1st day out w/truck..end up on wrecker

[truck69]

You look to the 1st day of the summer out with your truck but it sometimes doesnt end good.My brother & his friend had my C20 for 3 mths. Redoing the engine(Put new cams..gaskets..carb) & brakes & Dual Exhust. Note: Even after this we still do have a bad Cyl. which we knew might still be a problem. I started the truck up..(sounded good). But after 1/2 driving to my home I could not get the truck to go above 50 mph and the engine was missing and the truck was slowing down. At this point I am going down a big hill. Not up it. I pulled into a drive way and when I came to a stop I noticed smoke coming from the right side fender. The truck would move back and forth but it felt like the brakes were holding. After calling a wrecker and a $120 tow bill I took it back to my brothers and he said it could not of been the ER brake because they disconnected it. He jumps in it and flies off and comes back after 10 mins. and says he finds nothing wrong. Does anybody have ideas of what the problem could be? Note: The person who did the brakes was just one of his buddies. Not a licensed mech.
Thanks Truck69

[cdowns]

hmmm 1st day out on the new board and you're double-posting already
post it once on one board -save space

[Blue Beard]

Are you talking about a bad cylinder in the motor or brakes?

[TugOwar]

Were the front rubber brake lines replaced? If not that could be the problem. Some times with old brake lines the inside layers of the rubber will split, crack, colapse inside. This will allow the fluid to flow to the caliper/wheel cylinder but not allow the pressure to be released when you let off the brake pedal, keeping pressure on that one brake.

If it does it again slide under there and crack the bleeder valve. If fluid squirts out and brake pads/shoes release then that is the problem.

My sons 77 C10 has a brake line doing this now that I need to replace and it doesn't do it all the time, which would explain why your brother had no problem when he drove it.

Good luck.

[truck69]

Sorry about the posting issue. Wont happen again. The Cyl. problem was in the engine. We took the old cam out and saw one of the lobes were rounded off. They tried to put umbrella's on it to try to solve the smoke problem but that didnt help. As to the brake lines being replaced...They "told me" they replaced all the brake lines with the money I gave them and the lines do look like their new but I can not be sure. I will give them your info you told me to have them check it out. That sure seems like what you have with the C10. When I told my brother what was happening he asked if it was pulling right or left? I said it pretty much when right down the middle of the road. But when I stopped alot of smoke came from the right side fender or from behind the tire. Felt like the brakes were on but in the cab the "Brake" light was not on but I could smell something within the cab. Truck just got slower and slower.

Thanks for the info. Truck69

[raggedjim]

I just had to replace the passengers front flexible hose on my mulching truck due to a collapsed hose locking up the brake. This is very common on old chevy's...

[truck69]

Thanks. I will make sure he checks the brake lines. Its no fun standing out in the middle of nowhere waiting for a wrecker.

Truck69

[Duallie]

I once drove a car with a new differential that happened to not get filled with oil. It ran fine for 1/2 an hour and then locked up solid. Came back the next day and drove it home, after it had cooled off. Sound familiar?
Of course the new diff was toast!