No Brakes!

The other night i was driving home and my brakes went completely out luckly i got home safe. i have tried pumping them but they don't change at all they just go straight to the floor, the master cylinder is full of fluid so its not leaking. If it needed to be bleed when i pumped it over and over wouldn't it stiffen up? im wondering if maybe the lines could have gotten clogged or something? any idea what it could be? and also its a 73 maverick with drums all around.

 

If there are no leaks anywhere then it sounds like the master cylinder itself is bad

 

Sounds like the master has failed. Fluid leaks past the internal seals so you have little or no pressure. If you had a restriction the pedal would be rock hard. So no, nothing is clogged.
Make certain no leaks or ballooning flex lines.

 

boy old cars are fun i just replaced the power steering hose a few days ago.. is this a fairly easy fix? im guessing you just replace the master cylinder

 

Its a simple job, get a MC at Napa, Don't even mess with the autozone crap.

Might as well inspect your wheel cylinders while your at it.

 

any idea how much it might should cost? and what about getting a refurbished one?

 

You hit that nail on the head.

 

You can easily find out by going to various auto store websites and typing in what you are looking for.

 

I would highly recommend a new one, they are still available, I ordered a raybestos one from pep boys and it took a couple of days. I never got more than a year from a reman master, so I won't even touch 'em. My brakes did the same thing on 285 down by the airport in rush hour,yipes! I ended up getting a parts car and upgrading to front power discs.

 

up here north of you at oriellys master cylinder comes up for $20-$40. Hope that helps

 

just curious, what actually goes wrong with the cylinder like what part of it fails? if its seals they cant just be replaced?

 

New ones are around $99, re-man. are $40.

I've never had a problem with the Re-man. one from Napa. Plus they come with a lifetime warranty. At other parts stores only the new ones have a warranty.

 

I bought a brand new one at Napa, for $75. Like everyone said, remans are junk!

 

The MC is just a pump that has a piston with seals. Your brake pedal connects to the piston, so when you pump the pedal, you are moving the piston and compressing the brake fluid in the lines. Yes, you can buy repair kits that come with a new piston and seals. But what is your time worth? I just bought a rebuild MC for a Maverick at O'Reilly's for $19.

The MC can be changed out in about 1/2 hour. Bleeding the system can take another 1/2-3/4 hour.

 

I agree w/ those who advocate a new mc. Cost is not an issue when u step on the pedal and it goes to the floor.