1985 900 Notchback

[Jordan]

What are the details of your wilwood setup?

I bled all of the ports the first time, I figured it couldn't hurt. With the car not running the pedal should really firm up because there is no vac assist (booster) so it should be easy enough to rule out.

What method are you bleeding them with?

[hutch]

Same calipers as Luke's rally car and I believe your 99, but I still have the stock master cylinder and booster. Basically just unbolted all the soft lines and replaced with 3an stainless steel lines connected with adaptors to the wilwoods.

For bleeding I'm using one of those one man pump contraptions, basically like a garden sprayer for spraying weed killer but the line screws onto the brake fluid reservoir. I pump it up to between 15 and 20psi then crack each bleeder valve open until all the air bubbles stop.

I haven't tried to rebleed them this afternoon but will if I have time. Unfortunately since it builds pressure when it's off but not when it's running I'm fearing the booster is busted. I'll try doing all 4 valves on the caliper this time and see if I have any luck, maybe the first time trough it's needed to get all the air out.

[Jordan]

I always found the pedal method still works the best. Pumps i find sometimes inconsistant. Just check all the fittings for leaks and rebleed. Im not sure how the booster would cause it to be mushy. Id think the opposite.

What size calipers did you get?

[Geoff]

When a booster fails you get no "boost" assist to the master cylinder so your brake pedal feels real stiff and requires extra effort when the car is running (just like trying to use the brakes when the engine isn't running).

If you pump the pedal a few times and then hold pressure on it, does the pedal slowly fall and lose pressure or does it stay firm? That would be a failing master cylinder which you might have if its old and the brake system was all crudded up before.

Car looks awesome. I want!

[hutch]

When a booster fails you get no "boost" assist to the master cylinder so your brake pedal feels real stiff and requires extra effort when the car is running (just like trying to use the brakes when the engine isn't running).

If you pump the pedal a few times and then hold pressure on it, does the pedal slowly fall and lose pressure or does it stay firm? That would be a failing master cylinder which you might have if its old and the brake system was all crudded up before.

Car looks awesome. I want!

Hmm I guess I have the booster operation backwards, I figured if it was "leaking" the pedal would feel squishy because it couldnt hold pressure. But what your describing certainly makes sense. I'll try pumping it a few times tomorrow and seeing what the pedal does.

I had a bad master on my spg and now that I think about it had pretty similar symptoms, though I guess air in the system feels the same regardless of where it comes from. The current master certainly is rusty enough to make me think it's pretty old. I have an extra one laying around I could rebuild if it looks good enough. I'll still give bleeding them again a shot when I have some time.

Thanks for the compliment though, I'm really happy with how the car is looking these days, I just wish it stopped as well...

[hutch]

So, time flies...


But I'm trying to get this car running so I can actually drive the damn thing before summer is over and while the SPG is down for the count. I replaced the brake master and need to fill up on brake fluid then bleed it and charge the battery and it should drive just fine.


Also started putting on the spoiler I picked up at the junkyard a few months ago, not sure how it will look so any comments would be greatly appreciated.




Keep in mind I have a whale tale on the SPG and a viggen spoiler so I firmly stand by the need for outrageous spoilers, but I don't know, this one has me questioning. This is apparently the bigger of the two vert spoilers so I could hold out for the other one but this one might actually be cool. Any thoughts?

[SwedeSport]

I would like that CV spoiler on a 2 door if there was some way to finish off the ends. I have seen that done before and it just seems slightly unfinished.

[DeLorean]

I have the larger C/V spoiler on mine, I think it looks great personally, plus my trunk deck is from a convertible anyway... so it makes sense, the holes and spoiler were there already That car is looking more and more like my notchback, minus the later style hubs- which maybe I'll keep, maybe in the future I'll backdate again. Not sure... I like the look of aero wheels, and the selection for 12"-15" tires gets worse and worse every year cause in the last 5 years, even base-ass model cars are coming with 16" wheels...

[hutch]

I would like that CV spoiler on a 2 door if there was some way to finish off the ends. I have seen that done before and it just seems slightly unfinished.

Yeah really, the right side has part numbers and words embossed right into it, it looks very strange

I have the larger C/V spoiler on mine, I think it looks great personally, plus my trunk deck is from a convertible anyway... so it makes sense, the holes and spoiler were there already That car is looking more and more like my notchback, minus the later style hubs- which maybe I'll keep, maybe in the future I'll backdate again. Not sure... I like the look of aero wheels, and the selection for 12"-15" tires gets worse and worse every year cause in the last 5 years, even base-ass model cars are coming with 16" wheels...

I thought you had the smaller spoiler, that's just sort of flat, on yours? This one has a ridge sort of like a whale tail which is why it looked so bulbous to me. I'd love to get a whole trunk lid for mine too since I'm sure it's cheaper and a better match than a respray but I didn't see a red one in the yunkyard.