Brake pedal to the floor!!

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Post Reply
wormington
Registered user
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 Oct 2012, 13:23
80-90 Mem No: 11701
Location: Wormington, Broadway, Worcs

Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by wormington »

Hi all

Some advice would be gratefully received on where to start with this. My son borrowed my 1984 1.9 petrol DG van a couple of weeks ago with no problems, I parked it up when he got back and all was ok.
This evening I went to move the van ready to go away for the weekend and the brake pedal goes straight to the floor, I checked the brake fluid and it was down so I topped it up but no change.
When the engine is running there is a 'grating' noise from around the master cylinder area when the pedal is pushed up and down, when the engine is then turned off the grating noise decreases and a very little resistence in the pedal is felt. The brake fluid resevoir has not changed during all this.

If anyone has any thoughts on this that will point me in the right direction ie fault finding process etc. I have checked for any signs of leakage but none are apparent.

Thanks

User avatar
Aidan
Trader
Posts: 6522
Joined: 11 Oct 2005, 19:21
80-90 Mem No: 742
Location: Llanfyllin, mid Wales : )
Contact:

Re: Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by Aidan »

sounds like failed vacuum servo or vacuum connection to the servo or failed master cylinder or clevis, dash pod off and inspect

wormington
Registered user
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 Oct 2012, 13:23
80-90 Mem No: 11701
Location: Wormington, Broadway, Worcs

Re: Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by wormington »

Thanks for the reply Aidan.

Is there anything obvious that shows that any of those parts have failed?

User avatar
Aidan
Trader
Posts: 6522
Joined: 11 Oct 2005, 19:21
80-90 Mem No: 742
Location: Llanfyllin, mid Wales : )
Contact:

Re: Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by Aidan »

I am not a mechanic, but I'd be looking at obvious mechanical connections, obvious vacuum pipework issues and signs of fluids in places you wouldn't expect or want, it's worth taking a look at the exploded parts diagrams on line and checking the illustrations and procedures in manuals and on the wiki
With brakes I'd use the local garage to check any work that I do before taking to the road in anger

wormington
Registered user
Posts: 5
Joined: 08 Oct 2012, 13:23
80-90 Mem No: 11701
Location: Wormington, Broadway, Worcs

Re: Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by wormington »

FYI the problem has turned out to be a leaking rear cylinder, parts ordered so should be a relatively easy fix.
Thanks for your feedback.

User avatar
captain Byrne
Registered user
Posts: 1004
Joined: 19 Mar 2009, 10:01
80-90 Mem No: 7107
Location: Glasgow
Contact:

Re: Brake pedal to the floor!!

Post by captain Byrne »

wormington wrote:FYI the problem has turned out to be a leaking rear cylinder, parts ordered so should be a relatively easy fix.
Thanks for your feedback.
Not sure if you''ve ordered them aready, but you might want to replace both rear sets of shoes after a rear cylinder leak.
1983 LHD Westfalia poptop 1.9 DG petrol.

Post Reply