is gone inside the cabin except the headlight vacuum hose. This doesn't seem like a master issue, but a vacuum fade issue to me, but what do I know haha 

[Dino]

Fix that vacuum hose leak before you do anything else.  It's all connected.

[rikubot]

I had it plugged while I was driving, should that affect it?

[Dino]

No, as long as you didn't have any leaks you're fine.

I'll try to help you out with this tomorrow.  I have to turn in early and be fresh for my interview tomorrow.

[rikubot]

Ok, thank you sir and good luck! Positive thoughts your way

[Dino]

Thanks!   

[rikubot]

I also just noticed that a little rubber cap had cracked covering a vacuum nubby on the front of my edelbrock carb. Would this make that much of a difference in my booster? I'll get a new one on their ASAP. They always crack on me cuz they're a little too small for the nubby. Looks like my hoses are solid. Are there any other places I should look for a vacuum leak?

[rikubot]

Also, how did the interview go? haha

[Dino]

The interview went very well thanks.   

Any vacuum leak can interfere with proper operation so definitely make sure there are none!  Check every line and check between carb/base and intake manifold.  You can spray some water around the base (mist) to see if there's a change in rpm indicating a leak.

Also hook up a vacuum gauge to the intake manifold and look for fluctuations.  The reading should be steady.  It'll also tell you if you have enough vacuum to operate the booster.  If you don't have a gauge, Harbor Freight sells them cheap or you can probably rent one from the local auto parts store.

Now just to clarify: the brakes felt fine in the driveway but they got worse when you drove the car?  That means you're either having a vacuum leak or there's still air in the lines.  How did you bleed the system?

When you apply the brakes how does the pedal feel?  Hard or soft?  Lots or little travel?  Any change if you stomp on the pedal?

[rikubot]

When in the driveway, I can press slightly and the car will stop well enough to jerk your body forward, but once you're movin, you have to press really hard to get a worthwhile effect, which I WOULD NOT trust in an emergency.

When I bled the system, I did the ole pump, release bleeder, tighten bleeder, let off brake and repeat. I am pretty sure. I did a complete flush late last summer.

When I press on the brake, it starts out easy to press, then it gets harder pretty quick. It seems to me that it doesn't have a lot of travel but I don't have much to compare it to other than 2000+ year cars.  I guess it's fairly similar to that. Maybe a little less. Not much change when I stomp, mostly just guilt for putting it to that new booster.