A disaster averted

R

Rick Franklin

PCS Member
Wednesday night, I took my Lincoln hearse for a drive when I went out to dinner. Upon returning home, I smelled gasoline and discovered a puddle forming under the car in front of the left rear wheel. The car got towed to the repair shop and the steel line running down the left side of the car had rusted through. Check those lines, especially if you live in the rust belt! We dont want these cars becoming mobile crematoriums!
 
glad you found it. I try to make the habit of looking under the car when walk up to it and looking at the spot I just emptied when I pull out. so far it's only other peoples stuff I see but you never know.
 
crack in the filler hose

I had a similar leak when I used to fill up the IH, and couldn't isolate the leak until I pulled the filler hoses and found cracks under the hoseclamps. New hoses and no leaks!
 
If the gas line is rusted, then you might as well replace all the steel brake lines, because they can and will burst when you need your brakes the most....... i.e. DURING A PANIC STOP !!!!
 
check all lines,hoses,belts

when i was in the ambulance service we bought a lot of used rigs.first thing we did was to check all brakes,bearings,gas and brake lines.also radiator,heater core,timeing chain and water and fuel pumps.also universal joints.we went compltely through each rig before it was put in service.and also replace stock choke with replacement electric choke.also tranny fluid and filter.a lot of work,but worth it to keep it from braking down on a call.all this,plus run calls,work in the office during the day,and be on call for backup ambulance almost every night.we did it all and still managed to provide excellent patient care:soapbox:
 
Glad you found this out Rick before anything major happened. A similar thing happened with the Lifeliner. While at the muffler shop for repairs they had it running and on the lift listening for exhaust leaks only to discover a fuel line running from the fuel pump leaking. The only way to find this was when the car was running.
 
I had a huge scare with my 63 Corvette Convertible when the brakes failed coming up to a red light.

I pushed the pedal and it hit the floor ! No brakes at all !

I turned the wheeled and jumped the curb and then turned the other way back onto the road and did a full circle finally slowing down and stopping on the side of the road.

Luckily I never hit any of the cars stopped at the light and the fast action saved the car from hitting anything.

It all happened very fast ! Seconds... maybe 6 in total.

I got the car towed to the shop I use and it ended up being a worn brake hose on the right front wheel.

I had all the hoses replaced not long before that so I was surprised to hear what failed. The flex hose wasn't installed properly and ended up rubbing on the wheel when the steering was turned resulting in the worn rubber brake hose releasing the brake fluid and pressure from the whole system.

Back in 63 the Corvette came with a hockey puck sized master cylinder.
Unlike the current cross system that would have prevented this type of issue.

I haven't checked yet but I am sure there must be some kind of newer master cylinder that can be put on the Corvette so this wouldn't happen again. I will be looking into it this year.


I don't wish this to happen to any old car person !


Drive safe,
Darren
 
If a single master cylinder system is properly serviced, and all parts are properly installed, they are safe to use. You can change the master cylinder into a dual system with some modification, but in my opinion it isn't worth the effort if you properly maintain your system. The brakes on my 1964 Corvair Spyder were last serviced 15 years ago and I installed silicone brake fluid. I check the wheel cylinders and they are as good today as the day that I installed them. Same with the master cylinder. Brake line failure is usually the biggest problem with an older car, and if you don't check the lines at least once a year, then you are riding on a gamble. Just my opinion, and others are free to disagree with me on this, however, when these cars were new, they didn't suffer from catastrophic brake failures, only after that got older and weren't properly serviced.
 
I would replace the lines in stainless it does not cost that much more,:pat: and you dont have to worry about them again. And the brake thing scary. That is why when i get the chance to replace master with a dual master i allways do. I know that it is not correct on car for stock judging but if you blow a line or wheel cylinder you still have some brakes.
 
Denny Shira said:
when i was in the ambulance service we bought a lot of used rigs.first thing we did was to check all brakes,bearings,gas and brake lines.also radiator,heater core,timeing chain and water and fuel pumps.also universal joints.we went compltely through each rig before it was put in service.and also replace stock choke with replacement electric choke.also tranny fluid and filter.a lot of work,but worth it to keep it from braking down on a call.all this,plus run calls,work in the office during the day,and be on call for backup ambulance almost every night.we did it all and still managed to provide excellent patient care:soapbox:
Click to expand...
Except when your friends drill a series of holes across the fuel tank -oops
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top