Okay guys...here's the deal. 88 Camaro front disc / rear drum setup. The car has 17 years of ohio rust on it. Currently there is no rear brakes at all. The line running from the front to the rear has rusted through. The car is now about 15-20 miles away from home (mostly highway miles at least). I need to get this car home (now in FL) without towing. I have a lot of questions:

1) Since I have no rear hydraulic brakes. The e-brake does the normal clicking. If the ebrake clicks...does that mean it have the cable is still in working condition...or can the e-brake "click" but still not work?

2) Any ideas on how to plug the reservoir for the rear so I make sure I don't lose any fluid for the fronts while I'm driving it home? I've stopped at AZ and Napa...and none of them have plugs that will fit (I couldn't believe it myself).

3) I live in FL...and mechanics down here act like they haven't seen rust. The place I talked to said it would cost $1200 to fix it...which is obviously BS. I think they just don't want to work on it, which I guess I can understand from a liability stand-point. I'm pretty good with tools. How hard is it to bend/flare/replace/etc a brake line? I've already purchased a bunch of cans of PB blaster to break the connections free. I'd prefer to make my own since I'm not sure I want to replace the fuel lines running beside the line and I want to run the new line away from the old lines so I don't do any more damage. It is after all 17 years old and just a sunday driver. Is this do-able with a DIYer?

4) If this is going to be do-able for a DIYer, how long am I looking at to install the new line? I realize it will take a long time to get the old line off, but once that is done, how long should it take to get the new line installed?

5) What tools would I need. I have line wrenches (which will be useless on this job since everything is rusted and the connections will be rounded off. I'll have to vise-grip them. What tools will I need to bend/flare/install the line?

6) What size brake line do I need and what special connectors will I need?

7) The bleeder valve is rusted pretty bad. Any ideas on how to get that open?

7) I estimate this job to be about $150 or less...and a lot of my free weekend. Does that sound like a good estimate? If not, what do you think this job will cost me? I'm not replacing the cylinders, pads, shoes, etc...just replacing the brake line.

I know this is a lot of questions, but this is my girlfriends first car and it has a lot of sentimental value to it. We would both appreciate any help you can give us.

 

1. Maybe.

2. They made those lines a weird size, just so people couldn't easily do things like ... plug them. Forget that, it's out of the question.

3. www.classictube.com www.inlinetube.com

4. That depends on who's doing it, what tools they have, etc. Could be anything from a couple of hours up to several days.

5. Line wrenches, vise grips

6. See #3

7. Calipers are $12 apiece; rear wheel cylinders are under $10 apiece. Why mess with a bunch of old rusted-up crap? Why would it bother you to replace them?

8. I think you'll find it to be more than $150, but probably less than $250. Certainly not any $1200.

Since your master cyl probably already ran dry, you'll need to "bench bleed" it. You will NEVER EVER get the air to come out of it while it's on the car. You could run 100 gallons of brake fluid through it, and there will still be air trapped in it.

Now would be a great time to replace all the rubber lines too. You'll see why when you try to take them apart.

Think about it.... if your car is rusted up so bad that a line went all the way through, then every other component is rusted just about as bad. None of it is going to be worth salvaging. Prepare to just take it all off and throw it in the trash, because if you think you're going to re-use any of it, you're probably in for a surprise.

In fact, the car as a whole is probably so bad off, it's not worth even spending that much on it. The wheel wells, floor pan, strut towers, etc. etc. etc. aren't much thicker (if any) than that line. Meaning, if the cancer went through a brake line, then how many other things are ate up? You might be money and trouble ahead to just sell that one for parts and look for another car to drive back.

 

Thanks for the answers...

1) e-brake cable was not attached.

2) got it home...luckily the fronts held me the 15 miles with someone else following me (for safety reasons)

3) Yep...been to those websites...I was hoping to actually make the lines myself (again, to stay away from the fuel lines). If I go with prebent, they will run too close to the fuel lines, which I'm not ready to replace yet.

4) I'll make sure to book a couple of weekends for it then since its my first time.

5) Great...got those already.

6) Again, I was looking for the size to make them myself and modify the run so its not next to the fuel line.

7) The father in law just had a full brake job done three months ago. All of the "wear and tear" parts are only three months old, so they don't need to be replaced.

Yep...i figured I'd have to do a complete bleed of the system include the MC. I agree with you on the rust completely, but since this car has a lot of sentimental value to my girl friend (soon to be wife if all goes well), it needs to be done. I'll have to replace the fuel lines and a bunch of other things. I get it that I will be sinking some money into it.

Again...thanks for the help.