JimLad 1 Posted July 14, 2011 My brakes are absolutely doing my head in Bled loads of fluid through and I mean litres with an Easibleed and the brakes still feel spongy. They're ok with the engine turned off but with the servo working there's too much soft movement of the pedal which is very disconcerting. Oddly it makes a bit of a hissing sound too like air being compressed. Replaced the master cylinder with the correct size, all of the flexis with braided hoses and a couple of the copper pipes and there is no fluid leaks anywhere. Bled in the following sequence: pass rr, driver's rr, pass frt and driver's frt. Can't get any more air out and the pedal feels quite firm and acceptable without the engine running. Does anyone have any ideas? I've read loads of threads and the only thing similar was cured when the guy used an Easibleed which I've been using all along. Absolutely desperate to get it sorted cos I'm booked to do a track day at Donnington on Monday. Cheers Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ORB 227 1 Cars Posted July 14, 2011 Sounds daft, but have you tried non easy bleed? I mean get wife/GF/buddy etc to push pedal on command? I never think that this method can be beaten! Or, compensator/s are fooked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimLad 1 Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks for the reply. Have tried the gf method and a one way valve as well! Am tempted top try can of petrol and match next! Put so much fluid through without getting any air out I honestly can't see it being air but what else can it be?! As for the compensator, I thought if they are bolloxed you just couldn't get any fluid out and mine's ok in that regard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miles 331 1 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 Was it a OE master cylinder or a pattern part? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cameron 16 Posted July 15, 2011 Isn't this just part of having servo'd brakes? The pedal will never be rock solid as it's on a servo, they're meant to feel slightly soft. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimLad 1 Posted July 15, 2011 Clearly with the servo assistance it's going to be softer but the issue is it's much too soft for the first inch or two of movement before it feels firm. And crucially it didn't used to be like that. It's from Eurocarparts so yes, it is a pattern part. I used it to replace a less than two year old Bendix one (OE?) which felt the same and I thought might be the cause of the problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul_13 212 1 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 Sorry for the hijack but i've got a similar problem with my 1.8 diesel (1.9 front brakes, drum rear). The pedal will go soft for an extra 2-3inches than the normal travel then harden up. But I am losing fluid but can't find the leak anywhere. Only happens now and again. MC on the way out? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smithy 1 Posted July 15, 2011 What is condition of rear shoes and cylinders and the front calipers/pads? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smithy 1 Posted July 15, 2011 Also have you tried to clamp individual wheels off one at a time to see if that changes things? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul_13 212 1 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 Front's are ok, rear's are the ones i'm having doubts about. I think the NS rear is leaking but cant see any fluid loss. The handbrakes never worked on that side, probably brake fluid has contaminated the pads to fook. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwpug 0 Posted July 15, 2011 Could the hissing sound not point towards the servo? Maybe an air leak or just a damaged servo, if you said the brakes are solid with the engine stopped? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allye 530 3 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 I had this problem with my rallye, (1.9 fronts 1.6 beam single line to the rear) I spent the best part of a day trying to bleed it and it turned out to be the compensator was fooked. I had a spongy pendal then I took it out and now it's perfect nice firm pedal. I'm running with out one at the moment. Hope that helps! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smithy 1 Posted July 15, 2011 Front's are ok, rear's are the ones i'm having doubts about. I think the NS rear is leaking but cant see any fluid loss. The handbrakes never worked on that side, probably brake fluid has contaminated the pads to fook. i would get the drums off and change shoes and cylinders firstly and also as it is losing fluid with no obvious leaks pull master off servo it may be leaking from seal on the rear going in to servo? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul_13 212 1 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 I noticed a puddle next to the OS rear earlier, its dripping out of drum pretty steady. Cylinder must be f***ed. Looks like I'll be swapping the beam over earlier than expected, its got good brakes on and has been rebuilt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fenton 1,536 Posted July 15, 2011 Sounds a lot of work, a wheel cylinder is buttons and easy to change compared to a beam swap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul_13 212 1 Cars Posted July 15, 2011 (edited) ^ I know that, but the beams shagged anyway and I have a replacement. Kind of what I was getting at in the last post, should of made it clearer. Edited July 15, 2011 by Paul_13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
