The moan you are hearing could quite possibly be coming from the rear disc brakes. We've seen this happen a few times on the SSBC vintage rear disc conversions. While the instructions don't go into great detail, they do give you an air gap dimension to maintain. This air gap can usually be adjusted via shimming the caliper away from the mounting bracket or shimming the rotor away from the axle flange. Plain, flat washers can be used as shims. Nothing fancy is required. The other possible problem could be that the parking brake mechanism is set up incorrectly. This would cause the caliper piston to not retract fully and allow the pads to intermittently touch the rotor surface, possibly causing the noise you are hearing. Check the parking brake cables to ensure they are fully releasing and that they are also routed to the caliper properly.
Usually when one reservoir's fluid level rises and the other falls, it means you have an internal problem with the master cylinder piston-which almost always has a brake problem associated with it. You didn't mention any brake problems, such as fading pedal, rear brakes locking, and so on, so we're not really sure what this particular problem could be. Often times, we've seen a master cylinder leak into the booster (look for a telltale dribble of brake fluid where the master and booster bolt up), causing the booster to fail. Another thing to think of: Did you retain the original master cylinder lid and gasket when you installed the rebuilt master cylinder? Maybe the lid is warped or the gasket is damaged, thereby preventing closure between the two reservoirs. Normal vehicle acceleration might cause the front reservoir to dump into the rear. If completed properly, I don't believe your DOT 5 conversion would be causing these problems.
Lastly, one-man brake bleeding is quite possible. You can use something as simple as a mason jar filled with clean brake fluid and a length of aquarium tubing. Simply hook the tube up to your bleeder screw and pump the pedal, ensuring the other end of the tube is submerged in the new fluid. When there is no more air in the tube, your brakes are bled. Of course, you can always get a one-man brake bleeder tool, such as the hand-vacuum pump variety we use in our shop here at Mustang Monthly.
The Good-Eye AwardI have been buying your magazine for three years now. I have a '93 Mustang GT. I think you guys have excellent coverage on the older Mustangs, and this is why I buy your magazine. I thoroughly enjoy reading about the older iron.
I noticed that on page 25 of the Apr. 2000 issue the interior picture at the top of the page has a five-speed shifter with no clutch pedal. I have never seen anything like this before. I am hoping that maybe you could explain. I also noticed that the car has no radio. I look forward to hearing from you. Keep up the great work.Rob FultzCharleston, IL
P.S. Could you feature more Boss 302s? They are my dream cars.
What you saw was indeed an '87 Mustang LX with a five-speed shifter and no clutch pedal. Your eyes were not playing tricks. The image is actually taken from a very early prototype dash for the then all-new '87 interior. If you look closely, you will see that the dash is actually a clay mock-up. Pay special attention to the speaker grilles in the dash and the A/C vents (the line around the center vent, for instance). You will also see the glovebox door handle and lock is actually a plastic section placed into the clay glovebox door. Just how much of the dash is clay, we aren't sure, though the shifter knob and boot and the seats and carpet are real; the rest of the dash is anyone's guess. The radio block-off plate, though clay in this photo, was a real item that was used on certain models (the '93 Cobra R being the most prominent). Boss 302s and '69 Mach 1s seem to be everyone's favorite vintage Mustang, and we'll strive to find the best ones in the country to put on these pages for you.