Brake fluid reservoir draining

[Phoenix]

After replacing the front hood shocks with heavy duty ones from our host (what a difference!), I decided to clean up the trunk area a bit underneath the carpeting. (Don't ask me why I want to clean under the carpeting. Just spending some quality time with Phoenix.)

After cleaning in and around the brake fluid reservoir (with a separate rag of course), I noticed what appears to be a small overflow drain hose. I followed it down thinking it would go through the body somewhere and drain to the ground. To my surprise, it ends near the left front battery and drains INTO the trunk area?.

Is this original? If not, where should it drain?

Any ideas?

[ghnat]

It should drain near the front wheel. If it is a white plactic hose, as on my 87, it will go through the body near the left front wheel and exit under the bumper shock.

[Phoenix]

ghnat:
Thanks for the quick reply. It's a '73 with what looks to be the original and uncut hose. It's not really long enough to get down to and under the bumper shock. When fully extended, it reaches 3-4 inches past the battery. I'm looking for some sort of exit point down around the fuse box.

Even then, should it drain down the body? That would seem to just ask for corrosion?

[ghnat]

On mine it does exit right under the Ground point for the battery negative (left front fender). Mine does not drain down the body. The end is extended away from the body and points down.

I would hope yours does exit the car. There should be many folks here with long-hood knowledge - any help???

[911pcars]

Brake fluid may leak out of that hose if it becomes hot (as in continuous braking) or the reservoir is overfilled. High G's might do it too. It's also a very good paint remover. I would fashion a small reservoir to contain any overflow. I've seen a plastic 35mm film container used for this but perhaps something a little larger is better. Maybe something like this:


The magnet mount is handy - no drilling.

Sherwood

[SCOTITUDE]

Had same problem with escaping brake fluid except PO has the hose emptying into the driver's footwell!!! What a moron. I now have the overflow hose draining into a plastic bottle wedged next to the brake booster. Before this fix I had the hose emptying out under the car but found the bottom of the car covered in brake fluid at DE events. Just a quick aside, if you go theoverflow container route, chuck the brake fluid collected. Don't put it back into the system.

[Phoenix]

Many thanks guys. looks like i'm not the only one with this issue.

I'll look around for a suitable container.

Any plastics I should stay away from?

[randywebb]

1. Did you figure out where the overflow exited on your '73?

2. Do you know the dia. of the hose?

Thanks!

[randywebb]

Let me ask another question to avoid $14 shipping on a $1.50 part...

What plastics are not affected by brake fluid? i.e. what commonly available hose can I run?

[Nine9six]

Randy,
Certainly any fuel hose will work.

[randywebb]

Thanks - looks like the ID is ~ 5 mm, BTW.

I've never seen thin walled fuel hose like that. I'm not sure it will run thru the various palces the stock one goes (?)

[HarryD]

This was discussed at the Early S Registry BBS (http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8513&highlight=brake+hose).

My solution was to poke a PVC hose through a hole in the pan near the left battery.



RSexS had this solution where it poked through one of the Grommets on the front fo the trunk near the left battery.

[randywebb]

Thx - I saw that thread - how is the PVC holding up?

Some other threads cited lifetimes of only a couple years for PVC and of a 'few' years for polyethylene (IIRC).

[HarryD]

Randy,

So far so good. It has discolored but seems intact. I figure I will just repalce every few years. Costs less than $5.00 and takes five minutes.