1967 Continental Brake Concerns….

Hi Bill –
Great website! I recently had the rear brakes in my car stop working right after a local mechanic jacked up the back fairly high to see if there was a hole in the gas tank. Ever since then the back compartment of the master cylinder emptied out and the pedal goes to the floor. the front brakes still work fine. I found a few random vacuum hoses that were not connected, but I’m not sure they ever where or if I connected them properly. when I filled the brake fluid back up, it just dumps out as I pump the brakes.
Thanks,
Jon
PS – I am located in Northern NJ, where are you located?
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Greetings Jon –
Congratulations on your newly purchased Lincoln. We look forward to supplying you with any of your repair parts needs.
As I cannot accurately tell from here what is wrong with your brakes front or rear, I can give you some very important information for diagnosing purposes. You have indicated that the rear reservoir of the master cylinder is loosing brake fluid rapidly and that you have lost the rear brake function as a result. That larger rear portion is for the front disc brakes and not the rear! A brake fluid leak that large should easily be found in a line, pressure equalizer, a flexible hose, wheel cylinder, or at a caliper seal etc. If there is no visible external leak to be found, the fluid could be leaking out of the rear of the master brake cylinder and being drawn into the brake booster. If the rear section of the master cylinder is in fact operating the rear brakes and not the front, I suppose that someone could have some how attached the brake lines incorrectly. I have however never seen or heard of this scenario happening. I have no idea from where I am of the identity of the disconnected vacuum lines as you have described.
Given that good operating brakes are a very necessary as well as a safety item and if you are not comfortable with performing the proper repairs as needed I would advise you to have the car taken to a trusted local brake shop for an on scene expert assessment. Please let us know what you find out.
Sincerely,
Bill