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1999 Mercury Villager Clogged or failed brake line?

Tiny
DANNYP80
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 MERCURY VILLAGER
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 185,000 MILES
99 villager sport. Left rear drum brake dragging caused shoes to pretty much be cooked off. Wheel cylinder failed, replaced. Replaced both L and R shoes and bled system fully. LR wheel still dragging and heating up/smoking. Now park brake light on w/o being engaged.

I found that I had put the LRear shoes on wrong. Straightened that out and bled line, but no fluid would come out. I disconnected metal brake line from wheel to connection to flex hose on axle. No fluid there either. I assume the brake line is clogged or failed somewhere between flex hose and master cylinder. Any suggestions would be great
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 7:22 AM

12 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Have you disconnected the line BEFORE the flex hose? Hoses can collapse internally and act as a shut off!
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 7:45 AM
Tiny
DANNYP80
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
No I haven't disconnected before the flex hose. I first tried bleeding using the bleeder screw, then I removed the metal line from the hub (no fluid there) then I removed the other end of the metal line that connects to the flex hose at the axle that runs over to the other metal line that goes to the master cylinder.
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 8:06 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
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Flex hoses are the weak part, steel lines either rust or get crushed, either is obvious, flex hoses collapse internally and are not visible, check it out and get back to me.
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 9:15 AM
Tiny
DANNYP80
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
When I pull the flex hose off will the failure be visible or should I know by trying to blow the line with air and find a blockage? When I took the metal line off I noticed the flex line was very stiff, I tapped a few times and squeezed and the flex line loosened up and moisture came out. Looked more like water than brake fluid. I will take the flex line off and get back to you. Thanks for the help.
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 9:20 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
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First make sure your master cylinder has full brake fluid, remove the cap, remove the hose and wait a few minutes, fluid should "gavity" bleed through the steel line. Have a rubber cap, I use the rubber bleeder caps, and cap the line off till you have a new hose to install, that way you wont loose all your brake fluid!
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Friday, July 10th, 2009 AT 9:32 AM
Tiny
DANNYP80
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
Ok, I replaced the flex hose for the LR wheel. Because I was getting no fluid from that line. Master cylinder replaced. NO fluid at wheel. I have fluid thru the bleeder screw at all wheels but LR. What is between the master cylinder and each caliper or drum? I noticed what looks like a manifold under the master cylinder and also at the dual load sensing spring in the rear. Could either of these be clogged? Do they have seperate chambers to keep the brake circuits seperate? I'm not understanding the info from the book about redudant brake systems and then I get fluid from all wheels but one. There must be a clog or something somewhere that I'm missing. Thanks.
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 AT 6:53 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
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DESCRIPTION & OPERATION Hydraulic brake system has power assisted dual piston master cylinder with diagonally split disc brakes in front and drum brakes in rear. Wheel speed sensors signal ABS control module, which allows ABS hydraulic actuator to control braking effort on separate brakes to control tendency to skid during a stop. A dual load spring valve is located on rear axle. When vehicle is unloaded, valve closes partially reducing pressure to rear brakes. As vehicle is loaded, valve opens gradually until full pressure is supplied for a full load. See Fig. 1 .


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_a_2.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_b_2.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_c_2.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_d_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/62217_e_1.jpg


BRAKE LOAD SENSOR PROPORTIONING VALVE Measure spring length with vehicle in unloaded position. Spring length "A" should measure 6.25- 6.37" (158.8-161.8 mm). See Fig. 4 . If spring is not as specified, sit on rear of vehicle then slowly get off. This will stabilize suspension deflection. Loosen eye bracket bolts. Adjust spring length by moving bracket. Tighten bracket bolts to 13-15 ft. lbs. (17-21 N.m). See Fig. 5 . NOTE: All fluids should be at specified levels (fuel tank full) and spare tire, jack, hand tools and floor mats should be in their stowed positions.
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 AT 2:28 PM
Tiny
DANNYP80
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Thanks for the great info. Our villager doesn't have ABS though.
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Friday, July 24th, 2009 AT 6:32 AM
Tiny
DANNYP80
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  • 14 POSTS
Could my problem with only the left rear brake line be caused by a failed proportional/dual load sensing valve? Is it possibly for them to fail and only effect one line? Thanks for the help.
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Friday, July 24th, 2009 AT 10:32 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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It would be affecting that rear and the opposite front, How is the pressure at the right front? This is a diagonaly split system, rf and lr are paired off the master. So if the master is weak on that half, you will get problems like that, or the combination valve up front that the lines branch out of. And yes that rear hieght sensing valve too.
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Saturday, July 25th, 2009 AT 6:36 AM
Tiny
DANNYP80
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  • 14 POSTS
The fluid out of the bleeder on the LF caliper is like it should be. That's the confusing part of it. So it must be a problem in either the valve assy under the master cylinder or the dual load sensing valve in the rear (which is $200 from Ford). I need to remove the line from the dual load valve and make 100% sure its fine. I'll take it off and blow air through it. If that turns out OK, it must be one of the two valves. I think I'm gonna have to replace the lines on the master cylinder as well, they're seeping for some reason. I starting them by hand and used a line wrench, but they still leak out around the threads and up through and around the actually line. Thanks for the help, I'll see what else I can do and get back.
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Monday, July 27th, 2009 AT 6:21 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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If the lines leak at the master, you need to fix that first! Then remove the line to the rear at the HSPV and operate the valve by hand, will fluid come out that way?
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Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 AT 2:39 AM

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