Hard Brakes 1990 Lincoln Mark VII

[StincolnLincoln]

Gold 1990 Lincoln Mark 7 LSC
now has 67k in miles.

I changed the relay and the accumulator ball and have no lights on the dash and I can jump the 3 to the 4 switch to turn the pump on and the brakes work fine for about 30sec. but I noticed that when I changed the accumulator ball that no brake fluid came out at all even though the brake fluid pod is full and there was none in the old or the new accumulator.

 

[StincolnLincoln]

more pics

 

[Elessee]

If you posted more details about your brake problems I missed them. However, a couple of the symptoms sound familiar so I'll just tell you what happened to me.

My car ('88 LSC) had brakes for about 30 seconds and then nothing. A Lincoln dealership couldn't find the problem, and wanted to replace ALL brake components (to guarantee their work) for around $2,500, so the car was given to me.

The fluid reservoir has a round, paper filter inside, at the very bottom. I know this because I cut mine open. The reservoir cannot be disassembled.
I know that filter was clogged because almost no fluid drained (by gravity) when I pulled the rubber hose off the bottom nipple on the reservoir. There is no suction here. Gravity alone must feed enough to keep the pump full of fluid.

So, there was some fluid getting into the system, and there was some in the accumulator ball, but that pressure quickly ran out whenever the brakes were applied. The pump was mostly sucking air. All brake components were OK and functioning normally.

At first I suspected the ball, but it's just a steel ball with a rubber diaphragm inside. If there is any brakes at all, that ball is "accumulating" pressure and the diaphragm is ok. The only other thing that can be wrong with the ball is if it leaks externally, and that is bad rubber seals/O-rings, but not the ball itself.

Anyway, a "new" wrecking yard plastic reservoir cost me $6 for what Lincoln wanted $2500 for... I guess they never actually got their hands dirty and only ran diagnostic tests.
The fluid drained out fast so I installed that reservoir and no more brake problems.

I've asked what could have caused the brake fluid filter to get clogged with gummy goo, but nobody's had a good answer so far.

 

[StincolnLincoln]

After many hrs of research and some diag.... It finally clicked once i noticed after changing the Accumulator Ball that I purchased from SpinningWheel.com and then the Relay. I noticed no fluid coming from the whole when I released the accumulator ball. I also jumped the 4 and 5 plug and the pump came on without any issues. It all came down to the brake pressure warning switch. I ordered one from a seller on ebay and WALLAH!!!!!! after more hrs of grinding down a 36mm deep socket first with my dremal and then going to my uncles shop and using his grinding machine. I finally removed the bad switch and in with the new!!!! Just have to bleed it properly.