The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline brake line leak help please

I replced all my brake lines a few weeks ago and notices that I have a leak at the brass blocks that are bolted to the rear wheel cylinders where the line connects. I have retightened them a few times and will check again for leaks tomorrow. If they stillleak shoudl the be replaced? Is there a gasket that is suppossed to be in there or some sealer?

They are pretty tight now I dont want to chance breaking them

Any advise please
Rich

Just got through doing exactly the same thing with my 50. I haven't put the juice in them yet, but my guess is that you are missing the copper washers that go between the block and cylinder, and between the bolt head and the block. If they are missing, your local NAPA or other full-line parts house should have them. Can't find them local?--Jim Carter has them in the catalog.

copper washers????
I guess that is the problem then. I don'thave no stinking copper washers.

Should I have the same on the front end where the hoses connect directly to the wheel cylinders? No leaks there yet but just checking.

Thanks cooterhead! I will go to napa tomorrow and get some.

Rich, if you think about it, brass is softer than steel!, You’re tightening a steel nut and line into a brass seat. After the initial tightening the double flare on the steel line has been collapsed and it no longer has the ability to conform a seat is formed between the steel and the brass cone in the inverted flare fitting. If you remove the line and try to refit it you are trying to match the compressed steel double flare to an already deformed seat. It may, and I stress may, seat the second time and if your real lucky even a third time, but since the brass seat is now distorted it is hit or miss. If you look at the seat in the brass fitting you will see how it has been distorted and in many cases the inverted flare cone will be completely flattened out. If you are replacing the steel lines it’s really good practice to replace the brass inverted flare fittings also. And yes this can add a couple of hundred bucks to your brake job and that’s the reason why many people skimp on the brake job and try to use the old brass fittings. The components of this type of a joint are only designed to be made up one time and are not designed for disassembly and reassembly. The copper washer behind the banjo fittings can sometimes be reused if they are annealed but even there it’s a good idea to use new ones, they are the least most expensive part of the whole entire brake rebuild yet some people insist on reusing them.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

ya i think you might be missing the little copper washer, it should hae come with the new wheel cylinders if you replaced them

Not an expert, but wouldn't you also want to use some teflon tape to make sure the seal is good, just like in any plumbing project?

I use it in all my home plumbing projects, but I don't know how brake fluid affects it.

Just a thought.

Actually, teflon tape and sealants are not used in brake systems because the joints are strictly metal to metal.

I would try loosening and tightening a couple of times. Also, the brass fittings may have some tarnish etc. in the flare inside which should be removed.

Denny et al,

I think you are right but the issue is with the bango to the wheel cylinder connection. I cleaned the bango (if by bango you mean the little brass block that bolts to the wheel cylinder) and used a new line and fitting. The leak is between the bango and the new wheel cylinder. I don't have a copper washer between the bango and the cylinder. I will check but I dont think I got any with the new wheel cylinders.

I am hoping this solves the problem. I was dreading doing the brakelines and the job went very smoothly except for this leak at the blocks.

Thanks for the help guys. I will try to get to napa today and get the washers and post back tonight if this works.

Bango fittings? How about banjo fittings?

Hey those little copper washers work pretty good. I removed the BANJO (Cletis) fitting and put new washers on both. Pumped up and bled the brakes and voila...no leaks.

Thanks for all the help folks!

Rich

Glad to hear ya got it right. Just one other thing Rich, Fred is correct, If you need teflon tape or sealant to stop a leak ya done something wrong.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I agree compression fiting are just that. They need to compress to seal. I usually undertighten them and check for leaks. Then tighten if needed. You were right in your previous post. once you over tighten them it is rare to seal a leak because there is just no more give in the flare.

I this case I must have not been paying attention when I removed the banjos and didn't realize they needed washers. I took these apart 2 years ago. I must have forgotten

Thanks for the help.

No one has answered where to get these brass blocks question?
I have a 1959 chevy 3100 truck that I am about to install stainless steel lines on and have heard a few comments on how this can create problems with the brass block connections but since I have already made the investment in stainless steel pre-bent lines then if I run into trouble where could I get replacement Brass blocks?
There are 3 total on this setup front drivers sideBanjo fitting , Tee behind the master and Tee with flexhose at the rearend housing.
Thanks

NAPA

Focus,
I didn't have any trouble with the connection from the lines to the brass. Just forgot the washers where the blocks bolt to the wheel cylinder. Got the washers at napa and I am sure they have the fittings. They supplied me with a new block from the MC to the lines as the new MC was a different size and I could not use the original one. The new ones don't look like the old ones though.