So I'm bleeding the brakes on the Laurentian...

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

So I'm bleeding the brakes on the Laurentian...

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

You forgot again! there is someone out there, who will be delighted, to bleed those for you, and you can pretend, to be in awe, of his talents... Remember Huck Finn and the white fence?

2drpost · Uber Guru

todd,
toss the vac bleeder, they're a pain, sit the wife behind the wheel.
i used a socket to loosen the bleeders, then used the open end of a wrench while bleeding, reuse the socket when you're done to snug them tight.
dave.

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I had the same problem last fall when I was converting my 62 Parisienne to dual master cylinder. I had a new cylinder and lines, but no matter what I did I could only get either front brakes or rear brakes (even bleeding the traditional way), but not both, and I always had a really bad pedal. So just to get the car mobile I put the single cylinder back on and the brakes were great. You're right, if you change too many things at once it's really hard to diagnose the problem. I'll revisit it in the spring - I'm sure it's something simple, probably in the distribution block.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Ya, I emailed a good friend of mine (we're a good team) that I've known for 25 years to see if he can come out and give me a hand this Saturday. Spring is just around the corner and I have a million small things I want to do to the car before I take it out (dual exhaust, carpet, seat upholstery). Like Carl, I have lot's of projects to do during the warm weather this year. I promised my wife I'd do a bunch of landscaping this year so I need to get as much as I can get done on the Pontiac while the snow is here. Sounds like a day off may be in the works **cough**
Todd

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I did the same thing on my 67 Nova recently. When I got the car last fall, it had been parked for 28 years. Needless to say, it was time for all cylinders including the master. I used a suction gun at each wheel to pull fluid up to there. Then it was time to pump up, bleed out, repeat as necessary. Our 13 year old son was helping me, as I had tried and tried to get it just using the suction gun, but to no avail. I would say it took close to an hour of starting farthest from the master (as you say, which I believe is the correct way) and just doing it over and over. In the end, I finally got some air out that I would have long guessed should have come out, and now the brakes feel great, good hard pedal. It took a LOT of patience though.

67BBSD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Todd, that car did something weird when I pinched the rear brake lines-the pedal was to the floor then spongy for a day or so then worked fine-I suspected a brake booster issue-then noticed some macgver work on the rubber seal for the vacuum boost on the brake booster-everything was then working so I did't mess with it-check it out. As for bleeding-ya do it the old way-much better results. Glad to hear its getting duals, Midas really messed up the crossover pipe and the left exhaust manifold.

I had the fuel tank down too and cleaned the sludge out, but the top inside has a coating of rust you may want to do something with-the tank is not thin or leaking but a full tank of fuel may pick up some of the upper rust.

Its a great car just requires some of the 20 + year storage issues worked out

Wish I would have sold it to you first-much more appreciative owner plus could have cut out the middle man expenses.

Ken

-- Edited by 67BBSD at 00:21, 2008-02-19

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

One thing I learned was to always check the brake fluid before driving an old car home. Now, I didn't have any problems, but when I did the brakes, the left front cylinder was shot and when I disconnected the right front there was no brake fluid at all. The master was pretty much empty with a thick layer of sludge at the bottom. It looks like the check valve at the booster needs to be replaced. Anyone got a good spare?
As for the tank I may just replace it. I have to remove it to figure out why the gas gauge isn't working right.
Todd

-- Edited by 69Laurentian at 07:06, 2008-02-19

2drpost · Uber Guru

todd,
sending unit is still available from gm pn 6428084 '67-'70.
should be the same one? for your laurentian.
dave.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Thanks for the heads up Dave!
I talked to one of my techs today. He has a slick snap on wrench designed to get to those front bleeders. That will make life easier!
Todd

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I priced out the sending unit. About $175 my cost. No stock in Canada, some in the U.S. There's one on Ebay (a repro) for $65. Seller states it fits '67-70 Impala. Can anyone verify if they are the same?
Todd

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Yes, it looks to be the same. There is a couple of choices in the Chevy parts book for those years, depending on engine. I would assume that is the 3/8 line or 5/16 line likely. You should be fine with one of the repros.

2drpost · Uber Guru

part number posted is 3/8" line, listed for 327-396cids
dave.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Got the sending unit from GM yesterday. Thanks for the heads up on the part number Dave! I'm glad I get a GM employee discount. This part lists at over $300!
Todd

-- Edited by 69Laurentian at 18:09, 2008-03-11

2drpost · Uber Guru

not sure, but i think i paid just over $200. trade price about 2 yrs ago for mine.
it looks like a $65. part though. evileye

dave.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Well I got the tank back into the car. It came back from being epoxy lined this week. I was surprised the difference between the old sending unit and the new one. The old one is a can type unit with the float inside. Likely a better design which would prevent the gauge from fluctuating from sloshing fuel. As you know, the new one has the float out in the open. I tested the unit out of the tank and I don't think there will be any issues- that gas gauge doesn't move too quick anyway. Once the tank was in I added about 4 gallons of gas and turned on the ignition and..we had a reading!
Now on to the dual exhaust..
Todd