Quite Urgent - Frozen brake lines and engine whine

[torqueluvr]

Moved out to the country recently and we currently have -30C weather. I plug the truck in overnight and during the day and it starts no problem. The truck is parked outside at night.

But, in the morning it starts with a horrible whine which is related to engine rpm and steering. It only lasts for about 5 minutes at idle, or 30 seconds or so if I decide to drive right away. Low power steering fluid? Alternator? What could it be?

Also, this morning I woke up and my brakes didn't work. Pedal is impossible to press and the E-brake (!) light comes on with maybe 1% braking power. I drove it up and down some country roads and got the engine about 1/4 away from operating temp still to no avail.

I did a search and in the 80s section they mention a frozen check valve? Does the 70 series have the same valve? Could it be old brake fluid losing its sub-zero abilities?

Help please, because until then I'm stuck at home.

 

[lumpy70]

The whine and stiffness is likely the power steering fluid warming up, and being a little thick at -30 to run through the lines.

Your brakes I imagine are a result of water in the lines being frozen. Bleed them, and I think your problem will be solved.

Craig.

 

[torqueluvr]

Thanks Lumpy70. The truck is in the garage right now and I think that should do the trick after a couple hours. I've been googling the brake line antifreeze but can't seem to find where to buy it. CanadianTire doesn't have it.

Any ideas?

 

[lumpy70]

Do a kick-but bleeding of your brakes, basically a full purge to new fluid. All 4 brakes, empty the master a few times, but you really need 2 people for that.

Craig.

 

[lumpy70]

So to perform a sanity check, I asked a couple of friends, and they pointed out that since the brake fluid doesn't circulate it just gets pushed back and forth, the only option is bleeding them.

I was thinking of air brakes.

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Bambino840]

I live near Edmonton, you must be close?

 

[torqueluvr]

I'm 2 mins north of spruce grove. The truck is in getting the brakes flushed. I normally do my own work but I don't like touching brakes. I'll update as the days go by. Hopefully it doesn't happen again. It was a good excuse for a snow day though .

 

[jfc]

brakes are generally a lot stiffer in cold weather, and the whining is normal when starting at thoes temps.

 

[torqueluvr]

Got the brake system flushed but still had the same problem this morning. Can a brake booster freeze up? Wheel cylinders?

Also, when i put the brake on the ebrake light comes on in the dash.

And, when i park it in the garage for a couple hours everything works.

Any suggestions? Need to get this fixed asap.

 

[jfc]

sounds like it might be a vaccume issue, low vacuume would triger the light, check for cracks in the lines

 

[jfc]

Got the brake system flushed but still had the same problem this morning. Can a brake booster freeze up? Wheel cylinders?

Also, when i put the brake on the ebrake light comes on in the dash.

And, when i park it in the garage for a couple hours everything works.

Any suggestions? Need to get this fixed asap.

Does the light come on when if the garage?

 

[Sno bored]

I have an 80, not a 70. I deal with temps -10 to -20 F many days during the winter. My check valve freezes up on me, but after pressing on the brake pedal 4-5 times my brakes start working normally. I sit in my driveway as I am pressing on the brake pedal, so it is not dangerous. I never get any brake lights coming on in my dash.

Do your brakes start working normally after pressing on the brake pedal a few times?

 

[kbushnz]

sounds like it might be a vaccume issue, low vacuume would triger the light, check for cracks in the lines

I tend to agree if that light comes on...
Bit of a long shot but if it is temperature related you could have moisture in the vaccume system...and its freezing....
Would have to break into the lines at each end of the system and blow it out with clean shop air.....
Might have cracked lines which have sucked up water over time.....

 

[torqueluvr]

When parked in the garage the brakes work fine and the ebrake light doesnt come on. I took it in to 4wheel auto (after sitting in my garage for 3 hrs and everything working) today and Dan is gonna see if theres any vacuum leaks, cracks in the lines, or a faulty brake booster, or if there is any moisture getting in. I normally work on the rig myself but I dont trust my skills when it comes to brakes. We'll see if they can find anything, and lets hope it freezes up again so they can work on it when the symptoms are there. Here's hopin.

 

[torqueluvr]

After smashing the brakes 6-7 times they still dont work. I read up avout the check valve earlier an tried that. I think i've got it down to moisture somewhere either in the lines, check valve, or booster. I'll keep the thread updated for future mudders.

 

[torqueluvr]

I'm leaning more towards a moisture/temp problem rather than a vacuum leak. But then again i'm a 4th year business student and a hopeless hobby mechanic, so we'll see what the real diagnosis is.