break fluid leak?

[IcallherRuby]

Found what I think is a small leak it is in the rear passenger wheel. My husband noticed what looks like break fluid along the wheel well.
Anyone have any ideas what could be going on?

[redfalken]

Sounds like a leaky wheel cylinder. If you still have the single reservoir master cylinder under the hood, I would definitely not be driving.

The master cylinder pushes brake fluid into the lines creating pressure when you push the brake pedal. This causes two pistons in each wheel cylinder to push out and push the brake pads against the brake drum.

If you have a leak that turns into a failure, you will loose all your brakes. And the "emergency" brake will do nothing to stop you. You'll need to pull the wheel off, then the drum, and see what's going on.

If you're not comfortable changing a wheel cylinder and bleeding the system, you should get a brake shop to go through the entire system. And consider swapping the single to a dual master cylinder if you haven't already.

[pbrown]

[AGREE]

Yes. Get them fixed ASAP.

[Luva65wagon]

Can't agree more. These Falcons and many other cars pre-1967 with single-piston master cylinders need only one failure point anywhere in the system to utterly fail. Leakage of brake fluid, anywhere, is not something you want to see. And if you are seeing this - STOP DRIVING THE CAR! Get it fixed by doing it yourself (if you can) or have it towed to a shop you trust.

For adapting to a dual-piston master cylinder, the shop (or you) can get a master cylinder for a 1967 Mustang with drum/drum brakes and it is a simple swap with just a few added fittings, which you can get from a good parts house.

To be clear, this adaptation is not required to "fix" the car of a leaking wheel cylinder in the back wheel. You can simply fix that and be on your merry way. But this failure may be indicative of a 50 year old car beginning to show its age and needing the entire system to be rebuilt. Because it really doesn't cost any more to update this "system deficit" with one that is way better, and because you never know when a failure will happen, it really is a no brainer.

Purists may argue against this, but chances are a purist's car is far too nice to drive and should be on a trailer when it goes from place to place. I really don't want them following me too close either.

[AGREE]

As a benefit of joining the club we offer this service of swapping to a dual master cylinder for free. We only require you to purchase the master cylinder (about $50) and we have the fittings and tools to do this swap. Being that the car is (I assume) in Silverdale, you will probably need to do it locally and not drive over here to have it done. But for the sake of others who may be reading this, I am making sure this is known.

[ew1usnr]

this service of swapping to a dual master cylinder for free. We only require you to purchase the master cylinder (about $50) and we have the fittings and tools to do this swap.

Hello, Roger.

I have a '63 with a single master cylinder. Can you refer me to a posting where it is described in detail the parts required and the procedure for changing a car to a dual cylinder?

In 1984 I was driving another 1963 Falcon that I had just bought when it popped a wheel cylinder. My pedal went to the floor and I couldn't get off the road because there was a guard rail along the shoulder at that particular point. The traffic was thick and as I was dodging around cars I was glancing down trying to find the black emergency brake handle (I painted it red afterwards). I shot a gap, got off the road, and yanked the emergency brake. Then I had to drive home using the emergency brake. It was an experience that would be best not to repeat.

[IcallherRuby]

Ended up being wheel bearing retainer gasket. ordered new break shoes just in case. Quick fix, but not in time for the ford picnic:rain:

[redfalken]

Sounds like it was gear oil from the differential. Glad you tracked it down.

Here's a good thread on the dual master cylinder conversion that has advice and several good links to check out:

http://www.rainierfalcons.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Kenny. I was looking around for that a couple nights ago, but I thought it was a thread I had posted on, and didn't find it. So I never finished up by posting I couldn't find it and was instead debating creation of a new thread. Now I don't hafta. [thumb]