brake lines

[redneckdan]

where I can I find the brake lines that run from the master cyldiner to the proportionaing unit on a 1978 f-250 4x4? in the process of replacing the master cylinder and the brakes lines disintegrated (not twisted, disintegrated).

[crazy mark]

local auto parts store should have different length lines. Bend to fit or have special length hose made up. Other wise go to the bone yard. Mark

[Baldy]

N.A.PA machine shop.

[David R]

Just make your own. Find the length, if It has coils in it, wrap it around a spray paint can. You might need an adapter for the ends, I can't tell from here. I usually cut off the old ends and double flare them on a new piece of line.

SO when you go to get the lines, take the ends with you.

Make sure your bleeders will open, you might need wheel cyls or calipers. You should only need to bleed the half of the brakes the line was borken on.

You may end up replacing all the lines in the end. At least take a look at em especially the one that goes from the proportioning valve to the right wheel.

David

[Taylor]

Advance auto has cut to fit lines,brake lines have to be double flared.Harbor Freight has cheap kits to do this also.

[dragonrider]

1978 huh, if this is the first time they have been replaced, WOW, they don't last that long in New England. I would do all of them.

[grumpy one]

I support Dragonrider's recommendation that you replace them all. I don't tolerate any visible rust on brake lines (but then I live in a warm climate, with no road salting). My approach is to buy ready-made commercial brake lines from a trailer supplier, choosing a length just slightly greater than I need and coiling the surplus. Whatever you do, remember you are dealing with a vital system - don't get inventive. I worked on a development job once where due to some combination of error and malfunction, we ended up with a brake line acting as a defacto earth strap. It unwrapped then disintegrated altogether.

Personally I like to have braking available on all four wheels at all times. In fact I insist on it.

[David R]

Please do not use compression fittings or copper for brake lines. Please double flare every connection. Check for leaks when you are done.

I have had my share of incidents with brake lines.

David

[redneckdan]

i went with stock units from auto value. Got the system bled out well. only rproblem now is getting more heat in the cab, he radiator is too big for the engine, only getting warm air in the cab.

[grumpy one]

The size of the radiator shouldn't affect the heater output, because the temperature of the water in the cooling system is regulated by the thermostat to a constant - probably 180F in a vehicle of that vintage.

If you don't have a thermostat, or it is stuck open, I recommend you fix it. Running the engine below the correct temperature increases the wear rate astronomically.

[waksupi]

Yep, probably a bad thermostat. And, while you are at it, backflush the heater core.

[MT Gianni]

Dan, The diagnosis is to watch the temp. gauge. If it hits a high then drops immediatly it is indeed the wrong radiator, [a very slight possibility]. If it never gets hot or if it stays minimally warm change the T/stat. Gianni.

[Halfbreed]

hello Dan, glad ya got the brakes fixed! But the wrong radiator can indeed not allow the heater to warm up properly. I put a 4 core (454) radiator in place of a 2 or 3 core (400 BB) and it never would warm up properly. did not matter what thermostat I used. This was nearly 25 years ago. As soon as I could find the right radiator, there was no more heating problems.
John

[redneckdan]

i'm running a 4 core with a 351 windsor. the temp gauge does not move, says on the "N" at the begining of the | NORMAL | range.

[Mk42gunner]

That should be plenty of heat to run you out of the cab. My truck runs between 180 and 190 degrees depending on how cold it is out side, 400/C-6 with a four core radiator. If back-flushing the heater core doesn't help, new heater cores are about twenty bucks. They aren't that bad to out in unless you have air condintioning. I put one in my 77 1/2 in about two hours (no ac).

I drove a mustang with no heater in it during high school, there were days I actually showed up at school at 1030 to warm up.

Good Luck,

Robert

[redneckdan]

i installed a new heater core while doing the master cylinder. I drilled a small access hole into the housing so I could get a temp probe on to the heater core. the core is running 120-130 degrees, I'm thinking that the thermostat is acting up and not getting the water hot enough.

[ovendoctor]

block the bottom half of the radiator so you are not cooling the whole thing
also change that thermostate to 190 degree


:castmine: :redneck:

[9.3X62AL]

195* thermostats have been OEM since the late 1960's in most vehicles. In Indio and other like garden spots where 120* temps might prompt the locals out of their sweaters, we ran 180* thermostats to get coolant running ahead of the curve a little.

[grumpy one]

You can get some way toward the bottom of this without taking things apart. When everything is warmed up and your heater is only 120F, put your hand on the top tank of your radiator. If it is 180F, you don't have proper water flow through the heater core. Now that you have mentioned that you replaced it, you need to consider the possibility that you didn't bleed the air out of it successfully, and that is the cause. It is a very common problem. If the heater core is full of water, you have a blocked core or the cooling water hoses connected incorrectly or blocked somewhere. There is also a bypass hole at the water pump that might be the problem, but this is low-probability stuff - no. 1 cause is air in the heater core, no. 2 is a blocked heater core, no. 3 is messed up hoses, and serious hardware problems are way down at no. 4.

If the top tank isn't hot, you have a stuck or missing thermostat.

[duke76]

I had an 83 Oldsmobile and I could always smell antifreeze and this car was abeater work car so instead of tearing out the heater core I put in some Bars Leak and after that I never had heat so I flushed the cooling system and never had a problem with heat after that I just lived with the smell of antifreeze. Make sure if you or someone else put leakstop in that you flush it out because it will definetly plug your heater core. Also make sure the air has to go through the heater core and isn't bypassing around it since you just had that apart make sure the seal around it is good.

[ovendoctor]

the f 250 has never had bars leak put in it
I bought it new in 78 wen I was dating redneckdan's mom [28 yrs this year:-D ]
I rebuilt the motor a few years ago and didn't bother replacing the stat
the motor came out of a crown vic that we parted out [351w]

-:redneck: