180k mile SE

im second owner
topped off all fluids before i left
went ~200 miles up to NH from my house on sat
everything fine
checked before i came home
everything fine
did ~85 on way home
it was 102 deg. F that day
realll hot
no problemes with brakes at all
got home and parked on an incline and my brake light went on before i even pulled the ebrake.
then i looked under the car and saw fluid pouring out
took off the protective cover and i disconvered mayjor rust in the lines

all my fluid leaked out
all of it
so i got it toweed the next day to my work (land rover garage)
and we cut the 2 brake lines and 2 fuel lines. we removed about a 4 ft section right from under the drivers side almost all the way back to were the fuel lines go into the tank
we cut new lines 1/4" and 5/15"
and used comepression fittings and bleeded brakes
everythings better then ever now

im going to go look throught the previose owners service records and hopefully this hasnt happened before.

i think it rusted there because my car was undercoated by the factory and the did it over the line protecting cover, they didnt take the cover off to get the lines.

also i think the front wheels spin up salt and rocks etc. and it just beats on the lines in that spot.

i wish i took some pics

i couldv have died.

i mean why didnt thopse lines braeak when i was going 85 mph?
im a lucky bastard phew*

eveyone should take that cover off and chek

ive checked before but the orig lines were pefect going in and coming out of that procteded section so i thought nothing of it.

peace
-andy

 

BUMP

I think this is one of the most important things we need to check on... mine were rusted to hell. Good thing when they started leaking it was only a slow leak...

Check those lines!

 

I'm gonna check mine. My cars been really good with rust, so I have high hopes.

 

i just checked my lines today. not good, my fuel lines are starting to leak real bad. my brake lines don't look good either. how much did you get your lines replaced for?

 

Mine aren't leaking, but have a fair amount of corrosion on them. this isn't something I wanna replace . I was kinda hoping for a fuel leak, to explain my average fuel economy. Damn there were like 100 pebbles up there.

 

I changed all four lines few months ago. That's what I get from buying a max from up north with all the snow/salt ****. Lines ran $150 from junkyard plus a couple hundred for labor. I agree it's very dangerous as when my fluid ran out it cut out the rear brakes and I almost hit my 4th gen fellow (I was ironically going to a meet that day). Didn't feel good being humiliatingly left last after the meet with a dysfunctional car.

 

Make sure when replacing brake line that you use flare joints and nuts. Don't do compression fittings (okay for gas) because a hard stomp on the brakes could blow the line.

 

Also, make sure you change the brake fluid when it turns dark brown (if not sooner). The fluid absorbs water over time and rusts brake lines from the inside out. I found this out the hard way on my 67 Pontiac.

 

more important than the rust, is that since brake fluid is hydroscopic it absorbs moistur from the air and that lowers the boiling point a ton. and if its a summer day and one is really beating on the brakes and they get hott, it will boil and trap air inside the hydraulic system.
and if you ever have driven with super old brake fluid its likely to be the same thing happening

 

the two metal brake lines and fuel lines cost around $100 plus taxes at the dealer. it would be wise to replace all 4 lines since they all running in parallel. all 4 of mines are leaking FARK! and the ******* mech wanted my limbs for it. Farking a$$hole wanted $600 just for the labor. so, I am gonna do it myself but it looks kinda hard though. Anyone removed these lines could you please shred some lights on me like what I need to be careful of? any tips of getting it off and on?

also, do I need to remove all of those front suspension such as control arms in order to slip the lines thru? or it could easily be slipped thru without removing those items?

when I get the new lines, do I need to get new o-rings or clamps?

should I paint the lines again when I get it or was it already painted?

 

what if I get OE parts from the dealer? Do I need to use a "flare joint"?