SCARY moment
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SCARY moment
a trip to the hospital for my check up
nearly turned out as me as a emergency patient
my brakes completely failed... (were ok yesterday)
handbrake to the rescue...
after check up made it home very gingerly
i cant see any loss of fluid anywhere.
and if i pump the brakes many times i get a bit of pedal..
your thoughts please on where to start looking.
nearly turned out as me as a emergency patient
my brakes completely failed... (were ok yesterday)
handbrake to the rescue...
after check up made it home very gingerly
i cant see any loss of fluid anywhere.
and if i pump the brakes many times i get a bit of pedal..
your thoughts please on where to start looking.
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- Minor Legend
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- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:42 pm
- Location: Whiteabbey, Co Antrim
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Re: SCARY moment
A scary moment indeed, happened me once coming off the end of a motorway onto a roundabout.......
Obvious first check is the master cylinder to check how much fluid id in there. i would also have a quick look at each wheel to see if any obvious wettness. If not next thing I would check is to see if inside the chassis leg is wet as the seals can go and the fluid goes inside the leg, there is a drain hole under the MC but its often covered over by underseal. If the inside of the leg is wet, i would suggest at least new seals in the MC and possibly a new one and while you working at the brakes give them a good check over at each wheel.
Obvious first check is the master cylinder to check how much fluid id in there. i would also have a quick look at each wheel to see if any obvious wettness. If not next thing I would check is to see if inside the chassis leg is wet as the seals can go and the fluid goes inside the leg, there is a drain hole under the MC but its often covered over by underseal. If the inside of the leg is wet, i would suggest at least new seals in the MC and possibly a new one and while you working at the brakes give them a good check over at each wheel.
Too many Minors so little time.....
Re: SCARY moment
Brake Pipes too, They can go rusty, or in our case one of them was joined together with a small piece of rubber (which was permitted back in days of old i guess)
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- Minor Maniac
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Re: SCARY moment
Tiny
Never known a Minor or any other car fitted with rubber/flexable joining hoses that were not properly manufactured brake hoses!
On a Minor the only rubber brake hoses should be the two front and the one rear flexible hoses.
Rubber sleeves were put over and around the metal brake pipes in the areas of known chaffing. Perhaps that is what you thought was a rubber joining hose and the metal pipe rusted under it.
When fitting new metal brake pipes it is best to use Cunifer metal piping for the metal brake pipes as it does not rust.
Never known a Minor or any other car fitted with rubber/flexable joining hoses that were not properly manufactured brake hoses!
On a Minor the only rubber brake hoses should be the two front and the one rear flexible hoses.
Rubber sleeves were put over and around the metal brake pipes in the areas of known chaffing. Perhaps that is what you thought was a rubber joining hose and the metal pipe rusted under it.
When fitting new metal brake pipes it is best to use Cunifer metal piping for the metal brake pipes as it does not rust.
Re: SCARY moment
Think this was more a bodge that the previous owner had performed, needless to say it has all now been renewed with proper brake lines...
However it is worth checking to see that the Original Poster hasn't been caught by the same cowboy antics, I would hope his MOT would catch this too
However it is worth checking to see that the Original Poster hasn't been caught by the same cowboy antics, I would hope his MOT would catch this too
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- Minor Addict
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Re: SCARY moment
Samuria, try this - lift up drivers carpet, undo the filler cap to the master cylinder (place paper towel on the surrounding areas) and give the brake pedal a full press. You should get some fluid being squirted out (if there is any in there).
Screw the top back on and see if the pedal has returned.
I mention this only because that is how I got my pedal back, accidentally, on my Traveller when I first bought it.
When I picked it up, it had no pedal - just a working handbrake, so driving it off the transporter was a bit hairy.
It then began to work OK without any bleeding.
George.
Screw the top back on and see if the pedal has returned.
I mention this only because that is how I got my pedal back, accidentally, on my Traveller when I first bought it.
When I picked it up, it had no pedal - just a working handbrake, so driving it off the transporter was a bit hairy.
It then began to work OK without any bleeding.
George.
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
Re: SCARY moment
The brake pipe pressure is of the 200/300 psi order.......a 'rubber tube' wouldn't last 2 seconds......
Re: SCARY moment
it's looking like the m/c ...
found the drain hole under it and yes
brake fluid is dripping out..
so i will have to take out the m/c...
is it worth fitting new seals?????
or best to buy a new m/c
found the drain hole under it and yes
brake fluid is dripping out..
so i will have to take out the m/c...
is it worth fitting new seals?????
or best to buy a new m/c
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- Minor Friendly
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Re: SCARY moment
depends on the state of the bores on the master , if theyre clean and smooth try resealing it , if they are scored replace it altogether
Re: SCARY moment
i was thinking new m/c...
so i would only have to fit it
once... where the seal kit may not last ...
so i would only have to fit it
once... where the seal kit may not last ...
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- Minor Legend
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- Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
- MMOC Member: No
Re: SCARY moment
As it looks like the seals have failed on your M/C don't bother with replacement seals. The bottom of the bore of the M/C will have pitted allowing fluid to leak past.
You will have to remove the cylinder to replace the seals ( to then find out it is still leaking after you have put it back) so it's false economy to go down that route.
Look on the the bright side, it's probably time to replace the brake fluid anyway
You will have to remove the cylinder to replace the seals ( to then find out it is still leaking after you have put it back) so it's false economy to go down that route.
Look on the the bright side, it's probably time to replace the brake fluid anyway
Richard
Opinions are like people,everyone can be different.
Opinions are like people,everyone can be different.
Re: SCARY moment
Good thinking!samuria wrote:i was thinking new m/c...
so i would only have to fit it
once... where the seal kit may not last ...
Re: SCARY moment
anyone have any tips on doing this
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- Minor Legend
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Re: SCARY moment
I followed these instructions when I did mine, http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?page=320
Richard
Opinions are like people,everyone can be different.
Opinions are like people,everyone can be different.
Re: SCARY moment
m/c removed
it didn't look to bad....
i drain what was left in it..
and water was mixed with the remaining brake fluid
new one on order+ new flexy pipes etc...
it didn't look to bad....
i drain what was left in it..
and water was mixed with the remaining brake fluid
new one on order+ new flexy pipes etc...
Re: SCARY moment
Looks like you might need to waste a bit of fluid with a good flush through, if any water present. If you were replacing all the seals you could use silicon fluid, fill and forget! Not every one would agree as it is quite expensive.
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- Minor Legend
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- Location: Sutton Coldfield
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Re: SCARY moment
DOT 4? If so I agree.les wrote:Looks like you might need to waste a bit of fluid with a good flush through, if any water present. If you were replacing all the seals you could use silicon fluid, fill and forget! Not every one would agree as it is quite expensive.
My Minor:
A Clarendon Grey 1953 4 Door Series II.
MMOC - 66535
A Clarendon Grey 1953 4 Door Series II.
MMOC - 66535
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- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2180
- Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 9:41 pm
- Location: Sutton Coldfield
- MMOC Member: No
Re: SCARY moment
Good call ordering a new one.samuria wrote:m/c removed
it didn't look to bad....
i drain what was left in it..
and water was mixed with the remaining brake fluid
new one on order+ new flexy pipes etc...
Don't be tempted to put the securing bolts back in the wrong way around.
If it's any consolation I have a brake problem too... not something you can drive around with while finding the time to fix it ..
My Minor:
A Clarendon Grey 1953 4 Door Series II.
MMOC - 66535
A Clarendon Grey 1953 4 Door Series II.
MMOC - 66535
Re: SCARY moment
Nothing wrong with putting the bolts in the sensible way...mine have been that way all my ownership - and the bolt ends and nut are WELL away from the Torsion bar. How could water get in the master ??
Re: SCARY moment
Isnt it the same water that causes the rust and pitting in the master cylinder unless silicone fluid is used...
Taupe
Taupe