no brakes

[cadetchris]

for some reason the entire contents of my brake reservoir has disappeared. It hasn't come out the cylinders, or via a broke or split pipe, it has simply gone, and so has the entire braking capability of the car.
there is nothing dripping from the car, so i am at a loss really.
the only thing i can think of is the master cylinder has sprung a leak and the contents are filling the chassis leg up nicely and not dripping out, but i could be wrong.
any and all ideas would be good

[MarkyB]

In the chassis leg has to be favourite, you should be able the see past the master cylinder.

[cadetchris]

i had a little peak in there and couldnt see alot tbh, dry and clean (well as clean as a 44 year old minors chassis leg is)

[MarkyB]

Sorry I got distracted by a Skype call.
Did you take the cover off the master cylinder, you should be able to get a view of the inside of the chassis leg then.
What kind of surface has it been parked on?
I assume you found out before you drove the car.

[cadetchris]

yep, look the cover off the chassis leg and had a full view of the inside,
it has been parked on the new drive way and its bone dry.
and regrettably i found this lack of breaking whilst pooteling through grantham last week before i went on holiday, the look on the pedestrians faces as i sailed through the red lights was.........intresting to say the least

[bmcecosse]

If you have a servo - it can suck out the fluid and burn it! Otherwise - you DO have a leak and you must find it. Off with the drums !

[cadetchris]

all drums have been off and all bone dry.

could the servo be knackered?

[bmcecosse]

If you can't find an external leak - then yes - that's where it's gone. GET RID OF IT ! It could have killed you!! The Minor is a small/light car - it doesn't need a servo.......

[cadetchris]

ill have an extensive look around everywhere and if its gone, its gone, but it does explain alot. ill reroute the pipe work to its original location and enjoy my wolseley 9inch drums as nature intended.

[bmcecosse]

You certainly don't need a servo with W drums !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IslipMinor]

If you have a servo - it can suck out the fluid and burn it!

Yup, it certainly can! We had a servo with the original 7" and later upgraded 8" drum brakes, and couldn't figure out why the brake fluid constantly needed topping up. So decided to remove and strip the servo in the kitchen - found out the hard way that brake fluid 'cleans' kitchen floor covering very effectively. Fortunately the kitchen floor also needed replacing a short while afterwards anyway. The servo must have had a pint or so of brake fluid in it, which spewed out on to the floor. New seal kit and all was fine until many years later when the current discs and new servo were fitted.

[cadetchris]

Where can I get a new seal kit for the servo?
It is coming out as I have never see the point in it ( dad thought he knew best), so instead of it sitting in the shed, I'll flog it