The SX/4 money pit

[Smitty]

Matador red was the color of the inserts on my 67 Marlin.  Looks to be real close and you know AMC never threw anything away   Probably had a 500 gallon vat of the stuff that took 20 years to use up   Just kidding but it does look like it.

[IowaEagle]

Freak out night time drivers and cover it over with red reflective tape.

[jim]

Really glad to hear that Skeezix is able to get out and about some.  Hope recovery continues quickly.
Great pictures.

[Gil-SX4]

How about some of that electric tape that lights up.

[Smitty]

Did some more test drives with SX$4 and there is a clunk in the front somewhere that I need to find but otherwise it is running real well.  Of course it has had its moments.  I thought I had some carb issues cause it idled fine but ran poorly under light acceleration.  It did that with 3 different carb combinations so I changed out the dizzy and it still ran poorly.  Then it dawned on me, I had the head off and maybe one of the plugs got hit.  I pulled the plugs and found the gap completely closed on #2 cylinder.  Fixed it and it runs smooth and quiet now.  I think the speedo has an issue in that it does not want to go over 55 even though I keep accerlerating.  I have a zero mile cluster to put in so maybe I will have a brand new car .  The new rear shocks came yesterday and I also got all new tie rods and sleeves.  I figured the factory original units could use a rest and this will make it a lot easier to align it.  I hope to finish debugging it this weekend and get it inspected on Monday.  Skeezix's condition may throw that timetable off so we shall see.

[IowaEagle]

Check those front sway bar links, they can cause clunks, well rattles.  But other parts can too.

[Smitty]

I have not posted in a long time so I am about due for an update here.  I am still sorting out a braking issue that I have narrowed to the MC and/or booster.  I bench bled the MC until there was good pressure and the outlets were blocked off.  Put it on the car and there is resistance but it still goes to the floor with the caps still on the outlets.  tried another MC (I have a lot of spare parts) and it does the same.  Thinking that the rod out of the booster is out of adjustment but my TSM does not give a length.  I tried it with a few extra turns on the cap and it felt like the front brakes were dragging.  I am tempted to get a whole assembly from the salvage yard and try it.  This car was originally a 5 speed and I wonder if the correct pedal assembly was used when they got rid of the clutch pedal.  The rod to the booster is in the correct (lower) hole so I am somewhat at a loss to figure this out.  It runs great and rides nice but takes forever to stop.  We have been thinking of selling it cause Skeezix is still out of work and may never be able to go back.  Of the two, I want to keep the wagon so this one may go.  I want to get it done so the next owner can drive it home.  Figured we would also sell the 69 Ambo to pare the fleet down but it is all subject to change.  Skeezix has some procedures scheduled at Mass General Hospital on 1 Aug and that should answer a lot of questions.

Anyway, keeping up with the house and her appointments does not leave much time for toys, although we are registered to go to Sturbridge Rambler regional car show on 28-29 July.  Figured we would do that on the way to Boston.

[Smitty]

After taking time to search the web I found this
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/power-brake2.htm

Which makes me think the problem is in the booster.  Guess I will be swapping that out.  What a PIA.

[IowaEagle]

I was thinking booster too.   Continue to give Skeezix our best -- we are pulling for the both of you.

[Smitty]

Well gang, I am about at a loss here.  I replaced the booster and check valve with a new one (not used) and still no joy on the brakes.  A repair shop owner suggested I raise the rear of the car so that the MC sat level and then bleed it.  The reason being that it would preclude air being trapped at the front of the piston in the MC.  I tried that and not much improvement.  I then took an old MC cover and drilled a hole in it.  Through that hole I put a tire valve stem.  Once I put the cap on the MC I ran the air compressor guage down to 15psi and locked the air chuck onto the valve stem.  The MC was then pressurized to 15psi and I power bled all the wheels.  I had good fluid flow at all wheels and no air bubbles.  Problem is, I still have very weak brakes although the front ones seem more responsive.  The pedal still goes all the way down.  I can not believe that I have gotten 3 bad master cylinders but it sure feels like it.  I may bypass the brake warning light valve to see if that does anything but that is a messy proposition and I do not believe it is an issue. 

My next step is to change out the MC (again) and power bleed the system again.  After that it will be to find a shop to work on it and call AAA

[IowaEagle]

How are the rear drums?  I forget if you replaced those or not.  If the rear linings have to travel a long ways that might explain the pedal feeling low.  Mine acted that way once to but it was the paper thin rotors/pads in front that caused the low pedal.  I knew something was amiss when my rears would lock up under moderate pedal and not much in front was going on with braking.

[Smitty]

Everything but the brake switch valve is new.  New rubber and steel lines, new wheel cylinders, new drums, shoes and holddown hardware, new rotors, calipers etc.  The issue seems to be in the MC cause if I block off the ports where the lines connect the pedal still goes all the way down.  I checked the position of the rod from the pedal to the booster and it is in the correct hole on the pedal so it has to be the MC.  frustrating.

[IowaEagle]

Sure does sound like it!  Funny you should get so many bad ones.  Are they new or rebuilts?  I gave up on rebuilts especially with the advent of aluminum MC's on the newer stuff.

[eagle88]

sounds like the brakes on my wagon.  only I have a firm pedal, They stop the car ok, they will not lock up on a panic stop though.  I always make sure I am far enough behind anyone in front of me.

[way2phastphil]

Just jumping in here, but did you bench-bleed the MC before installing it? Sometimes makes a difference in bleeding the system.