RE: IML: Confriming a brake question or two

["Steve B." <imperial59@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

1)  After the rebuild, I have a very firm brake pedal, which is good.  However, I don't have much stopping power without pumping the pedal.  I suspect I didn't get the brakes bled correctly because if I am reading the stuff on the site correctly and based on past experience, this is classic "air in the lines."  Correct?  Missing something here? 

 

Are you sure the shoes are adjusted the right way?  If '61 still uses the two cams per wheel like '59 does it can be tricky trying to interpret the manual and adjust them the right way.   I saved this easy explanation from Mark Lamp  " The front 4 and the front 2 on the rear are self energized and need to be adjusted in the direction of the wheel going forward, while the back 2 on the rears need to be adjusted in the opposite direction"  Make sure they are all adjusted the right way and that they are adjusted up where they need to be.  Past experience tells me to adjust them then drive around the block then adjust them again to make sure they are right.

 

2)  Sort of not related to the master cylinder replacement:  When I pedal the brakes, especially stopped at a light, engine idle gets more rough.  Again, if I am reading the "stuff" on the site correctly, there is a vacuum leak somewhere, likely at the brake booster, possibly at the check valve, also possibly somewhere else in the vacuum system.  Vacuum leak causes poor engine idle, correct?  Missing something here?

 

If you are having to pump the brakes I would expect a little burp in the idle.  If you are just holding the pedal solid and getting a rougher idle then my guess would be that you have a leaking vacuum booster.

 

                     Steve B.

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