Any mechanics in?

hairybiker · May 14, 2013

I just bought an 00 Laguna.
The brakes are iffy. I just replaced all the brake fluid and bleed all them to try and improve it, on the assumption it was old fluid, but still have same issue. First use is fine, but after that it gets further and further down the pedal until you have to pump them to get any braking.
The disks need replaced due to pitting but that shouldn't cause this issue? or would it?
So what to check next before I replace the disks/pads, could it be the servo?

PD · May 14, 2013

try pm to sledgehammer...hes a car mechanic....

Cyclops · May 14, 2013

Pump the peddle with the engine off and still pressing the peddle down start the car. Does the peddle go down any?

hairybiker · May 14, 2013

OK from off pumped to on it drops a bit then holds.

Cyclops · May 14, 2013

servo is working then. Have you done all the nipples up fully on the calipers? You may have a seal gone in one of the calipers that is letting air in?

hairybiker · May 14, 2013

I had "issues" with 2 of the bleed nipples, needed to force a 7mm spanner (& a mole wrench on the NSR) on to them to release them.
Will get more fluid and start again. Is there anyway of cleaning the master out as it seems to have some **** in it, and I didn't want to bleed it below the min level.
What I did was open a nipple, bleed it to min, top it up and repeat till the fluid was clear in the bleed pipe, is this right/wrong? :wha:

hairybiker · May 15, 2013

pm'ed sledgehammer.

Got a new bottle of BF, but the weather has been **** today.

Vossy1 · May 15, 2013

Is there anyway of cleaning the master out as it seems to have some **** in it, and I didn't want to bleed it below the min level.

Not without removing it and stripping it down.

What I did was open a nipple, bleed it to min, top it up and repeat till the fluid was clear in the bleed pipe, is this right/wrong?

that's the way I'd do it.
Are you using a non return kit when bleeding, ie, line from nipple to bottle with bf in it. I often found small amounts of air would get back into the lines when done manually, even when thinking you were shutting the nipple quickly....hopefully sledge will be along soon,

sledgehammer · May 15, 2013

hi hairy one (lol)
i'm not a mechanic yet (interview tomorrow) but i'm a enthusiast that does casual work in a garage when i'm needed
is your car just servo or ABS?
it sounds to me you may still have air in the braking system or you could have a failing flexi brake pipe
get somebody in the car and put pressure on the peddle and inspect the metal pipes for corrosion and the flexi pipes for bulging and all the joints and calipers for leaks
there may be a procedure for bleeding you will have to Google for that as i'm not back in the garage for a while
replace the brake bleed nipples (or you may introduce more problems) good motor factors will have them

good luck
if you still have problems post here again

Steve

TRXnMe · May 15, 2013

Get an easibleeder if you can, they apply pressure to the system via the master cylinder and allow you to bleed the brakes without pressing the pedal.

Good pedal, getting worse sort of sounds like air, but could be dodgy caliper pistons.

Does the pedal recover when you leave the brakes alone for a while? If so, you could have a sticky piston. Have you pumped the caliper pistons out a bit, peeled the seal back and checked for corrosion? Have you checked the caliper piston seals for condition?

Sticky pistons can be pushed back into place by the disc spinning past them, so that might sort out the pedal travel.

hairybiker · May 16, 2013

Its ABS, not had the brakes off, that was next job after I bled them.
I have disks at front and drums at back, not done any drum brakes since early 80's so forgoten howto.
Don't know if it recovers as never left it, but does sound like a piston is sticking then releasing doesn't it.

OK will strip the front brakes down today, if weather holds, nice now but black clouds about.

gl0ckage · May 16, 2013

I'd still say it's the air in the lines, buy some new nipples. Some cheap ones on ebay, once they are replaced use non return or 1 man bleed kit and bleed from there. You don't need to open and close the nipples with non return bleed kit and just keep pumping and topping up. Mine took a lot of fluid, I let the bottle fill then refilled the resi with it.

Gayle · May 16, 2013

Laguna :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

We have one - it's an expensive car to fix when anything goes wrong, (although it sounds like you can DIY it a bit, which is handy!) due to most of the parts being impossible to get at without taking out half the parts or the entire engine altogether, and just this week we've had to fork out for a new keycard due to the original one being flimsy and eventually breaking.

hairybiker · May 16, 2013

Well its a MK1, so no keycard.
Right removed front calipers and checked the pistons, seem OK, moved out when I pressed the pedal, and went back in (eventually after a bit of pressure). Can't get the back drums off, they are held with a torix screw and I don't seem to have that size (larger or smaller but not that one to hand).
Will see if I can get some more nipples, nowt on ebay for it so a visit to the car parts is on the cards. Will have to be after 24th and I will get a set of replacement disks/pads at the same time.
Thinking about taking it to ATS to get them to "check" the brakes, if they can release the screw all the better.
Also need a new set of gas struts for the hatch as one had seized.
If only the IC hadn't written off my old Mondeo, I wouldn't be doing this now, but needed a cheap car, so get the faults to go with it. :nono:

stevie1556 · May 16, 2013

I wouldn't recommend taking it to ATS. A few years ago I took my Astra SRi to them as a rear caliper kept seizing up. The mechanic (who kept messing around) then took my car out for a test drive to check the brakes. Wouldn't have minded but he did it without telling me, floored the car to get out of the garage, then turned the traction control off and went wheel spinning down the road all through the first and second gears. And to top it off the manager was behind the reception desk laughing about it to one of the other workers!

Personally, I would take it to a small independent garage for them to check. Hopefully it's something simple and a quick and easy fix!

hairybiker · May 16, 2013

I only want them to release the torx screws! No test drives, I know some of the guys at the local ATS, and they are usually OK. That and the fact the check is FREE. If I can find some more torx screwdrivers I will not even let them near them.
No way are they getting to replace them, not at their prices. I can get new disks & pads for Â£50 and they will charge something like Â£300 to do them.

Due to the high mileage I do (about 25miles/week!) I don't need high performance brakes, so the cheapest will do as long as they stop the car.

gl0ckage · May 19, 2013

Just measure the nipple thread with a vernier gauge, then look for the same width on Google or eBay.

After getting all my trade cards for tools and parts I won't pay anyone to touch my car or my motorbike. They charge too much, might take me a hour longer burs it's my free time doing my hobby.

hairybiker · May 31, 2013

Managed to get 2 nipples from the local car parts place. 75p each! Bargain!
Just fitted them and the new disc's & pads today.
Re-bled whole system used most of a new L of fluid to do it.
Result BRAKES! have an issue with one of the caliper slides that is stuck on the NS, managed to free the same one on the OS, but this one is truly stuck. Any ideas?

I went for a test drive after fitting the new disks and the difference was massive. But now I have the same issue but it recovers faster, so I assume it is the stuck slide causing me problems. Smoke from the brakes but that was just them bedding in (I think) - no smoke second time I had it out later.

gl0ckage · May 31, 2013

Wd40 on the slides everyday, careful not to get any on the disc, after a week roughly give the slides a knock to release the corrosion. If that doesn't work get some heat on it whichever is the weaker metal. Heat is last resort IMHO if still fails get mew caliperbfrom scrappers.

Any mechanics in?

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