Brake pedal sticks

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Vali68

Vali68

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I have a 68 Plymouth Valiant with a slant 6 in it. I notice since the car has been sitting for a year or so that now when I push on the brake pedal, the brake pedal sticks and I can put my foot behind it and release it. The brakes do work and the pedal doesn't go to the floor. So I don't think the brakes are bad. Driving it the brakes feel fine when they are applied. But it's just the brake pedal sticking that concerns me.

Anyone ever experienced this issue and how to fix it?

Here is what kind of Brake booster it has under the hood.
 

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Is the brake pedal lever hitting the steering column? or is the pivot bolt got some rust making it sticky?
 
player1up said:
Is the brake pedal lever hitting the steering column? or is the pivot bolt got some rust making it sticky?
Click to expand...

That was kinda my first thought. Perhaps some lubricant on the pivot point and work it back and forth is all it needs.
 
I'm gonna just take a wild stab and guess more towards......

A nearly 50 year old car sitting and rusting

Could be rust corrosion in the master cylinder / booster

Rust / corrosion in the brake pivot bearing.

Could be "a lot of things" related to that extended period of time.

What happens when you work the pedal by hand? Does it feel "stiff" coming back up?
 
It's not bad. I mean it doesn't take much pressure from my foot to pull it back up.
I had the brakes done a few years ago. They replaced the master cylinder at that time. So I'm hoping it is just pivot point stiffness.
 
If the lube on the pivot points does not work, then it is almost certainly crud/rust in the MC. I just went through this, and it was exactly that. A 'few years ago' is enough time to accumulate some moisture in the MC (brake fluid absorbs and holds in water) and to build up rust in the MC.

Take off the cap of the brake reservoir and look at the fluid. It is clear with a light yellow tint when new. If it is dark, and you can't see to the bottom of the reservoir, then it has absorbed mositure and there is rust/crud in the MC. You might have the fluid flushed out and the brakes re-bled 'titl there is clear, clan fluid coming aout as all 4 wheeld, to get the old fluid out of the system and it might help clear this up if not too bad.

It could also be the power booster piston not moving smoothly and returning. But I would start with the MC being crudded up.
 
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