i have a 1983 trans am 5 speed 4 wheel disc car that has a brake issue as of about 2 months ago. the pedal is a bit soft and the BRAKE light comes on, but the brakes grab normally when you get twords the bottom of the pedal. if you pump the pedal a few times the light goes off but comes back on when you press the brakes again. i was told this was most likely the Master Cylinder so i ordered one and a friend replaced it. at that time he didn't have time to bleed the system so the brake light was on constantly. today we bled the system and now the car is back to doing what it was before the MC was replaced. the brake light comes on but if you're stopped and pump the brakes several times, it will go off but comes right back on when the brakes are applied the next time.

is there some sort of vacuum line on the brakes? could there be an air leak in the system. the car is not losing any brake fluid at all.

please help.

 

It is most likely the emergency brake actuator failure that is common on the early year third gen delco moraine rear discs. Basically the pedal adjustment is adjusted over time as the pads wear by using the emercency brake.

Some times you can crank the e brake a bunch of times and notice that you will have a little stronger pedal, but it doesn't last more than a few brake applications until it is low again.

There was a recall on these if I remember. There is also a repair kit for the caliper section where the e brake cable actuates an adjustment. I don't remember the part number.

Ed Flynn had them at his website once if I recall. Website at http://www.flybye.com

Most people (including myself) have just thrown in the towel and upgraded the rear brakes to later year PBR or larger LT1 and or corvette brakes. A lot of work, but worth it. My project to swap to PBR is just begining really.

If you do a search on the brake board you will find loads of info on the early year J65 disc brake issues and the larger upgrade opportunities available.

If you pump the heck out of your e brake - like twenty times or so - and notice an improvement in the pedal, you most likely have the issue about the adjustment actuation.

If that doesn't improve it momentarily, you may have something else going on.

My money is the failed adjustment mechanism.

Good luck

 

interesting. i bought this car to make a little money on and i'm about at my limit as to what i can realistically spend without going under water on it so to speak. is there any cheap fix to this to turn the brake light off? i don't want to have potential buyers scared off by a brake problem. the brakes seem ok except for the pedal being a bit soft. i know the E brake on the car sucks because if it's in neutrol on a hill it will roll with the e brake on. i only use it for safety reasons cause the starter kill is not active and i once accidently reached in and started the car in gear (with the e brake on thank goodness) and it tried to go forward and luckily just stalled cause the e brake was on.


and yes i can pump the brakes (with the pedal, haven't tried the e brake) a few times and the light will go off and pedal firm up. but then the next time i press the brake pedal it gets soft again and the light comes back on.

i do have 2 used rear rotors off my 95 trans am although i assume i'd need calipers, lines etc right?

 

The rotors off your 4th gen won't work. You have to get adapter plates and change the calipers and rotors together to use 4th gen brakes.

Being that this is a manual transmission you should really find a way to get this addressed or at least be honest to a buyer. Messing with safety can have very bad outcomes.

 

Any updates?