This summer, I started changing the brake fluid in all my cars, including my Lincoln.
I followed the same procedure I used on my Cadillacs, but when I thought I was done, the car suddenly lost all its brakes and the brake warning light came on.
I was completely baffled. After a web search (or I should’ve just read the shop manual before I started bleeding), I found the answer in a Lincoln forum.
Turns out, you can’t bleed these brakes with a vacuum bleeder, according to the manual.
The correct way to do it is to pressure bleed it from the master cylinder.
There’s a metering valve underneath the car that you need to release if you run into problems.
The shop manual says you need a special tool, but a simple screwdriver worked just as well. Follow the brake lines to find the valve right in the center underneath the engine at a crossbar. The pin is underneath a rubber gasket. Pull it out and bleed the brakes.
After I did that, the brakes were working perfectly again. Interestingly, earlier years of the Mark III had a different valve that even needed calibration and was much more complicated. I’m glad I have a 71, which doesn’t have that system.

That's the valve you have to open

Tags:1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III, Repair, 1971, Brake Fluid, Bleeding, Lincoln Mark III Repair Tip

Since you should change your brake fluid every two years, it’s time to do it on all my cars. I started with the Buick Roadmaster. I gave it a good flush with DOT3 fluid. It’s an easy job on these cars because they have a vacuum bleeder.

The Roadmaster got some fresh brake fluid


Enjoying a drive afterwards with my son.

Tags:Brake Fluid, Brakes, Bleeding, Dot3