jelly man Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 I have a 85 gl wagon with a hill holder problem. I adjust the hill holder so it functions properly -- but if I push the brakes extra hard (eg. on a steep slope) it locks up and will not let go! I have to set the parkinng brake and pop the hood and release the hill holder manually. It functions fine as long as I don't push the brakes extra hard. When it locks though, the brakes are locked at their extra hard setting and I burn the clutch up if I am at a busy intersection trying to get through. I have tried different adjustments on the hill holder and still have this problem. I have been driving it with the hill holder adjustment backed off all the way but I'd really like to use it. Has anyone else experienced this??? Any suggestions??? Looking at it a bit closer I can see that the harder the brake is pushed the farther the lever on the hill holder is turned. The clutch still releases it but evidently the lever is sticky and doesn't turn freely enough. Can this be lubed?? With what?? Can it be rebuilt or does it need replacing? I could make a modified return spring support to stretch the spring tighter but I'd rather fix the tightness in the lever cause it could just get worse and kill a tighter spring fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 My hill holder broke years ago and I have never fixed it (and never regretted it) The brake can be dangerous off road; If your climbing a hill and push in your clutch to roll back a bit, you will find your brakes locked up and you may be in an uncontrolable slide backwards with your brakes locked!!!!!!!! You won't be able to control the vehicle until you put the vehicle in neutral and release the clutch!!!!!!!!!!!! If you really find necessary to have it working try making your spring that retracts the H/H clutch tighter. We Utahns need to get together for an excursion! Glenn, 82 Hatch, .....transforming:temper: 01 Forester,..Jealous........:madder: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 I'm curious, just what exactly does the hill holder do? I'd imagine from the name that it actuates the brakes when starting out on a hill, but mine has never seemed to do anything. I'm in the middle of swapping a 5-speed D/R transmission into an '87 wagon that had a bad automatic trans, and if the hill holder in my '88 is broken, there's no point in swapping that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Dennis: It's so you can have the brakes "lock" and have your foot holding in the clutch and the other foot over the gas ready to go. That way you dont roll back. Kinda a nice thing but really not neccessary for anyone experienced with a manual transmission. ----- So the hill holder is under the hood?? I thought it was in the rear with that mess of brake lines. What is that funny looking thing with 4 lines going to it in the rear then? Just a porportioning valve for the rear? Is it REALLY needed? Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 The hill holder is under the hood, follow the cable in back of the clutch cable and it will lead you to the brake master cylinder. Where the cable meets the master cylinder is the hill holder mech. It has a spring to retract it when the clutch cable is released. I think the "mess of brake lines" in the rear is really fuel lines leading to the evaporator box from the charcoal filter. These lines zig zag endlessly back and forth under the car for some reason. The brake lines are fairly straight forward. The hill holder will just get in your way!!!!!!!!!! off-road. For what its worth, Glenn 82 Hatch, ...transforming:temper: 01 Forester.....jealous....:madder: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 I DONT GET IT So I dig out this funny vavle I've removed from my '88 GL wagon. When I talked to mudrat79 about it on the phone I described it as a cylinder housing with 3 lines hooked upto it. I was wrong; it has FOUR, 2 on each side, of a 4" aluminum cylinder. Funny little cap at the end of the cylinder too. Suposidly the porportioning valve is in the front; under the bonnet. I looked and It's not there unless they hid it behind the brake booster assembly. Lines to go from the master cylinder to the hill holder and direcly to the front calipers from what I can tell so far. Two more go up on both sides of the fire wall and dip into the car. Coming along the floor and to the rear bench seat. They descend into the rear subframe assembly (BETWEEN THE BODY AND MAIN X-MEMBER WHERE MINE BROKE! ) go to thi crazy cylinder and 2 more lines come out to corresponding drums. It's got to be the main porportioning valve The whole assembly (cylinder, lines, fittings) are shot. I could maybe reuse the cylinder but why reuse all the lines and fittings that's just going to break again on both sides. I hope the dealership has perfect replacment lines?? That would be too easy. Those 2 custom lines I was going to have made are out the window; this assembly is critical to the brakeing, correct? Fun stuff, Thx !_! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 That object in the rear is just a Definaly a good thing. This must be why I find it nearly impossible, unless I really try, to send my wagon into a tail spin. Need to do up some brake lines I guess and bolt it back on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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