[dhcarguy]

I have a brake line that is oozing fluid. Can I use teflon tape on brake lines?? Or is there something else that is compatible to brake fluid??

Dave

[Old Goat 67]

NO.
Replace flare on line or fitting, or use copper flare washers.

[Chief of the 60's]

Let me guess.... Stainless lines?

[66sprint6]

What's the issue with stainless?

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by 66sprint6

What's the issue with stainless?

A little harder to work on, but they never rust out. Not a big problem - for most anyway.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by 66sprint6

What's the issue with stainless?

Originally Posted by The Champ

Not a big problem - for most anyway.

Not a problem!?!? Most leak.

If they were so fantastic why doesn't any manufacturer use them? Here is a hint, it is not about the cost.

[SR-71]

Usually if you loosen the nut and tighten it a couple times it will seal. Stainless is awesome to use when it seals but I've heard too many stories of them leaking ruining a restoration paint job. A buddy of mine had a high end restoration done on a Camaro in the spring when they got it out all the fitting at the wheel cylinders leaked messing up the backing plates and wheels. Luckily they didn't drive it to find it slinging all over.

[Chief of the 60's]

***OUCH***

[dhcarguy]

Thanks all. They are NOT stainless. I will try to loosen and then tighten up . Waiting on a new Master cylinder to get here.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by dhcarguy

Thanks all. They are NOT stainless. I will try to loosen and then tighten up . Waiting on a new Master cylinder to get here.

Disconnect and look for burr or chip inside the flare. Look good because a flattened out chip can be difficult to see.

[george kujanski]

I used stainless lines on my car. Flared them myself with a hydraulic tool. works well.

George

[dstryr]

Never hurts to put a little grease between the flair and the nut. It is not uncommon when you're tightening the fitting for it to bind with the line and twist it as you're getting it tight. Helps in seating and keeping lines straight.

[Chief of the 60's]

Very foolish idea. Right up there with teflon tape and thread sealant. Perhaps worse.

[Sirrotica]

Use Nicopp (nickel-copper) for your lines and side step all the pitfalls of stainless, bends easier, flares easier, seals better, and won't corrode. I use Nicopp for fuel lines, trans cooling lines, and of course brake lines.

https://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Copper.../dp/B00A02C9H0

[dataway]

I wouldn't think a little grease on the outside of the flair would be a huge deal since it would never come into contact with the brake fluid. Specially since the fluid is a pressurized system.

Teflon tape on the fitting would make no sense because you are then sealing the fitting threads ... which if the flare is seated properly should have no fluid pressure on them. Same with thread sealant .... you are sealing something that should not need to be sealed if the flair was seated.

But with a seated flair, grease between the end of the nut and the outside surface of the flair should do nothing but ease the friction between nut and flare during tightening.

Of course you would NOT want to put any grease or lubricant on seating surface of the flair which could contaminate the fluid.

As a disclaimer ... I've never used any grease on any brake line fitting. I use a vacuum pump to test SS lines before use. Just pull a vacuum on them and it should basically hold the vacuum pretty much forever. Granted, not the same as pressurizing them to several hundred PSI in use ... but better than nothing. And the vacuum will go down rapidly with even the tiniest of leaks.

[Chief of the 60's]

The chances are very high that it could get into the brake system. Allow me to repeat that... THE BRAKE SYSTEM. Do you put your wife and kids in that car? Do you like playing Russian roulette with something as critical as THE BRAKE SYSTEM? If anyone wants to "lube" the fitting, dip it in brake fluid.

[dataway]

There's a good idea .... the brake fluid should provide enough short term lube to ease the friction of tightening.

I wonder about non petroleum lubes like Krytox, safe to use on oxygen regulators, extremely high temp, and only about $10 a gram

I wonder about a lot of things.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by dataway

There's a good idea .... the brake fluid should provide enough short term lube to ease the friction of tightening.

I wonder about non petroleum lubes like Krytox, safe to use on oxygen regulators, extremely high temp, and only about $10 a gram

I wonder about a lot of things.

When I was a tech at Sears back in the early 80's (back when Sears was good), Sears had their own brand of brake cylinder lube for use when rebuilding wheel cylinders and calipers. It came in an aerosol can with a part number on it but you could not buy it. I never could find out the manufacturer or anywhere where anything like this could be purchased. I managed to sneak a can out which I still have and only use in time of dire need. It made installing caliper pistons in the bore like butter and the only thing I have ever seen that was compatible with brake fluid.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Not a problem!?!? Most leak.

If they were so fantastic why doesn't any manufacturer use them? Here is a hint, it is not about the cost.

At the recommendation of a good friend who was/is one of the best mechanics in the town I was living in at the time, I spec'd stainless brake lines when we started the restoration back in 1992. I've been driving the car since 1994.. Never had a leak.

Not when all the brake lines were run, not when we did a front disc conversion in 2013.

Your results may vary.

That said, if I were to do it today, I'd go with SUR&R's UltraBend Copper Nickel brake line. No rust and much more flexible. There are cheaper version's out there, but the quality isn't as consistent. It's all American made and has a lifetime warranty.



But seeing as how I paid for the stainless 25 years ago, I don't have to worry about replacing brake lines in my lifetime on the GTO.

[Chief of the 60's]

Funny thing about that NiCopp line is that I spoke to the guy that writes the rules for the NHRA a few years ago and he told me that if that line is used in a car that races on one of their tracks, the car will not pass tech. His reason is that NiCopp does not have a high enough Nickel content. I was told later by someone else that Volvo uses NiCopp in all their cars. I looked into the construction of NiCopp to find only 10% Nickel and 90% Copper. Too soft of line for my taste. Volvo might be using it but I will never own a Volvo and I put a lot of trust in my brakes so no one will ever convince me that NiCopp is as safe as steel.