Brake lines and a rant.

[STLRegal]

so for the past 3 months I’ve really been looking forward to doing an autocross event with my regal. It seemed like a fun event. Even if the regal won’t be all that competitive. There’s an event coming up this Sunday I planned to attend.

So I pull out the car from the garage after work today to look things over and just to make sure it’s GTG. Overall it seems alright, I know it needs a battery tie down bracket, but I felt confident I’d be able to obtain one by Sunday.

I go to restart the car and I get nothing. No starter, no gauges, no headlights. I trouble shoot it for about 2 hours and find it was only a loose wire to the solenoid. It was annoying, but simple enough.

While I’m underneath the car I see fluid gathering on the headers and a nice little stain on the driveway. I trace it down and find that the header rubbed on the brake line and now it’s leaking.....FML.

Doesn’t look like I’ll be racing at the opening event this year.

I am glad that I was able to figure out the electrical issue, and that I was home, and that I didn’t find out about the brake line while going down the highway. But damn this sucks..

Anyways how should I deal with this issue?
It was the top brake line on the passenger side. I’m pretty sure it’s the rear brake line but it was getting dark and was ready to just to be done with it for today.

Should I get brand new prebent? Or some other type?

 

[Injectedcutty]

Top brake line on the passenger side... rear brake line???? There is only one rear brake line coming from the rear of the proportioning valve, which then splits at the rear axle to each side.
Only one brake line runs to the passenger side at the front....which is obviously for the front pass brake. When you have some daylight, snap a couple pics for us.

It's not hard to get a section of steel or nicopp brake line the right length, and bend it to match the existing line. Most auto parts stores should have what you need, and you won't have to wait a couple days for a prebent line to arrive.

 

[fleming442]

I like prebent stainless, and the whole car can be done in a day.
https://www.getdiscbrakes.com/pre-bent-lines

 

[timo22]

If it’s on the passenger side, it is the front passenger disc brake line. The rear line is on the driver side frame rail.
I believe the pre bent front lines are only sold in pairs. You can buy a set or bend one up yourself. The line goes from the combination valve forward and crosses the engine crossmember beneath the oil pan before it goes over the frame to the brake hose. I’ve got a pretty busy weekend but give me a call and I can probably help you. I have some line, a bender and a flaring tool.
Tim

 

[STLRegal]

Top brake line on the passenger side... rear brake line???? There is only one rear brake line coming from the rear of the proportioning valve, which then splits at the rear axle to each side.
Only one brake line runs to the passenger side at the front....which is obviously for the front pass brake. When you have some daylight, snap a couple pics for us.

It's not hard to get a section of steel or nicopp brake line the right length, and bend it to match the existing line. Most auto parts stores should have what you need, and you won't have to wait a couple days for a prebent line to arrive.

It could be the front. It was getting dark at this point and I really was just trying to get the damn thing started so I could pull it back into the garage. I’m actually hoping you’re right. I’d much rather run a line to the front right vs all the way to the rear.

 

[timo22]

I like prebent stainless, and the whole car can be done in a day.
https://www.getdiscbrakes.com/pre-bent-lines

Are you able to get the rear brake line installed without lifting the body? I replaced the brake,emission, and fuel lines on my bonneville . I got the all the line brackets off but there was no way to get the lines out without cutting them or lifting the body. I loosened the mount bolts and lifted the rear several inches and still couldn’t get them out without bending them all up. I didn’t want to screw up the new lines going back in so I lifted the body off.
timo22

 

[Injectedcutty]

Usually the header/brake line clearance issues occur with the front brake line(s) where they wrap around the lower A arm mount on the driver side. Here is a pic of just after installing my new lines. This might help you tomorrow or when you get a chance to look again....

 

[STLRegal]

If it’s on the passenger side, it is the front passenger disc brake line. The rear line is on the driver side frame rail.
I believe the pre bent front lines are only sold in pairs. You can buy a set or bend one up yourself. Without seeing it you may have to lift the engine a bit to unbolt the line brackets. The line goes from the combination valve forward and crosses the engine crossmember beneath the oil pan before it goes over the frame to the brake hose. I’ve got a pretty busy weekend but give me a call and I can probably help you. I have some line, a bender and a flaring tool.
Tim

Thanks for the info Tim. I’ll take a better look at it tomorrow, to figure out what’s going on, and to decide what route to take.

 

[STLRegal]

Usually the header/brake line clearance issues occur with the front brake line(s) where they wrap around the lower A arm mount on the driver side. Here is a pic of just after installing my new lines. This might help you tomorrow or when you get a chance to look again.... View attachment 86544

Thanks for the pic. My issue is definitely on the passenger side. I’m pretty sure it’s fine on the driver side as that header went it pretty easy. But at this point it’s worth a look to make sure the driver side has clearance as well. It just goes to show what happens when you don’t pay attention to details. Now I’m paying for it.

 

[STLRegal]

Just because I like to post pics of my car when I’m enjoying it to keep me motivated.