Help, I need a 71&up brake proportioning valve

[njsteve]

Anyone have the cast iron disc brake proportioning/combination valve for a 71 and up Camaro/Firebird with disc/drum? I believe the other GM models of the same era use this same valve. The current replacement seems to be a brass valve that looks nothing like the original.

I just noticed that mine is seeping fluid from the red arrow location. Luckily I use silicone brake fluid so no paint is damaged, but it is pissing me off, as well as being a major safety issue.

I dont see anyone selling these anywhere. You can find them for the Ist Gen F-bodies but not the 2nd gens.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr24/nk15268b/brakevalve.jpg

[fro71]

inline tube has them http://www.inlinetube.com/ was just looking at them the other nigh.



chris

[njsteve]

They don't sell the original cast iron valve, just a brass replacement that looks nothing like the original part.

[Keith Tedford]

I was talking to John Stuart Power Brakes in Stoney Creek, Ontario and they said that they can rebuild these 1-905-662-7274. I'll be sending them one of these cast iron units that I took off of our '72 Lemans Sport along with a load of other stuff. I replaced it with the brass one that GM was selling at the time. You might want to check with them to be sure.

[L78steve]

If you still need one I have one from a 74 Z/28 and my have one from a 71 Nova.

[njsteve]

Thanks for the offer, but I got an extra on its way and also sent mine out to be rebuilt. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[njsteve]

Got the proportioning/combination valve back from a Performance Years website member, 70RAIII (Bill Oxley) who did a really nice job rebuilding it. He indicated that it was all stuck inside, so it wasn't really functioning as anything other than a T-fitting between the front and back fluid routes. Now it's actually working as designed, which is a good thing since if I recall correctly, one of the critical roles of this valve is to internally shift and block the internal passages if one circuit springs a leak and loses fluid. That way you still have braking power for the remaining circuit.

Another thing I noticed is that the purple DOT 5 silicone brake fluid turns yellow after a few years. I'd imagine that means it's time to replace it all, which I did. I flushed the entire system and replaced it with new DOT 5 silicone brake fluid, about four bottles worth, to get all the old stuff out and completely flush the system of the four year old fluid.

The newly refurbished proportioning/combination valve, just back from Bill Oxley:

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr24/nk15268b/S7005982.jpg

And after the installation and the brake bleed-a-thon:

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr24/nk15268b/S7005983.jpg

[SuperNovaSS]

Steve,

Out of curiousity, is there a reason you did not try to tackle the rebuild yourself?

Jason

[njsteve]

Access to the correct seals/o-rings mainly. No one really sells them anywhere. Not just your everyday standard rubber pieces. Plus, the guy that did my valve does a lot of these contraptions and had the extra parts needed in case something broke, or was too pitted or rusty, which is a rather common discovery when taking them apart.

[SuperNovaSS]

Gotcha, I thought that may be the case.


Jason

[L78steve]

Another great rebuilder of brake components is Whitepost Restorations.

[SS427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Access to the correct seals/o-rings mainly, not just your everyday standard rubber pieces or was too pitted or rusty, which is a rather common discovery when taking them apart. </div></div>

Hmmmm, never stopped you before..... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif All kidding aside, it looks great. I have never experienced the yellowing of the Dot 5 (that I noticed) and will have to keep tabs on that.

[njsteve]

There's a few things I leave to the professionals:

1) Rear differential setup
2) Automatic transmission rebuilding
3) Master cylinders (including prop valves)
4) Bodywork/paint
5) Tax preparation
6) Colonoscopy
7) Giving accurate assessments of a piece of clothing my spouse is wearing.

[SuperNovaSS]

Nothing like a do it yourself colonoscopy. Dental work can be a tough one too.

I think you would be better at body and paint that you think Steve. Even if only working on weekends usually the time served in paint jail is much less if you do it yourself.

Jason