Brakes (lack there of) $#!+

[Jff24Gordn]

Ok, I had the brakes NOT work at one stop tonight. Luckly, I was in the middle of an empty parking lot. The pedal went to the floor when I hit the brakes. Stooed with the emegerncy brakes. I got out the flashlite and crawled around looking to see if there were any leaks. None. So I checked the fluid level in the resivor, it was about right, BUT there was gray blobs floating in it. There were maybe 8 blobs in it. They are completly insoluable in brake fluid. They are a dark grey. And they are very sticky. My guess on what happened is that the seal in the master brake cylinder is dying, and this is the grease that is on the other side of the seal to lube things. It did work every time I tried it after that. But if I held down the brakes, the pedal would slowly go to the floor. I drove the 20 miles home on engine braking so I didnt have to worry about if they worked or not.
If you have any other ideas on what might cause this, price of a master cylinder (vacuume), or some other usefull piece of knowledge, let me know.

------------------
1996 2500, 4x4, 5 speed
-- email address removed -- Great Lakes TDR
PURDUE STUDENT 
GO BOILERS

 

[Midnight]

It sounds like a bad master. Holding pressure and it sinking,sounds like its bypassing inside the master. Price?

 

[Doc Tinker]

You have a bad master cylinder, like Mike said. Your truck is about the right age for this type of trouble to crop up. If you'd been a good boy and completely bled your brakes when you did your brake jobs, you probably would have gotten a few more years out of the master cylinder.

Now, your problem will be to find another master cylinder. I assume there are rebuilt ones available, so check with NAPA and see what they cost and let us know, so we all will be prepared when it happens to us. If you have to buy a new one, see if NAPA makes a kit for the old one and we'll rebuild the old one.

Doc

 

[sam peterson]

if the problem is a bad master cylinder, don't mess around with a rebuilt unless you want to do it again in a few months. the cylinder is made of aluminum and doesn't rebuild very well. you can't hone the bore effectively either because the bore is roller burnished and the hardened surface is very thin. get a new one, flush the system good and you will be good for a lot more years. ----sam

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Doc, how am I supposed to flush the brakes with 6" of mud on it?? Also I had a void sticker on the master cylinder, and I sure as heck dont want to void my warentee. #ad


I am getting a new master cylinder installed monday or tuesday. My biggest problem is my truck it at home, and I am 3 hours away at Purdue.

I am selling the old master cylinder so if anybody wants a mastercylinder that hisses when you hit the brakes from the fluid going around the seals, its yours. #ad


[This message has been edited by Jff24Gordn (edited 02-19-2001). ]

 

[sam peterson]

i think the noise you are hearing is the atmospheric air pulling into the rear of the booster as the pedal goes down. i don't think you could hear the master cyl bypassing

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Forgot to post a reply on this, but it wasnt the master cylinder that went out, but instead, a front brake pad fell off. #ad
I thought the brake pads were held on pretty tight, after all, it does hold the truck against it. That might be why it did make some wierd noises that night, I thought it was mud or corn stalks or something in the brakes, not the pads falling off.

 

[illflem]

Don't feel bad Jeff. I helped a friend of my daughter work on his Toyota brakes,one wheel had no pads!!The caliper cylinder pushed on one side of the rotor, the caliper housing on the other,needless to say he needed a new rotor and caliper. When I asked about it he said,"it squeaked real bad for a couple months last summer ,but then it stopped so I thought it was ok".

 

[sam peterson]

thats the trouble with disc brakes, they will keep on working untill the piston comes out. some of my customers think that if it keeps on stopping who care about the noise. turn up the radio. ----sam