Hey you guys,

 

I just registered so be gentle if I break the rules.. I'm good a breaking stuff!

 

I have a Fabia (6Y2) < m**g**.com tells me.. w/ 1.4L 68hp engine.

This is a bit wierd but this has happened to me 3 times only, all in relatively the same place on my route to work. It's around 2/3 of the ways along a 14KM trip. I will have had the car up to temp after 6KM of slow traffic, then a quick blast on 100kmph for all of 5KM then slow moving again before heavy traffic. Could be hitting the heavy traffic or a culmination of circustance I suppose..

 

1st - I felt the car stop rather than roll to a stop with no brake applied or the car in gear. The pedal felt hard but this was the extent of it for the first time. I made it to work and dismissed the issue.

2nd - Same as 1st but then, after stopping behind traffic for a min, it took 5-6k revs in 1st gear to move and 2nd gear killed the engine. Again pedal was very hard. I was close enough to work so ditched and called for a tow. Car was fine when I returned to it to get it towed some hours later.

 

In between the 2nd & 3rd time, I removed the caliper, cleaned and greased slides, disc is worn but not severe at all, I HAD TO OPEN NIPPLE to push back piston as with master cylinder cap off made no diff. Once I opened the nipple, piston receded with just finger push. Bled just that caliper alone after servicing and went for a drive, engine up to temperatue and foot trailing on the brake so as to replicate. Didn't replicate.

 

3rd - This was today and she did it again to me! Same place, if not 600m sooner. worse than before as I could not as much as move off the road!

Today, I was far too much in the way to sit and wait for a breakdown truck. I got my 11mm and opened the nipple on the o/s caliper. She sat back into the handbrake and was freee! I drove it the 700m to work (with a softer pedal but still good brakes) and parked it up.

 

Things I didn't do:

• feel the pedal push-rod ( I am only having issues with one corner, but I will look anyway for piece of mind. )
• touch a vacuum hose.. I didn't read this before today, but then read it a few times that it can free a binded caliper with a woosh sound and all. next time.
• open the system anywhere else when siezed.
• don't assume I did something if it's not written here..

 

Other things of note:

• No pulling or strange feels other than a loose old car and obviously when I feel brake begining to bind.
• there was before, once or twice, a time that while sitting in traffic I would notice I was starting to roll so would make a more afirmative press of the pedal to notice it went down another inch and stopped. Still had just as good a brake after the inch move. Didn't feel spongy or fade over time. more like a hiccup or one motion than a fade. Pedal ordinarilly fees good not worn or old or stiff etc.
• the wheel bearing on the problem corner is a bit dodge, needs replacing which is in the works.

 

Any ideas, simmilar stories and / or friendly advice most welcomed!

Kev.

didn't read it all but pound to a penny it's the flexible pipe breaking up inside and pretending to be a sort on one way valve---  took me ages (which it shouldn't have ) to figure out my first one

Hi Thanks for the reply,

 

the n/s flexi hose has been replaced by the previous owner so I'm going to check the old one thats still fitted on the problem side asap.

 

I just also went to the car park and had a play with the vacuum hose after running the engine for a min at most. the engine was turned off and I bent/twisted the connection halfway along the hose as if to pop it off and it vented air. that normal by anyones standards?

vented air INTO the system would be good,  should hold a vac for at least 1/2-1 minute at least    hence the engine off brake assist test on the MOT   --should be approx. 3 "dry" pumps or better ''till the vac runs out

Thanks for that, the servo side of things seems to be working well and push rod has play.

 

I'm just back from a 15km test trip after swapping out the flexi hose and sad to say its still sticking!

It was fine until the last 1km at least, I was checking it would still roll when I was stopped, so only the last few 100m it was heating up enough to stick.

I jacked it up at home and the n/s wheel spun free but o/s was very tight. I undid the connection along the vacuum hose and that vented, wheel still v tight, I cracked open the brake line going into the master cyl. instead of the nipple on the calliper and that did release the tight brake.

 

I'm thinking I need a new master cylinder alright, the oil's pretty dark too, but I might get a wheel bearing first since I was able to bleed the system after changing the flexi-hose and she needs one anyway.

Hi

I'm having the same problem, I've changed the pads, discs, caliper, hose & master cylinder but the binding on the front o/s brake still persists. Did you come to a answer for the issue you had?

Hi crusty67,

Fitting a new master cylinder and bleeding the system with new brake fluid fixed the issue I was having.

Something you could check is if the wheel on the opposite corner locks up too. That might tell you more about the cause of your issue.

Have you checked pedal adjustment, etc? Checked the condition of the servo unit?

Bearing failed?

Bearing failed?

 

 

Or the usual "replaced bearing now falling out" job if the retaining clip isn't located properly.

Or the rubber seal between the piston & calliper is sticking (goes hard with age/heat) & needs replacing.............

Thanks guys, I'll check some of your ideas out. I didn't think it would be the servo as i was told this would affect the other front wheel braking as well??

Have you checked the carrier sliders are actually free?

Or the rubber seal between the piston & calliper is sticking (goes hard with age/heat) & needs replacing.............

I came to the conclusion some years ago that overhauling the callipers would be a smart idea, sadly never got round to it! Someone at work who had problems with his bike callipers reckoned it was just the dust covers, but I don't think that they would stop anything moving, they would just tear/rip apart.

The dust seal won't be stopping it, but they have a big important job, stopping the sliders from sticking like I have said above.

It might pay to get a garage to look at the problem, as it is a safety critical system on the car.

My previous car (focus) had a terrible issue with n/s failing piston. The previous owner had left the pads to wear down so bad.

The piston had come out to far allowing water to put just enough rust on piston stopping it from retracting.end up with recon caliper. Fairly easy to swap over and bleed it. Cleaned up sider pins. Used silicone greese in the rubber sleeve and on pins. Hey presto

I came to the conclusion some years ago that overhauling the callipers would be a smart idea, sadly never got round to it! Someone at work who had problems with his bike callipers reckoned it was just the dust covers, but I don't think that they would stop anything moving, they would just tear/rip apart.

 

No not the dust seal.............

 

There is the visible concertina dust skirt, then the inner piston to calliper bore rubber seal. The inner one actually helps to retract the piston when you come of the brake pedal, due to the way it "cams" back...........

 

Due to age & heat this inner one smears it's self over the piston & goes hard & brittle leading to the piston not retraction & the calliper sticking on................Had it happen to me & everything else was AOK...........so stripped all the pistons down & refurbed & fitted new seals etc........problems sorted & I had rear discs on my car too!

Thanks for all the advice that's coming my way. I'll carry on checking these out and once the issue is rectified I'll let u all know what the answer is.

Thanks again!!

Hi

I'm having the same problem, I've changed the pads, discs, caliper, hose & master cylinder but the binding on the front o/s brake still persists. Did you come to a answer for the issue you had?

Was the replacement caliper new, reconditioned, or secondhand? If new or recon, it really shouldn't be a seal problem. Still possible, but v. unlikely.

No not the dust seal.............

 

There is the visible concertina dust skirt, then the inner piston to calliper bore rubber seal. The inner one actually helps to retract the piston when you come of the brake pedal, due to the way it "cams" back...........

 

Due to age & heat this inner one smears it's self over the piston & goes hard & brittle leading to the piston not retraction & the calliper sticking on................Had it happen to me & everything else was AOK...........so stripped all the pistons down & refurbed & fitted new seals etc........problems sorted & I had rear discs on my car too!

 

I totally agree with that, I was just adding someone else's (to my mind wrong) idea of what was making his motor bike front brakes grab/stick, he could not be told and was very happy with the results after rebuilding the callipers (big alloy two piece ones) probably with the original parts as he is a tight wad!

 

I reckon eventually all you get is a very slight release as the hardened bore seals tilt or move in their groove, only way round that is to replace all the rubbers.

The dust seal won't be stopping it, but they have a big important job, stopping the sliders from sticking like I have said above.

 

I was meaning the dust/water seal on the end of the piston, I tend to clean the guide pins once a years and nowadays give them a very light smear of silicon grease to stop them sticking - though I've never ever had a car with the calliper sticking on the guide pins.

Your lucky then, servicing about 30 cars a week sometimes, I've seen tones with them siezed solid. Had to have the carrier glowing red with the welding bottles and use mole grips and hammers to get them out!

They were all new parts we put on, even tried 2 New calipers as we thought the 1st one was faulty. Been to put some fuel in this morning & the brakes were fine it's just when they start to warm up it gets tighter & tighter (the piston is sticking, but as soon as you loosen the nipple it retracts back with ease)

They were all new parts we put on, even tried 2 New calipers as we thought the 1st one was faulty. Been to put some fuel in this morning & the brakes were fine it's just when they start to warm up it gets tighter & tighter (the piston is sticking, but as soon as you loosen the nipple it retracts back with ease)

By opening the nipple like you do. you would be forcing fluid out? But if youve not got bleed kit attached surely it could suck air back in. Would this not cause an blockage? Thus causing a feeling of pedal being softto hard. And the piston not returning correctly

No, because the fluid reservoir is higher than the bleed nipple.