Power brake conversion complete!....the saga gets WORSE!!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Finally after about 3 months of collecting all the necessary "correct" parts to do the conversion, I'm finally done

Thanks to all that offered advice & guidance

Bled the brakes today & took her on her maiden voyage....I can say it does take some getting used to.  Not so much the ease of braking now but more the pedal height!

Manual brakes have the pedal sit MUCH higher than the accel pedal.  Now with the power booster & linkage it changes its location & now sits even with the gas pedal.   Definitely will take somegetting used to.  I used to have to lift my foot off the gas, now I can just heel/toe it if need be.  I find myself jabbing the brakes now (not used to it yet)

The pedal effort is greatly reduced as well....I feel the discs actually working now

[mikepmcs]

Chris, where did you find the info on the rod adjustment, I looked for you yesterday and could not find it.  Glad it's working now.

v/r
Mike

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Mike, really never found any proper procedure......even called up Booster Dewey for info and he really couldnt help.
Got some insight from local friends & Andrewh on Moparts.

Basically in each well of the master there is a return hole where the piston is visible.  Pushing the piston in you can watch the action as the hole gets covered by the piston & uncovered the further you push the piston in (effectively applying the brakes)   I threaded the booster rod in till when the master was mounted the piston would move slightly to cover the holes up....as soon as the brake is applied the holes uncover & apply the brakes.
Also, as the vague instructions that came with the booster state when applying the pedal 3/8"-1/2", fluid "erupts" from the front well of the master....all is well

[mikepmcs]

Thank you.

Glad all is well.

v/r
Mike

[Rolling_Thunder]

Glad to see you got some power brakes...     I am still acquiring parts for my set up...      got the booster...    mine looks a little different though   

   

[Shakey]

Well done Chris - looks great, as usual!   

[bull]

Looks pretty good for a bus mechanic.

[CharlieCharger]

That is one clean engine compartment..really nice!!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Looks pretty good for a bus mechanic.

Ex-bus mechanic there Curtis     Now I just baby sit bus mechanics 

[bull]

Looks pretty good for a bus mechanic.

Ex-bus mechanic there Curtis     

Oh. That explains why it looks so good.

Speaking of which I was working on an old Gillig the other day that had obviously paid a visit to our body shop during the past few years because half of the street side of the bus had big nasty runs in the paint. There's some real quality workmanship around here.

[Chatt69chgr]

Very good job Chris----as usual.  Thanks for helping the rest of us with our projects.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Well, I can say this,  I am NOT a happy camper!

Opened the hood today to find some of the paint taken off the master from a leak from the cover....upon further inspection I found a small nick/gouge in the sealing surface of the master body to the cap.   This gouge went almost to the edge of the body...just enough to cause a leak!  It did get a little on the inner fenderwell on the backside of the shock tower....good thing the clearcoat & urethane enamel is a bit tougher than the rattle can paint.

No flaming on the use of DOT 3 fluid either

Tomorrow Im going to try & find some plastic steel or JB Weld to fill in the gouge.

Moral of the story.......CHECK THE SEALING SURFACE THOROUGHLY BEFORE PUTTING THE MASTER ON!
Rant off......

[bull]

That sucks.

[Charger-Bodie]

That sucks.

but things happen heck of a lot better the mc than the apron or frame rail of youre car!

[resq302]

Well, I can say this,  I am NOT a happy camper!

Opened the hood today to find some of the paint taken off the master from a leak from the cover....upon further inspection I found a small nick/gouge in the sealing surface of the master body to the cap.   This gouge went almost to the edge of the body...just enough to cause a leak!  It did get a little on the inner fenderwell on the backside of the shock tower....good thing the clearcoat & urethane enamel is a bit tougher than the rattle can paint.

No flaming on the use of DOT 3 fluid either

Tomorrow Im going to try & find some plastic steel or JB Weld to fill in the gouge.

Moral of the story.......CHECK THE SEALING SURFACE THOROUGHLY BEFORE PUTTING THE MASTER ON!
Rant off......

Chris, I had the same thing happen to me and luckily I noticed it before I installed it on my car.  I used JB weld to fill in the small recesses and then filed the top surface of the master cyl to make sure it was flush and true.  Sadly, it still leaked possibly cause the bail wire was not tight enough to the master cyl.  So I also have those run lines down the inside part of the master cyl.  My spare master cyl that I am rebuilding now I am thinking of powder coating it before it gets rebuilt just to see if the harder coating will withstand the brake fluid better.

[bill440rt]

Chris,
Well, at first I was 
However, then I was 

So sorry to hear that, after all that hard work you've done. It really looks great in those pics, I'm blown away. If you need any help with anything, please let me know. If you have access to a spray gun, you may want to paint the MC with an automotive grade paint that might hold up better to DOT3. Or, try Dupli-color brake caliper spray paint. Rustoleum also makes a ceramic-based appliance paint, found at Home Depot, etc. That might be a little tougher than regular spray paint.

Best of luck!!

[Shakey]

Mike, really never found any proper procedure......even called up Booster Dewey for info and he really couldnt help.
Got some insight from local friends & Andrewh on Moparts.

Basically in each well of the master there is a return hole where the piston is visible.  Pushing the piston in you can watch the action as the hole gets covered by the piston & uncovered the further you push the piston in (effectively applying the brakes)   I threaded the booster rod in till when the master was mounted the piston would move slightly to cover the holes up....as soon as the brake is applied the holes uncover & apply the brakes.
Also, as the vague instructions that came with the booster state when applying the pedal 3/8"-1/2", fluid "erupts" from the front well of the master....all is well

Chris, could please scan those vauge instructions and post them here?

I did see your thread on Moparts and saved it, but I am curious as to what the instructions say.  It won't be too long (hopefully) before I get to this on my car.

Thanks in advance.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Thanks guys but unfortunately the saga gets worse.....

I went to Carlisle this weekend (Fri & Sat) with Chris G. basically to hang out & look at some "crap" for sale.  Knowing that I needed to get some JB weld or plastic steel to fix my master.

Long story short, I get the plastic weld & apply it to the master.  Sand it smooth & take the car out for a road test.....N/G!  Still leaking.  Call up my mentor RJS for a little advice.  Told me to try to bend the bail to get the cap to fit tighter (like Brian posted above)
Well....great news!  The cap stopped leaking!


Then.....worse news.....    As I'm checking around the master for leaks, I notice that the rear line on the master was leaking a bit (threads were wet)  I noticed this from the first day.   I gave it a snug down then as well......I get out the 9/16" wrench & go to give it another "snug down" when......aahhhh shit......all of a sudden the wrench gets the familiar tight, tight.....looser, LOOSER feeling!

Yup you guessed it....the fitting stripped out in the master!   Mind you this is at 9pm last night.   In desparation I get some teflon tape to try and seal up the fitting.
Wrap some on & go to press the brake......pffffitt....brake fluid sprays all over the engine, cowl & windshield!  WTF!!!!   Like a chicken without a head, in what seemed like hours, I dash to the hose to wet up some rags to take the brake fluid off the paint.....Jeebus!
Before I put on the master, I noticed some of the threads inside looked a bit questionable (rusted & pitted)  I did run the lines on before installing it though so it looked OK.

Now, what to do?  I have a show this morning to go to..... F$^# it!   I'm putting the old master & lines back on!

Made the swap & bled the brakes & was done by 11:30....Doesnt look "correct" but will have to do for now....

PS   Mike, the instructions are here
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,27395.0.html

[Shakey]

Aw man - 

Thanks for the link.   

[Charger-Bodie]

sorry to hear about the problems .....its a classic example of a mopar kicking some but thats why i call them bullies , it always seems like they are trying to take youre milk money, and it seems to happen the most when i guy is trying to improove something ! well enuf about that good luck with the master cylinder

[mikepmcs]

Sorry Chris, Hope the paint is ok!

Have fun at the show anyways.

v/r
Mike

[resq302]

Chris,

That sounds familiar to me with my dads el camino after we got all of the factory parts redone and put back on.  In 70, GM had a proportioning valve under the master to hold off the rear brakes a split second.  It basically looked like a cast iron bullet.  Well the rebuild company didn't secure the spring clip in it like they should and when we hit the brakes, the pedal was nice and good untill the clip let loose.  DOT 3 all over the inner fenders, fire wall, frame, engine, etc.  I feel your pain and know excactly how  you can get.  All that hard work and it is basically ruined in a second.  Its amazing how fast something can go from zero to sheeeet.

Good luck with the show and hopefully you can fix it before the E-town show.  Remember I had some battle scars on my car last year from that failed experiment with my lift and gravity so it happens to the best of us.

[y3chargerrt]

DOT 5 DOT 5 DOT 5!!!!!!!!!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

DOT 5 DOT 5 DOT 5!!!!!!!!!

Hey!  No DOT 5 jokes!

Took the car to the show today & all was well...no leaks.    Who knows I just might paint this master black & call it a day!  Hopefully I can find another master soon.....Ill be calling Parts America & see if they can do anything for me....  Ill also ask Dante if he can get me just 1 line as well...

[Mfr426]

Hey Chris, this is the M/C that I had to track down about a month ago?

Also, did the teflon tape work???

Mike R in Reading PA

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Hey Chris, this is the M/C that I had to track down about a month ago?

Also, did the teflon tape work???

Mike R in Reading PA

Mike, yep the same one.....where did you wind up getting one?
The teflon didnt work...read my story above about the brake fluid spraying all over the place)

PartsAmerica & Rock Auto have none (although Cardone is however, offering a Return and
Rebuild service on your core.   The cost of the rebuild is 16.26 + a 15 handling fee, what ever that means.   They say there is an 80% chance they can rebuild it.....)
I rather try and get another one.

This is what I am using now.....I just might say F it & paint this bad boy black & call it a day.....heck I got a "Best Mopar" trophy on Sunday with it

[Shakey]

.....heck I got a "Best Mopar" trophy on Sunday with it

I don't think anyone would be surprised about that!   

[Mfr426]

Chris, oddly enough I got that at National Auto Parts. I rarely go there but had no options and it worked out.

Do you have them up North?