Can you help me trouble shoot the brakes on my 1982 Escort ?

Question

I just picked up the car and it does run good. The problem is it has been sitting in a field for at least two years - the brake pedal goes to the floor, there is not enough braking to stop the car, and I tried to bleed the rear brakes and do not get a stream through those valves (the pedal does feel like there is compression of some sort and there is plenty of brake fluid in the reservoir). Thank you.

Answer 1

Sounds like you are getting some blow-by in the master cylinder.  Buy a master cylinder rebuild kit.  This contains all the soft (and replaceable hard) innards of the master cylinder.  It's an east do-it-yourself task.

Ibh's answer's fine, but since you said there is still fluid in the reservoir, I doubt there are cracks or holes in your brake lines.

good luck

Answer 2

you might have to change the wheel cylinders before you can bleed them. also check all the lines and hoses to make sure they are not rotten.

Answer 3

Ohmygooodness -- get a new car. My 93 escort's engine practically exploded: one of the 4 cylinders melted whilst on a major highway, in the middle of the night AND the middle of nowhere, no cell reception... i am a young woman... need i say more? It was a nightmare. Get rid of it before it takes revenge on you! Evil, evil car...

Answer 4

Disregard Ms. Chicken Little's response.

Sitting a field for a couple of years, your brake lines may have rusted and cracked.  That's bad, and while it's a hassle to replace the old hardlines with new, it isn't that difficult.  It's just tedious.  You're going to be spending an afternoon or two under the car with a lot of steel tubing and a tubing bender.