Strange goings on with the brakes.

[owenb341]

So after recently having new discs and pads, I have found that the N/S front calliper is a little sticky and gets very hot after a decent drive. It got to the point where after about 5 mins up the motorway the steering wheel began to judder, and even more so after braking. 

 

the other day with a few people in the car and on a hot day I lost all braking power with a spongy pedal. Brake fluid was over flowing from the reservoir. 

 

I took the car to my local mechanic who stripped the callipers, degreased and bled them. Everything seemed to be fine until it happened again with the wobbly steering and worser braking. 

 

With a suspected warped disc (brand new pagid), I opted to go for a new set of discs and a refurbed calliper. I drove the car again for about 10 miles up dual carriage way and a little bit of B roads. I understand that new discs and pads get hot but this was ridiculous compared to the O/S which was luke warm.

 

The next stage having agreed with my mechanic is to see how they bed in over the weekend, then he will get the car on a brake testing bed that they use for MOTs on the monday.

I have looked through the cars history, and have noticed that it has had issues with the same front N/S brakes before. This will be the 3rd calliper it's had.

The car is partial service history, 2003 with 53k miles. (yes 53k miles).

 

Has anyone had any similar experiences or could offer a solution? I am so close to going back to a trusty swedish battle barge

 

cheers,

Owen

 

 

[Magnet]

Hello Owen,

I’m sure you will appreciate that it’s always difficult to diagnose anything without examining the animal. Having read what you have said, I would be beginning to suspect the brake flexible hose on the offending side. These can deteriorate internally and as they break up, can effectively form a ‘one way flap valve’ which allows the pressurised fluid to move into the calliper, but not to adequately allow the pressure to be released. 

Just a stab Owen, but....

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[owenb341]

9 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Owen,

I’m sure you will appreciate that it’s always difficult to diagnose anything without examining the animal. Having read what you have said, I would be beginning to suspect the brake flexible hose on the offending side. These can deteriorate internally and as they break up, can effectively form a ‘one way flap valve’ which allows the pressurised fluid to move into the calliper, but not to adequately allow the pressure to be released. 

Just a stab Owen, but....

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Gareth, many thanks for the reply. I'll mention this to my mechanic. All I want is a solution to this! driving me mad!

[owenb341]

Hi Gareth,

 

Thats the flexi hoses swapped out for brand new ones to no avail.

 

Any more suggestions? Mechanic reckons new abs pump next

[Magnet]

Hello Owen, 

Sorry it didn’t work for you. When advising sight-unseen it’s always difficult to try to diagnose these/any issues. ABS unit? Possibly. I’m from the school of simple things first, which is fine if it’s on a DIY principle, but not so good if you are paying someone to look at the simple things! 

It it were mine, and if (in caps) I was examining the car myself at no charge to me, I would be checking that the caliper slides are properly free and the caliper carrier is free from any distortion. Also double checking the disc sits nicely on a cleaned and de rusted hub - garages sometimes/often don’t take as much care with this as a DIY person would, since time is money. Yes you can ask them to recheck these and other eliminating factors, but ..... 

Back to ABS units. Obviously this is where the costs comes in, and is replacing it going to guarantee to solve the problem? Yes it’s possibe it will, be let’s hope it doesn’t turn out to be another costly try-that experience. 

I could think about rigging up some trial brake pipework which would by pass the ABS unit supply to this caliper and do a quick trial-only test with that, but not simple, and would be costly if not DIYing, so I guess you are in their hands. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[owenb341]

My next step, is to get the car on an MOT testers brake resistance roller. Mechanic is going down the route of the other brake not working properly, if not at all. That would explain the lack of wear on the new disc on that side.

[Magnet]

Hello Owen,

I’m confused. You know you have an issue with the N/S front brake not releasing - that problem is not going to go away by any amount of brake rolling road testing. 

If your mechanic believes O/S is .....not working at all... then obviously this is a new issue. OK test will assess its efficiency, but as I say, will not do anything for the problem you have already highlighted. 

Incidentally, who fitted the new discs and pads, and what make were they? 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[owenb341]

First set were Pagid, Second set are Mintex, to save dosh. They were fitted at my local MOT garage, who so far has been reliable.

Im trawling the forums and the symptoms do suggest a servo and master cylinder.

[Magnet]

Hello Owen,

Obviously not saying this has anything to do with it, but Pagid is a brand name used by Euro Car Parts. Mintex was a once very well respected brand - now simply a bought out brand name. 

Re. your other suggested possibilities:- if master cylinder and or servo, why aren’t all (in caps) four wheels adversely affected? 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[owenb341]

Having read a few forums and looking at similar symptoms, I've decided to swap the master cylinder and servo out. Will let you know how it goes.

[Magnet]

Good luck Owen,

Not a logical decision in my book,  for reasons already explained, but........

Hope it sorts out your problem. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[owenb341]

Hi Gareth, what would you say the solution is?

[Magnet]

Very difficult to say Owen, since your posts introduce isolated problems with one brake then moves to reported problem with another brake - without knowledge of whether the first affected is still affected - if I’m reading this correctly, and I really don’t know if I am. 

Diagnosing at a distance? 3/4 impossible. All I can ask is:- why would a faulty master cylinder only affect one or two wheels rather than all four? Why would a faulty servo ( brake effort assist) do the same? 

If it were mine:- Get it to a local accommodating MOT station and get the brake efficiency checked at each wheel. This is an essential starting point. Then run the car and re- establish which wheel/s are causing any degree of overheating ( by comparing each wheel). You will then be getting a much clearer base point, and a feel for whether the situation changes wheel to wheel over a day or so. 

I’m sure your garage will renew any component you suggest - why wouldn’t they? It’s all work and money. Out come? ‘Well you asked us to change them sir’. 

Great question Owen! Really depends on having complete comprehensive detailed symptoms from a series of tests, so I cannot answer that unfortunately. ABS unit???? But note the ?? marks. 

Worth trying another garage and simply allowing them to diagnose the problem rather than suggesting to them what you think it may be? If they change something and it doesn’t solve the problem, then you talk about who pays for what! 

Keep us informed Owen,

Kind regards,

Gareth.