Brake and Fuel Lines - need to replace

The brake lines are leaking. The photo shows the point were it seems to start (passenger side) outside frame, roughly front of door?



I have not done a brake line job, have no tools. So I want to make it as easy as possible for me.

a) what lines (all fuel and brake line) should I replace?
b) What diameters do I need?
c) If splicing sections, how do I get the existing, cut line connected to the new section (which has a crimp and a male fitting on it). Does Autozone rent a flaring to and sell the female fitting?

honestly, if you have never done brake lines before take it to a professional. getting the flares right so they wont leak takes practice and can be very frustrating. also, the rear brake lines go over the rear subframe so you have to remove either the subframe or the gas tank (subframe makes it easier to run the lines, but then you have to get an alignment).

How much do you figure is the cost to have the job done? If in the range of $100, I'll have the pro do it. If not, its time to start the painful learning curve (you got to start somewhere).
I have read a post where someone just routed the new lines different to avoid the tank hazzle?
How much of do I jeopardize the quality of the job by splicing (to avoid the fideling/bending in the engine bay)?

it will be several hundred $$$ to have a professional do it. its worth it though if you dont know what you are doing. the chances of having a line leak is pretty good if you dont know how to properly make the flares. of course, with proper flares and fittings there is little chance of having problems with it.

i would hate to see you wreck or have the car catch on fire due to leaking lines because you couldnt quite get the flares right.

If you've never done this sort of thing before, there is a steep learning curve, and the flaring and bending tools alone are going to set you back more than $100. You're also going to face preparing the tubing ends to fit all the wacky Ford connections, or reusing the OEM tubing ends and adding numerous flare splices, which are all going to be leak-magnets.

If you can't find a supplier who makes pre-bent steel lines for these cars, I would suggest looking for a CEG member who's parting a car from Southern California, Arizona or New Mexico, and see if they'll pull the lines for you. I've visited junkyards in New Mexico and Arizona, and the condition of old cars there is stunning. The interiors are wrecked because of the sun, heat and UV, but underhood and underbody are often looking like new. I've pulled 25 year-old parts with the paint blasted off to bare metal and only a trace of surface rust.

Edit: What's your location? I grew up in Michigan and have seen some car corrosion, sent some cars to the JY for it, but I've never seen steel lines looking like that. If I took a picture of the same section of my 11 year old 100K mile Colorado CSVT, you'd be using Google Maps to find out where I live and steal my new-looking lines. :laugh:

my '95 lived in Minnesota for nearly all it's life. all that salt and dirt from the winters from MN plus a year of salt and sand from the Florida coastline caused the break lines to rust through by 2004/2005.

paid a professional to replace them and definitely didn't regret it!

Tools would come from Autozone. From the master to under the passenger side door, both rear lines. Connection fitting to the master from Autozone (I assume flare).
the car is a 1995 Contour Duratec driven by an old lady, but in hiatus for 2 years (or so?). 90,000 mls, but extreme short distance. Pour soul thought he got a good deal, with just a frozen engine. Turned out trans locked, windows stuck, all wires bare/rotted, brakes shot, window seals leaking or missing, front spring broken, radio wires cut, tachometer not working, exhaust rusted and leaking, exhaust flange not one bolt and bent, leaking, head lights 'dim', bulb out. Power steering leaks, rear wheel bearings/hubs extremely noise.

The entire mess only became clearer when we were already too deep into the project. Now brake lines are next and MUST be done without spending hundreds.

gmorrell said:

I would suggest looking for a CEG member who's parting a car from Southern California, Arizona or New Mexico, and see if they'll pull the lines for you.

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Do this. I think there are enough part-outs going on at any given moment that you should be able to get a set of lines fairly quickly. You may end up removing more stuff for the removal and re-install but the bends will likly be accurate and not having splices will be very valuable.