Technical Waking up a sleeping 51 Chevy 235

Got one you want to donate?

 

Good looking car. I've been watching a lot of "will it start" videos on Youtube lately and enjoyed reading this. Hopefully you can buy it.

 

I have a nice clean block for $100

 

Picked up a few feet of 5/16 fuel tubing on the way home from work. Hooked up to the fuel pump and ran a piece off the side of the car and fired it up. It pumped varnish for about 20 seconds and ran clear. Took the IV tank off and Installed a new clear fuel filter and cranked it back up. Seems to pump just fine from a 5 gallon can. Wonder how long the diaphragm will last in the fuel pump? I reckon I will drop the gas tank this weekend and take a peek inside it. It might clean up depending on how nasty it is.

 

I used to have an old BMW 2002 and this was the only way we could get it home one night. We drove home with our heads out the side windows. Happily, we didn't cross paths with local law enforcement!

 

So today I am going to attempt to rebuild the master cylinder. Damn things are pricey new. Got a kit for $27.00. The pedal is stuck and won't depress, although I haven't really stomped on it. I'll pull it out and disassemble it before breaking open the bag of parts in the rebuild kit so I can take the kit back if the mc isn't rebuildable.

 

Wish you the best of luck on it being rebuildable.

 

Thanks Dick.... its a 50/50 proposition. The only saving grace is the car was stopping when it was parked in 1993, and hopefully it was full of relatively moisture free fluid. I don't believe there is really any kind of vents in the screw on cap on those old single chamber M/C s. The hardest part will probably be getting the pedals off to pull that thing out from under the floorboard. I believe the pedals have to come off to get it out. I'm hoping the plunger is just stuck and a good cleaning and honing will do the job. I need to get by there and see how your car is looking. But with the " gas shortage" around town... What a crock of shit! The idiots around DFW did this to everyone...and drove the price up $.50 a gallon! I've had no problem finding gas up here near Bonham!

 

I was able to rebuild a master cylinder from a 53 Olds that had been sitting on the ground for over 40 years and in water sometimes so since that one had tires on it you should be able to do it.

 

With a little luck I may be able to drive this old car down the road this weekend. I need to figure out why I can't get 6 volts through the ignition circuit. I still haven't even looked at that. It's probably the neutral safety switch though.

 

If all else fails, I've used these guys on some old stuff. They can bore and sleeve cylinders with stainless and fix most everything. http://www.karpspowerbrake.com/
Good prices and quality work.

 

Got the fuel tank dropped out yesterday. It has several pin holes in it. When I was pulling the tank I saw several pin holes that were spurting fuel out of them as I had the tank at several different angles trying to get the filler neck maneuvered out of the frame. I haven't pulled the sending unit yet to look inside the tank because I need to pick up a clutch head screwdriver tip somewhere. At this point, I am probably going to just order a new tank. Been looking at the POR15 tank sealer kit, and for the amount of labor it takes to clean the tank out, I can order a new tank and spend my time doing more productive things than sloshing a tank around 5 or six different times. Found a new tank for $149, and the POR15 goes for around $75 plus shipping on Amazon. If I figure $20 an hour for my shop time, and thats cheap, I can't clean and seal the old tank for what I can buy a new tank for. I am sure the sending unit is toast as well so I will have to order a new one of those regardless. I am in the process now of trying to extract the master cylinder so I can pull it apart and see if it can be rebuilt.

Pics to follow......

 

With not a lot of hassle, I was able to extricate the master cylinder. Removing the left front tire and then removing the inspection panel on the rear of the fender well was key in getting this bad boy out.



I am going to disassemble it and inspect it. I have the rebuild kit so maybe with the luck of the Chevy Gods, it will be re-buildable. I did get a bit of actual brake fluid out of it when I was removing it. Going to take the top off now and have a look.....be back shortly!

 

If it has a powerglide I hope it has a removable trans crossmember,I put a clutch in a friends 49 last week and the trans had to come out through the inspection cover on the floor. The crossmember on the 3 speeds were riveted in.

 

Next time you do a master cylinder on a '49 - '54 Chev, pull that plug over the pedal pivot & pull the retaining wedge out. With the pedal(s) removed, it's a way easier job.
'50 - '52 PG has to come up & out ...they're not much good as a trans, either ...

 

I was going to pull the pedal off but I had previous experience with trying to get that wedge out and it was a bitch getting it out. I had no problem at all just laying the m/c on its side and pulling it out of the inspection panel in the left fender well.

 

MC is rebuilt, and it's time to crawl back under the car and bolt it back in. I chucked the MC up in the vice and hooked a couple of lines to it and pumped the pedal a few times with good results. Looked like full streams of brake fluid coming out of the lines so hopes are high!

 

MC is re-installed. I filled the reservoir and pumped the pedal a few times and got nothing, no pedal at all. Crawled back under the car and loosened the two brake lines feeding into the MC, crawled back out, pumped the pedal a few times and got some pedal. And a nice puddle under the car. Tightened the fittings back up, and pushed on the pedal. It does have resistance now after only moving an inch or so. I guess I am going to have to break each connection loose and pump the pedal until I get good stream of clear fluid out. Anyone have any suggestions other than what I just mentioned? I did crack open the bleeders on both the back wheel cylinders but that didn't seem to help any, and got no fluid coming out at all. I am only applying hand pressure to the pedal, not wanting to put too much pressure on the newly rebuild MC.

 

Did you bench bleed the MC beforehand?

 

Yes.....I made up a couple of bench bleeder lines and that is all good. I have been working my way back cracking all the fittings loose and pumping the pedal until I get clear fluid running out. I was hoping for the best, but it was a pipe dream....I am about to start pulling all the wheels off and rebuilding wheel cylinders. They are locked up I'm sure. I still haven't gotten any fluid from the bleeders in the rear though. I have fluid all the way to the T where the brake lines split and go to the left and right wheels. I'm sure once I get the lines broke loose from the wheel cylinders I will have full fluid flow. Then it's just a matter of flushing all the 24 yr old fluid out of the system, then a proper bleeding. The brakes on this old car are the Huck brakes I think. I need to read up on them. Have never dealt with them before.

 

I may be misunderstanding you, but you do not crack a bleeder, then start pumping the pedal, you'll suck air into the line, you could use speed-bleeders, or get a MightyVac/etc, and crack a bleeder and suck till you get fluid, or get a helper to pump up the pedal, you crack the bleeder until the helpers foot goes to the floor...helper leave his foot to the floor until after you close the bleeder...then repeat until a good pedal is felt...you'll need to do all 4 WC's no matter which method you choose.

 

You have Bendix brakes. So, you rebuilt the master but haven't done anything else ? You should have 4 drums off and everything checked & refreshed by now.

 

When my dad was younger he bought a 36 Chevy pick up. It had to be towed, and the m/c was not able to be bolted down. So he wired the pedal/MC to his foot and his buddy pulled him home.

 

Working on it. Rear drums are being a bitch to get off. Any helpful advice? I am thinking the rubber flex line that goes to the rear is collapsed or something. I have the brake lines to the wheel cylinder broke lose but no fluid. I am going to have to go pick up a 3/8" line wrench to get the lines broke loose from the block that the flex line goes into.

And as far as the "by now" goes....I'm old and nursing a shoulder that had surgery a few months ago, so the "by now" only counts if you are coming by to lend a hand!

 

Ooooo, I assumed you already went through the rest of the brakes...I'd be prepared to get the 3 flex lines, WC kit's, possibly WC's as well, once apart you know for sure, you might also be prepared to run new hard lines..see if any rust dribbles out with the fluid once the flex lines are off, might get by with just flushing out with mineral spirits, but I've never had long term luck doing it.

 

Got the right rear drum off. Got nice clean clear fluid flowing through the brake line connecting block in the back now. I had to apply some hard pressure to the pedal, and it went "POP!", and fluid started flowing. The hard lines are in good shape. Not really rusted other than some light surface rust. I scraped on the worst looking ones and they appear solid. I'm going to order three new flex lines. I already have the wheel cylinder kits. Guess I will start pulling springs off and pulling the wheel cylinders.

 

North Texas....sounds like you got your hands full! I'll get it done. It might take a day or two and it done got hot here again. Cooler weather makes for more motivation. Heat index was 105 here today according to my weather app. No wonder my ass is draggin'! Cmon Fall!

Got the right rear wheel cylinder out and apart. It's soaking in parts cleaner overnight then a quick clean up and rebuild on it. Should be done by 5 pm on Wednesday.

 

No I'm not bleeding yet, just trying to get clean fluid running through the lines. All the wheel cylinders will get rebuilt and THEN I'll be bleeding them. The entire system was pretty gummy but it is cleaning up to a safe condition...it is just a bit stubborn is all.

 

Sorry about the post - I had to go back thru to catch up. Hope you're healing well !
If the master was unpitted, the wheel cylinders may be usable as well. Up here, we get 40 degree temp swings & moisture 5 months a year, and brake parts are hard to find without severe pitting. This summer I pulled 5 MCs from '40s & '50s Chevs & found 1 rebuildable. Several sellers in the HAMB classifieds have helped with USA made parts for less $$ than webnet.

 

Retorque the head, Pull the spark plugs, unplug the coil wire, add ATF and acetone, put about a half cup in each cyl, next day turn it over by hand both directions, ATF and Acetone again and turn it with the starter, then crank it til the cylinders are free of most of the ATF and Acetone and try to start it. When it runs check the oil for water and the radiator for oil if that's ok drive it. Start building the next 235, you'll need it.