Help - Brake Fluid Leaking

Kisner · 01-30-2002, 01:39 PM

Walked into garage yesterday to crank my 68 coupe restoration project and noticed brake fluid leaking pretty severely from behind the rear driver-side wheel. Looked everywhere I could see from underneath but can't find where fluid is leaking from. It's running down inside of wheel underneath. Did I break a brake line or could I have a connection loose? Haven't taken the wheel off yet. Any tips on where or what to look for?

73 Mustang Boy · 01-30-2002, 03:09 PM

You probably have a wheel cylinder bad. When you take the brake drum off look between the brake pads at the top, htere is a littlie round cylinder that the brake line runs into that is probably your problem. They only cost about 12-15 dollars for rebuilt ones and are fairly easy to change.

Frankenstang65 · 01-31-2002, 12:07 AM

If there is fluid all over the wheel and lower part of the tire, then I'd put my money on a leaky wheel cylinder as well. All that is inside those things is a spring and two dime-sized rubber plungers. If you're familiar with chaning shoes on drum brakes it's a snap.
You can hone them out yourself and just replace the guts if you want, but I too would recomend getting all new parts. Don't forget to bleed the brakes when you got her all back together.

Kisner · 01-31-2002, 12:46 PM

Thanks a million guys - doesn't sound like anything devastating. Nope, never changed any brakes before (pretty knowledgeable about bodywork but not much mechanical) but I have a friend who's an expert Ford mechanic. Will see if AutoZone carries the wheel cylinder and buy my bud a 6-pack to change out for me.

01-30-2002, 01:39 PM	#1
Kisner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 290	Help - Brake Fluid Leaking Walked into garage yesterday to crank my 68 coupe restoration project and noticed brake fluid leaking pretty severely from behind the rear driver-side wheel. Looked everywhere I could see from underneath but can't find where fluid is leaking from. It's running down inside of wheel underneath. Did I break a brake line or could I have a connection loose? Haven't taken the wheel off yet. Any tips on where or what to look for?

01-30-2002, 03:09 PM	#2
73 Mustang Boy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 84	You probably have a wheel cylinder bad. When you take the brake drum off look between the brake pads at the top, htere is a littlie round cylinder that the brake line runs into that is probably your problem. They only cost about 12-15 dollars for rebuilt ones and are fairly easy to change. __________________ 73 coupe, 351W, GT-40 heads, edlebrock 750, offenhauser intake, .488 lift cam, 2.5 exhaust, 2 chamber flowmasters, blah, blah, blah...

01-31-2002, 12:07 AM	#3
Frankenstang65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 79	If there is fluid all over the wheel and lower part of the tire, then I'd put my money on a leaky wheel cylinder as well. All that is inside those things is a spring and two dime-sized rubber plungers. If you're familiar with chaning shoes on drum brakes it's a snap. You can hone them out yourself and just replace the guts if you want, but I too would recomend getting all new parts. Don't forget to bleed the brakes when you got her all back together. __________________ 1965 Coupe: 351W, comp cam, Aluminum Systemax II heads (2.02/1.60), 1.7 Cobra full roller rockers, Edelbrock intake, Holley 650 double pumper, Mallory Unilite, MSD-6AL, MSD Blaster 2 coil, MSD heli-core plug wires, Hedman headers, 2 1/2" exhaust (GT style) w/ 40 series delta flows, 69 C4 w/ shift kit, shelby traction bars, 3.55:1 rear Daily Driver: 1989 GT- 5spd, K&N (no silencer), Shorty Headers, King Cobra Clutch, Flowmaster Force II Cat-back

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01-31-2002, 12:46 PM	#4
Kisner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 290	Thanks a million guys - doesn't sound like anything devastating. Nope, never changed any brakes before (pretty knowledgeable about bodywork but not much mechanical) but I have a friend who's an expert Ford mechanic. Will see if AutoZone carries the wheel cylinder and buy my bud a 6-pack to change out for me.