Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Suspension/Steering => Topic started by: thunderjet302 on April 27, 2006, 05:31:49 PM

Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 27, 2006, 05:31:49 PM
Hey guys I was wondering if the vaccum line for the auto parking brake release was attached to the vaccum tree by the power break booster? I remeber someone saying that the B/R vaccum line went to the auto parking break release but I could be wrong. I was hoping I could just pull the line under the hood because I don't want to have to crawl under the dash to plug it if I don't have to:D
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: CougarSE on April 27, 2006, 05:44:13 PM
You have an auto parking brake release?
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 84t-bird on April 27, 2006, 06:15:17 PM
my car had it:hick: i just climbed under the dash to block it off.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: tbirdscott on April 27, 2006, 06:36:38 PM
My 82 has one of those, i'm afraid to use it cause I dont think it will release...
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: DakotaEpic on April 27, 2006, 07:06:40 PM
Auto?  Are you talking about the little foot pedal all the way to the left with the lever above it to release it?  Or is this something completely different?
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 84t-bird on April 27, 2006, 07:25:28 PM
Quote from: DakotaEpic
Auto?  Are you talking about the little foot pedal all the way to the left with the lever above it to release it?  Or is this something completely different?

yah its that thing and they have a vaccum release on some cars so when you put it in drive the park brake disengages
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: Nate on April 27, 2006, 08:50:01 PM
our lincoln has it and it works. iv noticed the line their before but never touched it or trusted it to work, considering the ebrake usualy hangs up on these cars sence their auto and nobody uses them ever.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: EricCoolCats on April 27, 2006, 10:59:42 PM
There is one line that goes from the B/R (Brake Release) nipple on the main vacuum tee in the engine bay, through the firewall, then to a junction on the steering column, all the way underneath the dash and next to the firewall (white in color). There is another line from there over to the pedal. It's only on column shift cars that were equipped with it. The premise is that you actually use the parking brake, and if you're too lazy to reach under and release the pedal with your hand (or if you forget LOL), starting the car and putting it into gear will release the pedal for ya.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: CougarSE on April 27, 2006, 11:04:58 PM
Would this be somthing that all LSC's would have come with?  And aside crawling under the dash and looking for astray vacume hoses are there any easy ways of spoting it?
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 27, 2006, 11:31:17 PM
So can I just pull this line under the hood so I don't have to crawl under the dash to plug it? I just want to make sure this vacuum line dosen't feed to anything else. Mine has stopped working and it just leaks vacuum really bad now. I want to plug it and stop the vacuum leak. I've tried to by the little white cresent shaped thing that releases the brake but every time I go to the Ford dealer they say they can't get it anymore.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 84t-bird on April 27, 2006, 11:34:19 PM
thats what i was told also thats why i just plugged it like you want to.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: tbirdscott on April 27, 2006, 11:56:42 PM
Quote from: CougarSE
are there any easy ways of spoting it?

No manual release handle, just a pedal.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 28, 2006, 12:00:55 AM
Nope mine has a manual relese pull lever like every other Tbird and the automatic parking break.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: tbirdscott on April 28, 2006, 12:24:46 AM
mmmkay, then where the hell did the handle on my 82 go to lol
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: Blck85TBirdV8 on April 28, 2006, 10:48:45 AM
I just went out to see if I have an automatic brake release and I do. I noticed it was unhooked. I hooked it up, and now I know why they unhooked it. It leaked pretty bad. So I undone everything.

I wonder if it was standard on all LX cars since both mine and thunderjet's cars are LX's?
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 28, 2006, 12:47:55 PM
I know all Tbird LXs with the column shifter had the auto parking brake but I don't know what Cougars did. Hey Blck85TBirdV8 how was yours unhooked? Was it unhooked under the dash or at the vacuum tee under the hood by the brake boster?
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: Blck85TBirdV8 on April 29, 2006, 12:12:31 AM
it was unhooked under the dash and the nipple thing on the tree was backwards. So really the only thing you need to do to unhook it is to turn the nipple on the tree around.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: thunderjet302 on April 29, 2006, 03:28:47 PM
Thanks :D . I just disconected the line under the dash and shoved a small bolt in it. Vola no more vacuum leak:hick:
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 88 Blackbird 5.0 on November 28, 2011, 01:07:37 PM
I recently bought a pristine dash and am ready to install it, but I'm stumped by something.  When I pulled the old dash, there was a vacuum line hanging, disconnected right over where the fuse block goes.  I'm thinking that HAS to be for an automatic parking brake release, but for the life of me, I can't find where it's supposed to go.  The car is an 88 TC.  Since the car has ATC, the vacuum line couldn't be for HVAC purposes.  I've scoured the steering column area for a junction to hook this vacuum line to and don't see anything.  Any ideas?  I've checked the pedal area for an auto-release mechanism and don't see one of those either.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: ZondaC12 on November 28, 2011, 02:26:04 PM
I don't know if the red car's one worked or not, never knew that this was what made the vacuum leak that changed when I moved the column shifter. The crown vic has it and workED flawlessly. My friend and I made so many late-night trips to McD's/taco bell and I'd always use it in the drive thru. He'd just shake his head while I had a huge grin on my face. :rollin:

Now....with the shortblock I hastily bought to get the car running again, the guy BEFORE the guy I bought it from put a mild cam in it, and now it doesn't pull enough vacuum to actuate it :( :hick:
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 88 Blackbird 5.0 on November 30, 2011, 12:38:06 PM
Since the RWBB is a floor-shifted car (it's a TC) I guess I shouldn't be surprized that I didn't find an auto parking brake release.  What has me absolutely baffled though, is why in the world would a car with EATC and NO automatic parking brake release have a vacuum line running through the firewall?  The auto temp controls don't use vacuum like manual ones do.  I just don't understand that.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: ZondaC12 on November 30, 2011, 12:54:57 PM
Maybe it's universally part of all dash assemblies, there for a car that's optioned with it, and vestigial when it's not there. I also wondered if maybe it had to do with the dump valve on the brake pedal that tells the cruise servo to shut off when you hit the brakes but as I remember fixing my cruise servo there were only 1/4" (or whatever exact size) rubber hoses going to it not a thin hard plastic vac line.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: 88 Blackbird 5.0 on November 30, 2011, 01:00:24 PM
That must be the case.  I removed the hose before I put the new dash in.  There's no sense in leaving the hose in if it serves no purpose.
Title: automatic parking break release
Post by: MY83T on December 22, 2011, 08:21:16 PM
my 83 Heritage and a 84 elan i owned both had the option.  Always worked without a hitch.....