Took my car to midas and now i need a whole new brake system???
12-20-2008, 12:16 PM
#21
10 Second Club
iTrader: (14)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: brimfield, illinois
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If the brakes are spongey it sounds like you either have a leak somewhere or you need to bleed your brakes. Check the caliper that Midas worked on and they might have blown the caliper seal but this would cause oil to spray into your wheel. Thats at least somewhere to start. And you don't need to replace parts that aren't broken and the only way a hard part can break is if their is a leak and i'm talking hard parts as lines and such. Sounds like they are just wanting to cover all their bases so they don't have to figure out the actual problem.
12-20-2008, 01:16 PM
#22
I just realized something. If you got the caliper off and didn't replace the pads or rotor it should've gone back on w/o compressing the piston lol. Did you have to pry it off?
As for the spongyness of the pedal, the reason brake fluid is designed to absorb water is because if it didn't any water in the system would evaporate when the fluid heated up and form little steam pockets. The steam would be compressable and cause lowsy braking. I'm also pretty sure that DOT 4 and 5 fluids do NOT absorb water and that is why they aren't recommended for the steet. So maybe you have the wrong type of fluid, or some oil that wasn't meant for brake fluid at all. You never know what a previous owner or repair shop may have put in by mistake. Moisture in the fluid could also cause rust to form on the pistons and cause them to stick. That could explain the locking up and the stuck caliper piston.
As for the spongyness of the pedal, the reason brake fluid is designed to absorb water is because if it didn't any water in the system would evaporate when the fluid heated up and form little steam pockets. The steam would be compressable and cause lowsy braking. I'm also pretty sure that DOT 4 and 5 fluids do NOT absorb water and that is why they aren't recommended for the steet. So maybe you have the wrong type of fluid, or some oil that wasn't meant for brake fluid at all. You never know what a previous owner or repair shop may have put in by mistake. Moisture in the fluid could also cause rust to form on the pistons and cause them to stick. That could explain the locking up and the stuck caliper piston.
12-20-2008, 02:07 PM
#23
I just realized something. If you got the caliper off and didn't replace the pads or rotor it should've gone back on w/o compressing the piston lol. Did you have to pry it off?
As for the spongyness of the pedal, the reason brake fluid is designed to absorb water is because if it didn't any water in the system would evaporate when the fluid heated up and form little steam pockets. The steam would be compressable and cause lowsy braking. I'm also pretty sure that DOT 4 and 5 fluids do NOT absorb water and that is why they aren't recommended for the steet. So maybe you have the wrong type of fluid, or some oil that wasn't meant for brake fluid at all. You never know what a previous owner or repair shop may have put in by mistake. Moisture in the fluid could also cause rust to form on the pistons and cause them to stick. That could explain the locking up and the stuck caliper piston.
As for the spongyness of the pedal, the reason brake fluid is designed to absorb water is because if it didn't any water in the system would evaporate when the fluid heated up and form little steam pockets. The steam would be compressable and cause lowsy braking. I'm also pretty sure that DOT 4 and 5 fluids do NOT absorb water and that is why they aren't recommended for the steet. So maybe you have the wrong type of fluid, or some oil that wasn't meant for brake fluid at all. You never know what a previous owner or repair shop may have put in by mistake. Moisture in the fluid could also cause rust to form on the pistons and cause them to stick. That could explain the locking up and the stuck caliper piston.
12-20-2008, 02:10 PM
#24
I would never want to insult anyone for asking a serious question if they were lacking a little knowledge.........but is this a serious question? You know what a watts link is but don't know if back pressure affects brakes? Again, no offense intended. One guy asked if it was a front or rear caliper. Just for general reference if you don't know, most vehicles with the park brake integrated into the rear caliper, have rear caliper pistons that have to be turned back in, not pushed. But if this were on a 4th gen F body then a c-clamp or big channel locks should've been fine on front or rear.
Just a couple other tips for anyone who doesn't know yet....calipers are always plumbed in pairs, whether it's both front and both rear together, or paired up cross ways front to rear. So don't push a caliper piston in if the paired up caliper is off the rotor also or you will just push the other piston out! lol.
The other thing some people don't know is that the master cylinder level drops as the pads wear. When you put new pads on and push the pistons back in, the fluid level goes back to full. There is no need to top off a master cylinder, yet every oil change joint in the country seems to love to do it. Then when you do replace your pads you either have to suck fluid out first or spill it all over when you push the piston back in.
Anyways, I hope I don't sound like a know it all lol, I just know that there are sometimes less experienced people reading even if they weren't the original poster.
Just a couple other tips for anyone who doesn't know yet....calipers are always plumbed in pairs, whether it's both front and both rear together, or paired up cross ways front to rear. So don't push a caliper piston in if the paired up caliper is off the rotor also or you will just push the other piston out! lol.
The other thing some people don't know is that the master cylinder level drops as the pads wear. When you put new pads on and push the pistons back in, the fluid level goes back to full. There is no need to top off a master cylinder, yet every oil change joint in the country seems to love to do it. Then when you do replace your pads you either have to suck fluid out first or spill it all over when you push the piston back in.
Anyways, I hope I don't sound like a know it all lol, I just know that there are sometimes less experienced people reading even if they weren't the original poster.
Of course. I didn't mean to sound like a know it all when i said i told them about the watts link, it just was like... 'hey, this guy at least is semi-knowlegable about his car... maybe we can't try to screw him... ' and of course i was proven wrong. The other caliper was also still connected to the rotor, it just baffles me. I am bleeding my system after work tonight, so ill see how it works after that.
12-20-2008, 02:11 PM
#25
Why the hell were they bleeding the system?
I have a feeling many, many details are left out of this story.
12-20-2008, 02:12 PM
#26
Also, me not having a muffler and having just an open stock y pipe wouldn't have anything to do with the way the brakes react, right? for vaccuum purposes? I am pretty sure that i already know the answer, but my roomate insists that because im not getting any backpressure from the exhaust, that is the reason my brakes aren't working properly.
12-20-2008, 05:00 PM
#28
TECH Regular
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just bleed them your self really good, how would midas know if it was contaminated? i say they just want your money just bleed them real good and see if that helps them out before you replace all that crap.
12-20-2008, 10:36 PM
#30
Some of the things people say about cars lol. Reminds me of the kid who didn't want to straight pipe his inline 6 cylinder in his old Ford truck because "it'll have too much power". Tell your roommate that you want velocity in the exhaust not back pressure, and any effect that too large of an exhaust would have on vacuum would be pretty minimal. And even if your vacuum was low the brakes would just require more effort lol.
12-21-2008, 12:36 AM
#31
Are you guys still talking about exhaust pressure effecting brakes?
Unbelieveable.
Answer: connect a vacuum gauge to the intake manifold, with the car running cover the exhaust opening. Look at the vacuum gauge, it's going to rise. 1" vacuum is higher than 18" vacuum.
Whats this mean? It means back pressure will raise vacuum. Again, going from 18" to 1" is raising up.
I'll assume not many people know that 18" hg is lower than 1" hg
(18in hg is approx. normal engine vacuum. 0 in hg is atmospheric pressure (gauge)
Hell if you rev it and plug the exhaust, you might get pressure in the intake (before it stalls).
So whats a Y back exhaust create? If anything a very little bit of back pressure.
So taking it off has the potential of lowering intake manifold vacuum (but it won't, unless it's plugged up) And lower vacuum will help the brake booster.
Please note, these are extreme examples.
Unbelieveable.
Answer: connect a vacuum gauge to the intake manifold, with the car running cover the exhaust opening. Look at the vacuum gauge, it's going to rise. 1" vacuum is higher than 18" vacuum.
Whats this mean? It means back pressure will raise vacuum. Again, going from 18" to 1" is raising up.
I'll assume not many people know that 18" hg is lower than 1" hg
(18in hg is approx. normal engine vacuum. 0 in hg is atmospheric pressure (gauge)
Hell if you rev it and plug the exhaust, you might get pressure in the intake (before it stalls).
So whats a Y back exhaust create? If anything a very little bit of back pressure.
So taking it off has the potential of lowering intake manifold vacuum (but it won't, unless it's plugged up) And lower vacuum will help the brake booster.
Please note, these are extreme examples.
Last edited by 9000th01ss; 12-21-2008 at 01:27 AM.
12-21-2008, 12:51 AM
#32
^^actually if you've ever seen a car with a plugged cat, if you connect a vacuum gauge and drive the car, vacuum will drop as the pressure in the exhaust builds up. It's a fact, I've seen it.
Here's some more info if anyone cares:
"If the vacuum reading is lower than normal and/or continues to drop as the engine runs, it probably indicates a buildup of backpressure in the exhaust."
that quote came from here: http://aa1car.com/library/converter.htm
Here's some more info if anyone cares:
"If the vacuum reading is lower than normal and/or continues to drop as the engine runs, it probably indicates a buildup of backpressure in the exhaust."
that quote came from here: http://aa1car.com/library/converter.htm
12-21-2008, 01:22 AM
#33
^^actually if you've ever seen a car with a plugged cat, if you connect a vacuum gauge and drive the car, vacuum will drop as the pressure in the exhaust builds up. It's a fact, I've seen it.
Here's some more info if anyone cares:
"If the vacuum reading is lower than normal and/or continues to drop as the engine runs, it probably indicates a buildup of backpressure in the exhaust."
that quote came from here: http://aa1car.com/library/converter.htm
Here's some more info if anyone cares:
"If the vacuum reading is lower than normal and/or continues to drop as the engine runs, it probably indicates a buildup of backpressure in the exhaust."
that quote came from here: http://aa1car.com/library/converter.htm
It says it momentarily dips lower when you open the throttle, and if the vacuum continues to read lower, there might be a clogged cat.
Lower numbers are higher pressures when refering to vacuum.
Last edited by 9000th01ss; 12-21-2008 at 01:31 AM.
12-21-2008, 03:06 AM
#36
right, my arguement to him was just that. vacuum is the opposite of pressure, in so many words. im just looking for some reason that my brakes went to ****. i just re-bled the system, and there is really no difference in the pedal. im actually thinking i may need a new master cylinder...
12-21-2008, 12:35 PM
#37
i had been offroading a 4banger mitsubishi had years ago and developed a scraping clunk sound. i took it to midas and explained that i thought there might be a rock stuck somewhere due to the sound of it.
midas came back with some huge estimate for repairs saying i needed to replace the whole suspension and that the shocks were making the noise.
i drove it over to a friend's place, we put it on a lift and found a small 1"x1/2" rock wedged between the body and a control arm. took the rock out and problem was solved.
midas came back with some huge estimate for repairs saying i needed to replace the whole suspension and that the shocks were making the noise.
i drove it over to a friend's place, we put it on a lift and found a small 1"x1/2" rock wedged between the body and a control arm. took the rock out and problem was solved.
Last edited by BobDoLe; 12-21-2008 at 12:55 PM.
12-21-2008, 06:22 PM
#39
TECH Regular
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Magnolia, Texas
Posts: 464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't you just put a rebuilt caliper on there, bleed it, and be done? In the future do this before towing to Midas and you'll save about $50 over towing and a days time getting smoke blown up yours.
Vernon
Vernon