I have made a huge mistake!

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Tobi

I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

Should not have started working on it before taking it for a first spring spin. Now I just want to set it on fire. Winter makes you forget the good memories and all I see now is a rusty, greasy peace of crap.
So Cal Mark

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by So Cal Mark »

stay calm and motor on! Post your issues and we'll try to help with advice and encouragement
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

OK, Mark, I stayed calm, I motored on and I am now close to take a bfh to the car.
I also started a thread on the forum but that did not help much.
The breaks hose I got from you did not seal so I kept tightening it till I ruined the T.
I now installed a new T and had to replace the brake lines too while at it and it still leaks.
Any ideas here?
garion
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:20 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by garion »

Are you putting on new copper washers? At least the ones that don't already have them? I think the center brake hose had one on it already.
--John
1978 Fiat 124 Spider (for sale soon)
1979 Fiat 124 Spider
2007 Audi A4
Blog: http://www.technobabelfish.com
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

It does not look like it needs a washer. It did not have one on it and my spare rear end did not have one either.
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81SPIDERMATT
Posts: 1239
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:10 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider 2000
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by 81SPIDERMATT »

seems like a washer is the only thing you have not tried .... cant remember myself but my kit came with a bunch of washers when I replaced all my soft lines ....
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

I wish it could be solved with a washer but the brake hose has a flare at the end and by the time the connection is tight there is space for about 3 washers piled up on each other.
I think I am going to order a new T on Monday and put that old, rotten rubber hose back in.
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srwilson
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:21 pm
Your car is a: 1979 124 Fiat Spider 2000
Location: Lexington, KY

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by srwilson »

I had a little issue with the "T" connector as well. It is so easy to cross-thread.

For me it was the metal line that went to the driver side brake. I hand started it and got a couple of turns in before reaching for the wrench. Needless to say it leaked like crazy. No amount of tightening would stop the flow.

I remove the T and looked at the threads and I could see the evidence of a cross-thread. Instead of pitching the T I tried re-tapping it first. I used a blunt end tap to get all the way to the bottom of the threads and not damage the flare. I believe it is a M8x1.25 tap.

Anyway, I put the hose on first and tightened it and then finger set the problem steel line before bolting the T down. This really helped me make sure everything was going in correctly. After bolting it down, I tightened the problem line and easily added the other steel line.

To my surprise it held and no leaks. :D

These things can be a PITA for sure but for some reason the troubles you have seems to fade fairly quickly and a smile again returns.

Good Luck!
-Steve
1979 Black Fiat Spider
2006 Black Chevy Silverado Crew Cab
DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by DieselSpider »

The parts listing imply that a washer is required. I would remove the tee and bench fit the rubber hose after comparing it to the old one to ensure there has not be a mix up so that you are using the wrong hose. Also check the ports of your tee to ensure they are not damaged or that they were not modified by the previous person who worked on it. Red Neck Engineering can be a pain to clean up after.

I had a real pain getting a bleeder to seal on one caliper only to find someone had made their own repair kit with a reverse flair 5/16 - 24 plug instead of using a standard 1/8" or 1/4" NPT bleeder repair kit so they bedded it in epoxy after they cross treaded it. I have a 5/16 - 24 reverse flair plug in it while I rebuild a good used caliper I picked up.
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

Thanks Steve, I did it like you did, hand start, than used the wrench but did not tighten, than bolted down the T and tightened the connections.
The threads don't don't look like they have been cross threaded but they don't look sharp either, maybe they have been overtightened on both of my T's. I am going to try to re tap them carefully.
I will stop by at the brake supply store close buy and see if they have a T that will fit. Maybe something in brass and not soft aluminum.
Diesel Spider, thank you too.
Where did you get the info about the washer on the center. I own to shop manuals and they don't give any info about that.
Some vendors talk about washers on the rear calipers, my car did not have any washers in the rear at all as long as I owned it.
I also just learned that it should have some clips in the front that I never had. Got to fix that.
Heading out to the garage now, more later.
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

Update
I installed a washer and that improofed it. Now it only leaked when I stepped on the break. So I tighned it, and more and more, to a point where I was close to breake the T of the rear end.
It seems seal now, can't believe it.
I would still like to know if it was originaly designed to have a washer, same for the rear side hoses.
Thanks again for the help.
htchevyii
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 1807
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:31 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider hers 1972 Spider his
Location: Hydesville, CA (NorCal)

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by htchevyii »

Sometimes, tightening and then loosening the fittings a few times will help them seat. Hope you got it fixed.
Trey
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1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
DieselSpider
Posts: 2130
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by DieselSpider »

When I purchased the Beck and Arnley hoses locally they all came with the washers included in the packaging with the hoses and when I checked on-line they listed the washers as also needed at a number of sites.

Glad you got it sorted. Sometimes you may find the tees not tapped deep enough so that they require 2 instead of 1 washer however then you have to be more careful to not over tighten since fewer treads will be gripping inside the tee.
autotransgression
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:01 pm
Your car is a: 1980 spider 2000
Location: seattle

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by autotransgression »

props to you, if the post title was a bluth family reference. :)
- mik
Tobi

Re: I have made a huge mistake!

Post by Tobi »

autotransgression wrote:props to you, if the post title was a bluth family reference. :)
Kudos to you for noticing.
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