Biba, On my 66, I used a 2 pound valve that I picked up at a local speed shop. It used compression fittings, so I just had to cut out 2 inches of the line. This was 35 years ago and when I saw my old car on ebay two years ago, I could see in the photos that it was still installed. The 66 used a single circuit system with a horrible Dunlop rear contraption that was supposed to be a caliper. The brakes were terrible and I had several total failures. I piked up a totaled 67 GTV and transferred the single circuit Ate system to it. I could never get great pedal until I added the residual pressure valve. I had a 77 VW Dasher that had the valves that attached directly to the master cylinder. I found out how important they were to a hard pedal after I replaced the master. I had taken the old master to the parts store to turn in for the core, and went home with the new master. When I went to install it, I found that it did not come with the valves attached, and mine were long gone on my core. My lines fit directly into the master, so I put it all back together. Nothing I did gave me the pedal I had before the failure. I was able to find some at a junk yard. I'm pretty sure they are the same thread as the Alfa lines. I could have never gotten a good high firm pedal without them. I think the reason you see them advertised for the the custom car market is because most have the Tilton style masters that don't incorporate the residual valve.
Hope this helps, Dick Stachowiak 71 GTV 71 Spider On Nov 11, 2009, at 6:34 PM, alfa-digest wrote: > Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:52:34 -0800 > From: AlfaCyberSite <[email protected]> > Subject: [alfa] Stuck caliper brake piston vs bleeding brakes > > First I want to somewhat apologize for my 'occasional' very anal > questions regarding whatever the problem of the moment is. I can only > assume that by now those who have no interest have learned to hit the > delete and/or scroll 'buttons'. > > Now...Dick Stachowiak, please tell me if you've personally used the 2# > VW valves. They appear as if they'd solve the problem in this > particular > situation. I'll interrupt myself for a moment to say that I'm about > 95% > sure I have all of the air out of the lines. My MityVac isn't > working in > this situation. I'm sure it is because the pads are too far away from > the discs. What I do use is a clear hose with a one-way valve at the > fluid end, a stick to hold the pedal down along with a pair of thick > leather welder's gloves to protect the seat pad. I am getting > absolutely > no air out of any of the calipers. And as mentioned, I have a lot of > grease around each of the bleed screws to prevent air from going down > the threads. Additionally the pedal doesn't feel all that soft, but > simply won't become firm until it is about an inch from the floor. > That > said, all of the discs turn easily unless the pedal is pressed all the > way down. > > Back to the VW valves. Why would they be specifically for dune > buggies? > Or is it another way of saying, "For off-road use only?" [I'll add > here > that Dick sent me to the eBay listing (200394055421)]. Do the > threads/diameter fit the Alfa MC's on each end? I gather one needs > three > for a Spider and assume that the lines going to the MC need to have > roughly 30 mm cut from each. I'll add that I can't do bubble flares. I > have a terrific (correct) 37 degree brake flare unit, but bubbles are > beyond me. Also, once the lines are cut, one is pretty much > committed to > these valves. I'm concerned that once the seals break in that they > might > hold the pads too close so that they not only drag, but wear quickly. > Comments? > > Hindsight: I have some vintage (but looks good) ATE brake grease. I > understand it is essentially thick brake fluid. Boy do I wish I'd used > it on the pistons and seals. Also in retrospect, I might well have > used > the old seals along with the new dust covers. I used brake fluid to > lubricate both the seals and the rounded edge of the pistons, but feel > the tightness - not to mention the apparent 'stickiness' of the new > seals - pretty much insure they'll take a long time to break in. The > only other time I've rebuilt calipers was for the fronts on a '69 > Spider > and I did reuse the seals after thoroughly cleaning the bores. Along > with rebuilding both brake boosters (that was an 'interesting' > learning > experience), the brakes worked fine and I don't recall any problems > bleeding the brakes. > > Brian, others, I agree that the Spider needs to be driven and it > 'should' stop. It is those quote marks that are holding me back. > The car > is well insured, however the liability of purposely driving it with > virtually no brake pedal isn't covered. > > Biba > Irwindale CA USA -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
