Brakes !!!

[Soulcharger]

The brakes on my 2.0 EFi are certainly not as they should be. A tad soft and don't stop anywhere near like I'd like them. The pads are good, servo working, no leaks, been
bleed but still feel like non-servo drum brakes. I can stop but need to watch my distance. Any suggestions ?

[Doctordiesel77]

Master cylinder leaking internally perhaps, does the pedal creep slowly down to the floor?

[Soulcharger]

Master cylinder leaking internally perhaps, does the pedal creep slowly down to the floor?

No pedal only soft does not go all way down.

[G4GLM]

I’d give it a bit of a fluid change. Just take fluid from each of the bleed nipples on the calipers / drums as though you were bleeding them keeping an eye on / topping up the reservoir. This will replace some of the old fluid which may have gained some unwanted moisture and will also remove any air which may be trapped.

[Soulcharger]

I’d give it a bit of a fluid change. Just take fluid from each of the bleed nipples on the calipers / drums as though you were bleeding them keeping an eye on / topping up the reservoir. This will replace some of the old fluid which may have gained some unwanted moisture and will also remove any air which may be trapped.

Thanks, will give it a go but we did change it completely last year.

[G4GLM]

Use a good quality fluid, make sure the bottles haven’t been shaken around or dropped recently, if so minute air bubbles could be trapped in the fluid and enter the system as you pour it in. Moisture can build up in brake fluid easily, it should be ok after a year but as you are having the problems I would give it a good bleed up and renew at least some of the fluid.

[Maestro384]

Do you use the car much have the calipers been refurbed as the Pistons tend to rust and not operate properly if not used often if it's not that and there's no leak it can only be the fluid that's lost some of its viscosity

[Doctordiesel77]

If the fluid is just a year old and brakes were ok until recently, it must be something that has changed, if handbrake is still ok and cable has not been adjusted recently then there is not that much left that wouldn't be obvious, a bulging hose I guess would have either been noticed or failed completely by now. Only other likely thing is the master cylinder, I once had problems with one and blamed the seal on the piston at the far end of the master cylinder allowing fluid to leak from its circuit and back, no visible leak, but bad pedal and bad brakes as only one circuit was working 100%

[Soulcharger]

Do you use the car much have the calipers been refurbed as the Pistons tend to rust and not operate properly if not used often if it's not that and there's no leak it can only be the fluid that's lost some of its viscosity

We're pretty much of the opinion that it is the calipers, I use the car regularly but previous owner rarely. Thanks

[Doctordiesel77]

If you are lucky it could be that someone has used copperslip on the sliding pins, this goes stiff and causes them to seize, if it is, it should clean off and replace with castrol ph or any other white brake grease...other than that it might be slightly more expensive, as the 'reduced to clear' calipers that were on ebay seem to have gone...

[E_T_V]

With the engine running and handbrake off press the brakes hard.
Then pull up the handbrake
Then release the brakes and re-apply them.
If the pedal travel is massively reduced then it is likely the rear shoe self adjusters need attention (also check the rear cylinder seals for leaks under the rubber boots too).

[Soulcharger]

With the engine running and handbrake off press the brakes hard.
Then pull up the handbrake
Then release the brakes and re-apply them.
If the pedal travel is massively reduced then it is likely the rear shoe self adjusters need attention (also check the rear cylinder seals for leaks under the rubber boots too).

Thanks for the tip will take a look at that. We did replace the rear drums with new cylinders and has been bled twice.

[Soulcharger]

We'll be taking the calipers off in January, I'm looking forward to refurbishing them, I just love that little fiddling around with parts like that

[Doctordiesel77]

We'll be taking the calipers off in January, I'm looking forward to refurbishing them, I just love that little fiddling around with parts like that

That's a dangerous thing to say, there could be a queue of people at your door with calipers to refurbish

[Soulcharger]

That's a dangerous thing to say, there could be a queue of people at your door with calipers to refurbish

I retired today so I'll have some time on my hands