!979 Rabbit Diesel Need help!

[vw-tim]

Time to pull apart that suspect cylinder.  Might need new rubber cups and a hone inside it.  Might have a blockage in the line as well.  If you have a mighty mack vacuum pump you might have some luck pulling fluid to that cylinder.  Time to move up the lines to the first junction block and see if fluid is getting from there to the brakes. 

I smell a blockage and yes a lot of fluid can go out one bad cylinder but not all as there is a front and rear system here and you should have had some fluid in the fronts.

just pulled off the drum and it is the cylinder that is frozen gonna pull it all apart tomorrow it is so filthy. the line bleeds up until the cylinder so no blockage in the line.

Also i noticed that the presure regulator didnt have a spring on it and the line on the side of it kind of bent up is that normal?

[RabbitJockey]

Dude is your car two cars welded together?

[vw-tim]

Dude is your car two cars welded together?

haha just the front

[ORCoaster]

When I bought my Rabbit two years ago I found that the rear brakes were not working at all.  Totally frozen up cylinders.  Rather than rebuild I just replaced them.  Seems like they were less to buy all new than to get the rebuild parts.  So I have a spare pair, just that they are frozen up. 

[8v-of-fury]

Yeah, unless they are unobtainable.. replace over rebuild is the way to go nowadays.

[RabbitJockey]

Yes wheel cylinders are 5-10 bucks a piece, even if it only cost a dollar to rebuild both of them I'd still rather spend 20 bucks and save the time.  Like axles,  when the boots are torn I just replace the whole thing a boots 20 bucks an axle is 45 with a lifetime warranty,  plus it's less work to just swap them out

[ORCoaster]

If I remember right I got them from NAPA,  or another local auto parts store.  Had them in stock of all things.  For an 81?  Must be pretty universal.

[RabbitJockey]

They're all swappable as far as I know from like 75-99 if u have rear drums

[vw-tim]

yeah im going to go pick up some new cylinders from autozone i got $20 dollar rewards so pretty much getting them for free ha and gonna stop by napa and put up new shoes some reason autozone doesn't carry them?

[vw-tim]

sooo im rather frustrated. i got new rings and honed the cylinders on the block and anyway so im going to put in the freshly cleaned up piston and new rings and i get the piston in and then it just stopss wanting to go in after the first two rings so basicly one ring is still out... what the heck is going on here? is there just carbon build up i havent gotten out of the grooves enough what do you guys think? im almost just considing just ditching this freaking block and i using another block cleaning it up real good i have another unknow block with the head all messed up on it i mean i think the block should be okay?? but i havent inspected it yet on the head the cam shaft was snapped... so idk if thats a bad sign for the block or not what do you guys think?? i just dont want to keep messing with this block any longer when i could be cleaning up this other one and putting the new rings and stuff on it instead.... what you guys suggest? its def Corona:30 time right now! ha

the other block the original one had a broken rod... i dont know if that block might be better to use? then the other block i talked about above...

[RabbitJockey]

Well I hope you are absolutely certain that the ring lands are cleaned out for 1.  Are you using a ring compressor?

[vw-tim]

Well I hope you are absolutely certain that the ring lands are cleaned out for 1.  Are you using a ring compressor?

yeah they are im gonna take another look at them again i just picked up some chem-dip so i got one piston soaking in it right now hopefully that will eat up and remove all the carbon on them. ill report back and see how it does! and yeah im using a ring compressor like i can get the piston down to where all rings are in the cylinder it just wont go down more... so maybe i didnt get all the carbon out of the piston grooves?

[vw-tim]

so cleaning up the pistons really good i got this chem-dip stuff from autozone works really well heres one that was soaked for 2 hours and then took it out and dipped it in water and brushed with a plastic brush

[vw-tim]

so i got all the pistons in went in smoothly and got everything back togetehr oil pan back on and now just waiting for my head gasket and head bolts to get here! also i did notice that its alittle hard to crank and move the pistons now idk maybe they just dont have enough lubricant cuz i didnt have oil pan on when i was trying to turn it to tighten down piston bolts to the crank is that to be expected like there no binds its just really hard to turn it but it will get 360 no trouble just more effort..

also i re did my rear drums with new shows and new wheel cylinders i got it all back together bleed the whole car and then as i put a wheel on and spun it and go on the brakes i hear this burst of air and it was one of the brake lines that goes under the carpet on the driver side where can i get a new steel line? what should i do suggestions please!

[ORCoaster]

Can you splice in a new piece of line with some compression fittings or not?