Kensey

Hi all.

So I finally dug into the brakes on my 72 Delta 88. The brake light on the dash has been on since I got the car a few months ago. Brakes seem to work just fine, so I wrote it off as a bad sensor.

I needed to replace the front pads, so I decided to replace the front calipers and rubber lines. They worked fine, but were pretty crusty looking. Then I checked the rear. The wheel cylinders are not getting any fluid. No rear brakes, yikes...

So now I'm assuming there was a breach somewhere, and the combination valve did it's job and cut off fluid to the rear.

My issue now is: I need to find the leak, and I need to reset the valve so fluid will travel to the rear. HOW DO I DO THIS???


thanks,
Kensey
Pittsburgh, PA

Kensey

I just need to know how to reset the valve, not find the leak.

Thanks in advance for any help!

oldcutlass

if you take the brake warning light switch out you may be able to get in there with something like dental pick and recenter the spool. There is a tool to use to keep the valve centered while bleeding the brakes.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Combination...item2370ce3d6e

Kensey

I also just found a video where the guy removed the rear brake line, put in a skinny rod, and pushed it back into centered position.

Kensey

Thanks oldcutlass!

Anyone know what the nipple/valve (?) at the front of the valve is? It's under a rubber cover.

matt69olds

you will need a helper for this. Have someone in the drivers seat with the key on, watching the warning light. Slowly open a bleeder valve on the rear with hard pressure on the pedal. As soon as the light goes out close the bleeder. If that doesn’t work, open the rear bleeder, with the car running give the brake pedal a hard hit, hopefully that will get the switch valve free to move the other way.

Kensey

UPDATE: I replaced the rear wheel cylinders and cleaned all of the hardware. After much brake pedal pumping by my beautiful little helper, I got fluid!!! The manual does say that it is designed to reset itself once the breach is fixed. I bled out the whole car, and should be good to go!

I did not test drive it yet, just pulled it into the garage. I was way too beat. The BRAKE light on the dash is still on, I'm thinking it just didn't have time to reset?? Though that doesn't make much sense, it's either tripped or not. Maybe I'll replace it too.

My helper...

Allan R

Check your E brake. If the foot pedal isn't all the way up that will also keep the brake light switch on.