smart51
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 05:07 PM |
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Brakes to the floor - what can it be?
I just went out in the car to test something else and at the bottom of the street found I had no brakes. The pedal oozed to the floor with minimal
braking. Back at the house I pumped the pedal a few times and it came back to normal if not really hard.
I've checked all the joints and callipers in the system and there are no leaks. The master cylinder is filled just to the max line as it has
always been. The brakes were just fine a couple of weeks ago. The brake fluid is probably 12 to 18 months old thinking about it.
What is likely to have gone wrong in 2 weeks?
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Doofus
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 05:13 PM |
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I know of a couple of cars (mine included) where the pressure switch for the brake lights leaked.
One completely fell apart and another just leaked air into the system which made everything spongy.
Do you have one fitted?
Worth a check and for leaks in general.
[Edited on 27/2/09 by Doofus]
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smart51
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 05:43 PM |
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It does have a pressure switch, which I checked with all the other fittings. There seem to be no leaks anywhere I can put my hand.
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jacko
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 05:50 PM |
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front calipers what make have you got ?
some one i know is having the same problem and we were thinking what could it be
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smart51
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 05:51 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by jacko
front calipers what make have you got ?
some one i know is having the same problem and we were thinking what could it be
Sierra. Recon ones. Have been fine for ages.
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austin man
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:01 PM |
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sieera master cylinders are prone to failing. I have had a previous car where the master cylinder seals went which allowed ar to be drawn in tothe
cylinder a few pumps gave me pressure then they went again, in this instance there was no fluid loss you could see bubbles in the resevoir.
My sierra master cylinde has just failed check the back of yours you may find that it is weeping. Just bought a new one from the bay of e for £40.00
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
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jacko
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:10 PM |
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Thanks not the same make as his then
Graham
I have just had a thought i had a ford orion years ago that did the same thing i found out it was gritt in the oil in the master cylinder that got
under the rubber seal's
[Edited on 27/2/09 by jacko]
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bonzoronnie
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:11 PM |
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My money is on the master cylinder seals.
As the previous post stated. Seldom have any fluid loss when they go.
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cloudy
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:15 PM |
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I just failed because of a leaky brake switch, best to nip up all brake connections and rebleed...
James
www.warnercars.com
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smart51
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:21 PM |
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I have twin wilwood master cylinders, which are now 3 years old. Do they have a habit of failing?
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RoadkillUK
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 06:59 PM |
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We had to replace our master cylinder in 2007 because the bores had worn, we did change the seals but it was just the same as before.
After changing the MC, the brakes were solid.
Ours was an original MC from a 78 Escort 1.3. We found a replacement on eBay described as 'Mk2 escort Capri New Girling master cylinder',
it wasn't cheap.
HTH
Roadkill - Lee
www.bradford7.co.uk
Latest Picture (14 Sept 2014)
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 07:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
I have twin wilwood master cylinders, which are now 3 years old. Do they have a habit of failing?
With twin master cylinders and bias bar set up If one of the master cylinders has failed then all the pressure applied to the pedal just pushes the
failed M/C pushrod and doesn't apply pressure to the working M/C .
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jacko
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| posted on 27/2/09 at 07:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
With twin master cylinders and bias bar set up If one of the master cylinders has failed then all the pressure applied to the pedal just pushes the
failed M/C pushrod and doesn't apply pressure to the working M/C .
That sounds bloody dangerous 
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smart51
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| posted on 28/2/09 at 06:21 PM |
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The pedal was still firm this morning so has been OK over night. I bled all the brakes out to minimum in the reservoir twice, replacing the fluid
with new. The pedal is now much firmer and the front wheels lock up a little more easily.
Its still a bit worrying though. Like they said on fifth gear, acceleration is just fine but nothing beats stopping when you REALLY have to.
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