NO BRAKES - '86 pontiac trans am

I hope I'm doing this posting stuff right....
The brake light on dash came on last night and when it did...the brakes were gone. The peddle went almost to the floor but stopped the car. When I got back home, I noticed a "puddle". It felt like baby oil, had no smell and was where the rear driver wheel was. My question is, could it have something to do with the master cylinder? A friend put fluid in, but don't you have to do something else when the fluid is completely gone? My friend doesn't know ANYTHING about cars and is 72 yrs old, but he's the only one I knew to help, money shortage.....

 

it sounds like you have a severe leak, probably the wheel cylinder. if that's the case, the cylinder should be replaced, in fact, it should be done on both sides, as well as replace the brake linings as they have been contaminated with brake fluid now.

your vehicle is unsafe to drive with a leak like that, even after having added fluid to it. it should be repaired where it now sist, or be towed.

 

THANK YOU sooooo much for answering me back. do you know what would be the price range? I know you can't be precise but if you could give me an idea, I would at least know what to expect. thank you again SO MUCH.

 

i'd guess around 75-100 for parts and then 3 hours labor at whatever the going rate is in your area. where i am thats around 60/hour for an independent (more for the dealer)...so 250-300.

 

My first thought was a rusted out brake line on a northern car (from road salt), but I notice gkaiye274 is here in the Sunshine State (Kissimmee). Labor's a bit higher down here, especially when you're spittin' distance from Disney; I wouldn't be surprised if the independents over there would go $80/hr.

 

yowzaaa!! there go my plans for moving south...

 

I got it repaired....YOWZAA is right. it was $390.00 but I guess that was within the range...from what you guys were saying. Thank you so much for your help. I LOVE THIS SITE!!! A good one to know about especially for those of us that have no one to give advice about this kind of stuff.
thanks again....

 

what exactly was wrong, so others will know.

 

And what WAS the labor rate? Just curious if I was in the ballpark.

 

FYI...if your brake fluid res. runs dry....you must find leak and bleed the brakes.

 

Sorry 'bout that.....new to this site. Labor was $50 hr. He replaced wheel cylinder, (both sides) master cylinder and brake drum (both sides). It says on the receipt he "bled" them too. Thank you again. Kaiye

 

Wow, I'm shocked at the $50 labor rate; very reasonable.

 

I guess I should have added that the mechanic is a guy my son went to school with. He moved up here after high school and my son put him in touch with me. I think it would have been way more expensive if my son hadn't known him. Thanks evry1 !!!

 

Just one more question. What's the difference in wheel cylinder and the master cylinder?

 

The dfferance is the master cyl is in the engine compartment and holds the fluid. It also pushes the fluid thru lines to the wheel cyl thru tubes. The wheel cyl is what puses the brake shoes into the drums to cause friction to stop car.

 

Thank you for the explanation and all the help here.....I'll probably be back....in the near future.
thanks to all of you.
Kaiye