I recently picked up a 88.5, rust free, straight bodied, virgin, tin-top. It was from Arizona with 27k on the clock. (It was a tow behind vehicle.)
It is evident the individual I purchased her from, swapped out the engine, trans, transfer case and rear axle; with the rear axle being pre-88.5. I can only assume the rest is as well.
Anyway, that is neither here nor there; on to the issue I am facing in regards the brakes. Soft pedal, little to no brakes and air in the lines every time I make the bleeder round robin.
I replaced/installed:
* The brake lines (3) - due to installing a lift kit.
* Front rotors and pads.
* Master cylinder - due to it leaking.
* Rear wheel cylinders and shoes. (Correct cylinders for the 88.5) - due to the soft pedal. Figured why not...
I cannot get the pedal to correctly firm up. I have been through about five 32oz bottles of brake fluid. Still a soft pedal and air in the lines.
Yes, I bench bled the master and yes, I am performing the correct bleeding sequence.
I thought I got a bad master, so I purchased and installed another one. (It was bench bled as well.) No change.
I adjusted the booster's rod. (Which seemed to help a smidgen as far as the engagement point during pedal travel.)
I've tried it all: Other than gravity bleed all corners.
All new bleeders to include the one on the prop valve.
I took the front brakes back apart, cleaned and re-lubed. No stuck pistons, no tears in the seals. All good there.
Took apart the rear drums. Disassembled and reassembled. Again, all good there and e-brake op-checks good.
Put a wrench on every line fitting there was and applied grease to all of them, to include the new bleeders as well.
Bought a vacuum bleeder. Tried all different psi's in its rated range going in sequence. I even pulled an entire bottle from the master, through the system and out of the LR (Furthest from the master) just to do it.
I've tried the two person method, both pump and open close using a Gatorade bottle with tubing submerged in brake fluid in order to a) not let air into the system and b) clearly see the air escaping.
I start at the LR - get all the bubbles out. Its pushing straight fluid. Tighten and move to the prop valve. Same.
RF - Same. LF - Same. Back to the LR - Air. Same as before. Rinse and repeat. over and over and over again.
I've tried the rotation, excluding the prop valve. I've even tried the rotation backwards. Both with the two person method and the vac. I am pulling 100% new fluid as you can imagine and at this point I am reusing it. With that said, I couldn't tell you how many more 32oz "bottles" have been cycled through the system or how many times I've bled. I honestly have lost track.
As the pedal is pumped, I can see the front calipers biting the rotors and I can hear the drums working as well. I just don't have any brakes until the pedal is at the floor. even with that, it BARLEY keeps it from rolling backwards.
Again, there is grease on every fitting. I have no fluid leaks; at any juncture (Banjos, junctions, fittings etc.), but yet I still am getting air during the bleed procedures.
I know people state they can go through a couple of bottles when they change out a master cylinder, but I am far past that point. How much air can there be? I NEVER let the mast get below the low mark. I pay very close attention to that. I've tried cover on and cover off. Makes not difference.
Obviously, I know I need to get ALL there air out. Any ideas? Keep going and going? I feel like I and beating my head against a wall here and I am at a loss.
