Moaning and GroaningI wrote to you some time ago about problems with my '82 Mustang GT's clutch pedal and ignition. Your diagnosis and solutions were right on. Thank you. Now I have another problem that I hope you might be able to help with or at least point me in the right direction. First, some background information. I apologize if this is long-winded.
In 1991 I swapped out my rear drum brakes for Stainless Steel Brakes' rear disc-brake conversion kit. They seemed to work fine. Then in 1998 I replaced the original 7.5-inch rear axle for a '93 5.0 Mustang's 8.8-inch rear with only 2,000 miles on it. Of course, this meant I had to remove my rear disc brakes from my original axle and put them on the 8.8. I purchased the '93 axle from a local late-model Mustang salvage yard in 1995. Unfortunately, with moving into a new house and various other things taking priority, the axle was stored away from the weather for three years before I could complete the swap. Along with the axle swap, I sandblasted the axle housing (I was careful not to let any blast grit get inside) and repainted it with Eastwood's Corroless, followed by Chassis Black. In addition, the shocks and springs were repainted, and I replaced the upper and lower trailing arms with Hotchkis units. Before installation the rear-end fluid was drained and replaced with Mobil 1 gear lube.
There is a problem that has been occurring ever since the axle swap. When I drive the car from a stop, I often hear a moaning or dragging noise coming from the back. It's a low-frequency noise in comparison to the normal disc-brake squeak you hear on some cars. It happens most of the time when I first begin moving and occasionally after turning a corner at low speed. I think it might be coming from the rear brakes, although I am not 100 percent sure. I don't see anything unusual. I remember that when the rear discs are installed, you are supposed to keep a certain amount of gap between the pads and the rotor. Should I recheck this? I hope it's not the axle, since it had only about 2,000 miles on it and turned freely-even after sitting for three years. Any ideas on what the problem might be? I know it's difficult to diagnose a sound someone describes to you.
For as long as I can remember, (I'm the original owner) brake fluid in the front reservoir of the master cylinder goes down while the fluid in the rear reservoir increases. Consequently, when you take the cover off the master cylinder, some fluid spills over the side. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the front reservoir provides fluid to the rear brakes and the rear reservoir to the front brakes. I see no signs of fluid leaking anywhere. This occurred with both the original and rebuilt master cylinder (and booster). What could cause this? Do you think the proportioning valve is bad? By the way, I use DOT 5 brake fluid, so any spills/leaks won't damage the paint. I realize some people do not recommend DOT 5 fluid, but about 10 years ago I had to disassemble the entire front suspension so I could sandblast and repaint the damage caused by DOT 3 fluid leaking/ spilling. That job took many months to perform, and I don't want to repeat it. I switched to DOT 5 fluid when I performed the rear disc-brake conversion and had everything apart. Could this and the above problem be related in any way?
One last question: Which is the easiest way for one person to completely drain the brake fluid? Or do I need a second person to help me?Ken Morsevia the Internet