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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Trucks / April 2008

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Riddle me this

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Doug - 13 Apr 2008 17:18 GMT
Hey folks,

Gotta dilemma that has stumped a regular ASE shop, the dealership, and
another entirely different ASE shop for over 2 months now.  I have a 1994
GMC 2500 2 wheel drive standard truck, no AC with a 305 in it.  My brake
light keeps coming on, and the pedal gets spongy.
No lines are leaking, I have replaced wheel cylinders twice, it's had 3
different Master Cylinders put on it, and the rear anti-lock has been
replaced.  Not that this matters, but I've had 3 break jobs done on it in
the same 2 month period, pads and shoes.
They, (the mechanic's) have tried power bleeding, and manual bleeding,
thinking that some valve gets in the way if you try to power bleed it, so
then they manually do it, to no avail.  But they DO get air, they think.
After they bleed it, it's good for a day or 2, then reverts back to: Brake
light and spongy pedal.

I am at wits end with this thing, and all I know to do it start switching
parts, what's left. Distribution block, power assist, and calipers.  I think
that's all that's left.
Any insight to what I might try next or what it might be???  This is what I
told each mechanic and they all say the same thing, "It's very very rare
that a distribution block goes bad", and "The power assist wouldn't cause
air to get in the line", and "The calipers would show something wrong if
they were bad".
What the He** is wrong with this thing???

Any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Thanks guys!

Doug
Augustus - 13 Apr 2008 17:24 GMT
> Any and all suggestions are appreciated!!
>
> Thanks guys!
>
> Doug

I would suggest getting under it and carefully inspecting every single steel
brakeline running from the master cylinder to the front and back. A 305 in a
1994 2500 series?
Doug - 14 Apr 2008 00:28 GMT
> I would suggest getting under it and carefully inspecting every single
> steel brakeline running from the master cylinder to the front and back. A
> 305 in a 1994 2500 series?

Additional info:
All the lines have been inspected, front to back, and I was under it myself
for over an hour inspecting, and there is nothing even damp anywhere.  If it
were a line, it would HAVE to be hidden as Steve suggested.  As far as a
brake depressor as others suggest, I have never even heard of one and didn't
know they existed...  I will talk to my mechanic about it and see if they
have one...  ??
Also, Augustus,  it does indeed have a 305 in it, is that odd??

I've never experienced a brake problem on a truck to this extent before and
I am indeed perplexed as well as everyone that's looked at it thus far.
Crazy!

Could there be a way that the power booster could draw in air somehow??

Any other suggestions are, as always, appreciated..   I will check back if I
get this problem solved and tell what happened or what it was, or if I drove
it to the bone yard or not.  ;)

Thanks,

Doug
mac davis - 14 Apr 2008 00:49 GMT
>> I would suggest getting under it and carefully inspecting every single
>> steel brakeline running from the master cylinder to the front and back. A
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>know they existed...  I will talk to my mechanic about it and see if they
>have one...  ??

I used one often when I was towing, to check brake lights without help..

Mine was a 3" long broom stick, one end on the brake pedal, the other on the
driver's seat, holding the pedal down..
"low tech" lol

mac

Please remove [dot]splinters before emailing
Doug - 14 Apr 2008 03:57 GMT
> I used one often when I was towing, to check brake lights without help..
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Please remove [dot]splinters before emailing

LOL,  you know Mac, I get so caught up with doing things with the proper
tools or going thru the proper channels, the simplest things, such as using
a broomstick, just didn't dawn on me....
I was kind of thinking though, they might have a tool that is spring loaded
or something that would keep a constant pressure on it all the way to the
floor though.  So I was definitely thinking specialty.  But a broom handle
would indeed be a low tech solution!

Keep the suggestions coming, for nothing is beyond consideration at this
point!!

Thanks guys!

Doug
Steve W. - 14 Apr 2008 05:37 GMT
>> I used one often when I was towing, to check brake lights without help..
>>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Doug

My latest "specialty tool" is made from a modified ratchet style bar
clamp with a spring and pad replacing the end and a hook on a cable that
holds it to the seat frame.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46809

Set it up as a spreader. Replace the fixed end with a flat pad with a
hook on one side (that way you can hook it over the pedal arm or set it
on the pad). For constant pressure you can install th fixed end into a
tube with an internal spring OR use a slotted tube and external springs.

Signature

Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

Life is not like a box of chocolates
it's more like a jar of jalapenos-
what you do today could burn your a.s tomorrow!

mac davis - 14 Apr 2008 06:13 GMT
>> LOL,  you know Mac, I get so caught up with doing things with the proper
>> tools or going thru the proper channels, the simplest things, such as using
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>on the pad). For constant pressure you can install th fixed end into a
>tube with an internal spring OR use a slotted tube and external springs.

Sounds pretty slick, but I'll "stick" with the broom handle and moving the seat
up... I know, I'm lazy..

mac

Please remove [dot]splinters before emailing
Eugene - 15 Apr 2008 19:37 GMT
>> I used one often when I was towing, to check brake lights without help..
>>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Doug

Except I think its more than 3" from the seat to the pedal, My legs are at
least 6" in diameter and I'm skinny.  I would think its closer to 3' from
the seat to the pedal :)
mac davis - 16 Apr 2008 16:49 GMT
>>> I used one often when I was towing, to check brake lights without help..
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>least 6" in diameter and I'm skinny.  I would think its closer to 3' from
>the seat to the pedal :)

Ok, Eugene, you're now my official proof reader... and I NEED one... lol

I sure hope nobody cut a few 3" ones out and tried them!

mac

Please remove [dot]splinters before emailing
Augustus - 14 Apr 2008 05:45 GMT
> Also, Augustus,  it does indeed have a 305 in it, is that odd??

No, not really rare. I just found my '94 K1500 uburban to be fairly gutless.
I just imagined a 2500 series with a 305 TBI unit would be worse. But you
could get them with the 4.3 V6 too....
aarcuda69062 - 13 Apr 2008 17:57 GMT
> Hey folks,
>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Any and all suggestions are appreciated!!

Put a brake pedal depressor on it for a few hours, if there is a leak,
it should show up.
Be sure to pull the brake lamp fuse.
Steve W. - 13 Apr 2008 19:04 GMT
> Hey folks,
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
> Doug

It has a leak someplace. Bleed it and as soon as your done park it over
a clean spot. Then lock the pedal down and wait a couple hours. The leak
should show up. Being a 94 I'm betting it is a line leak that is hidden
real well.

Signature

Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than
on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there will be a large
elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely
no recollection of what to do with them.

Bill - 13 Apr 2008 19:39 GMT
What about the flex lines at the wheels?
94, the rubber may have rotted in some way that allows air in the line.

> Hey folks,
>
> Gotta dilemma that has stumped a regular ASE shop, the dealership, and
> another entirely different ASE shop for over 2 months now.  I have a 1994
> GMC 2500 2 wheel drive standard truck, no AC with a 305 in it.  My brake
> light keeps coming on, and the pedal gets spongy.
Mark Howe - 17 Apr 2008 02:40 GMT
Had a similar problem on a Mazda sedan - kid car. No leaks, but brake pedal
went soft within days of bleeding brakes. Brake hoses were not holding
shape. New hoses resolved the problem.... after nearly everything else in
the system (except tubing) was replaced.

> What about the flex lines at the wheels?
> 94, the rubber may have rotted in some way that allows air in the line.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>> GMC 2500 2 wheel drive standard truck, no AC with a 305 in it.  My brake
>> light keeps coming on, and the pedal gets spongy.
 
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