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97 SE brake line leak

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  #1  
Old 11-05-2011, 04:06 PM
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Default 97 SE brake line leak

A couple hrs ago i slammed my brakes because of an amber light and a guy jaywalking when suddenly i lost my brakes. I quickly pulled the ebrake to make the stop. The brake pedal just sank all the way to the floor. I pulled over and panicked. Luckily i havent entered the freeway as i couldnt have imagined what kind of accident would have occured.
I popped the hood and noticed the obvious - brake fluid was completely drained.

After school i went home, jacked up the car and put new DOT 3 brake fluid and pumped up my brakes to see where the leak is. It ends up being being in the rear driver side.

(1) Is the brake line under that cover? assuming that under that cover is the gas tank and the lines for the brakes. (2) All i need to do is to unscrew all the bolts that's holding that cover together right? (3) And that i shouldn't expect anything really heavy to fall under me when all bolts are unscrewed right? (4) my tank is less than 1/4 full do i have to drain it anyways? (5) aside from having a socket set, wrenches, ratchets, jack stands and a 3 ton jack lift, DOT 3 brake fluid and new brake lines, what else would i need?

 
  #2  
Old 11-05-2011, 04:59 PM
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Nothing should fall out when you remove that cover. The gas tank is held in by two metal straps that you shouldn't have to remove.

Are you replacing bad section(s) of the brake line by cutting out the bad sections, or are you replacing the whole brake line?

If you are going to remove the line bolts, then I would suggest a line wrench.
 
  #3  
Old 11-05-2011, 05:19 PM
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im not going to replace by cutting but by removing and installing a new one.
What are the dif with line wrench and a socket set? So it's safe to remove that cover then?
 
  #4  
Old 11-05-2011, 07:41 PM
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A line wrench has more sides to grip compared to an open end wrench.

Removing that plastic cover should not cause anything to fall down. Its there to keep water/salt away from the tank.
 
  #5  
Old 11-06-2011, 10:47 AM
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Wrenches needed are also called "flare tubing wrenches" and prevent rounding these small tubing nuts when loosening or tightening.

Looking at brake routing (check brake lines on Majestic Honda), this tube runs all the way to the front, so a splice may save a lot of work. However, if one place is corroded through, then rest may be in bad shape also. I maade a splice repair for my son's truck (used on Corpus beaches and marshes) and line ruptured elsewhere shortly afterwards. I fabricated an entire replacement in 3 pieces because it is difficult to bend a perfect 1-piece replacement.

good luck
 
  #6  
Old 11-06-2011, 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by TexasHonda
Wrenches needed are also called "flare tubing wrenches" and prevent rounding these small tubing nuts when loosening or tightening.

Looking at brake routing (check brake lines on Majestic Honda), this tube runs all the way to the front, so a splice may save a lot of work. However, if one place is corroded through, then rest may be in bad shape also. I maade a splice repair for my son's truck (used on Corpus beaches and marshes) and line ruptured elsewhere shortly afterwards. I fabricated an entire replacement in 3 pieces because it is difficult to bend a perfect 1-piece replacement.

good luck
Ahh i was just about to question this brake line but i think you answered my question.

Anyways here is the question
I took out all the jazz covers and all and found out that the whole is located on the very bottom of this 6 line thing in the area where the brace is. Now, i noticed that the line traces all the way up to the front as what TexasHonda have mentioned. Im not sure, base on the state of this brake line, if it's worth splicing.

Here is a picture before the brace and i will upload and edit once the i take a picture without it.




Here is a link to majestic honda about the brake line
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...+LINES+%281%29
 

Last edited by lmrj0030; 11-06-2011 at 12:31 PM.
  #7  
Old 11-06-2011, 12:32 PM
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Quick update.


now i'm stuck and for sure i think this time i'll need to bring it to a mechanic as i dont know how to reach the other end of the pipe



 

Last edited by lmrj0030; 11-06-2011 at 01:49 PM.
  #8  
Old 11-06-2011, 03:48 PM
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Both my rear lines on a 96 accord are spliced basically where they come below the bottom surface of the car (not at the master cylinder) and routed back to the rear junctions on each side. They are held with zip ties at various locations and not routed up over the gas tank. I didn't remove the old lines. I haven't had any problems with them although I would not drive over very frozen snow with the car they are not under the plastic protector thing under the car but tied to it. It just looked like a mess of a repair to replace with the honda lines, I would have liked to but just trying to remove the old ones looked like a nightmare.
 
  #9  
Old 11-06-2011, 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by moey
Both my rear lines on a 96 accord are spliced basically where they come below the bottom surface of the car (not at the master cylinder) and routed back to the rear junctions on each side. They are held with zip ties at various locations and not routed up over the gas tank. I didn't remove the old lines. I haven't had any problems with them although I would not drive over very frozen snow with the car they are not under the plastic protector thing under the car but tied to it. It just looked like a mess of a repair to replace with the honda lines, I would have liked to but just trying to remove the old ones looked like a nightmare.
haha i know what you mean! I tried removing the whole pipe. I even unbolted and removed the brace that holds all 5 pipe lines and the second i tried to remove the pipe from the plastic holder thing above the brace, the pipe just snapped due to rust. So you're telling me that i should replace both lines and reconnect via master cylinder (brake fluid tank reservoir) cuz it's easier than replacing one? I know that there is only 1 pipe that goes down and somehow turns into 2 pipe
 

Last edited by lmrj0030; 11-06-2011 at 03:59 PM.
  #10  
Old 11-06-2011, 05:02 PM
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There's 3 fuel lines & 2 brake lines. They are probably all 5 in about the same state of corrosion. Ask your mechanic if it makes economic sense to do all 5 so you only have to remove all the other stuff once.
 


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