WS.

I have an '02 WS6 and I have issues with braking:

When under really heavy brakingfor anything over 5or 6 seconds, my brakes
feel like they release all pressure. For example, i'll be trying to stop and the car will be leaning forward and all of a sudden it feels as if I took my foot off of the brakes. The pedal goes down immediately about two or three inches and then it feels like it gets some more pressure again. This only happens under extreme braking situations. I dont think its the ABS working cause when the brakes "release" they dont catch again until I press the pedal down farther. Way to slow of a reaction for it to be ABS.

Also, the pedal makes a weird grinding feeling when this happens.

Its downright scary sometimes when your braking hard then all of a sudden it feels as if I have no brakes for a second then the pedal is all squishy feeling.

Under normal to even moderate braking they feel perfect, but when pressed to the limit this happens.

Cliffs notes: feels as if someone cut my brake lines for a second while im under heavy braking: pedal goes down, brakes stop working. I push the pedal farther down and they start to work again. This only happens under heavy braking.

Hope you guys can help so I can have faith in my car once again.

01SSRMS

iTrader: (7)

Had a similar sensation a few weeks ago when driving a bit spiritedly on a trip to WV. I was carving the turns up a mountain pass in 2nd and 3rd and then started down. First hairpin was ok, second one, whoa, basically no brakes and a lot of vibration. Making it through the next hairpin I slowed my pace and the brakes came back but still with a bit of vibration. I pulled the right front wheel and I was just about out of brake pad. I'm guessing I simply cooked em and glazed em. Bottom line is that the stock braking systems on the Fbody's are fairly adequate, but the cannot keep up with the other performance aspects of the car. I cashed in on Wholesale's combo deal a few weeks ago and hope for some improvement, but really if you want to push these cars in the twisties you need to get one of the kits or C5 conversions. Best of luck.

WS.

My brake pads are brand new, but they are just the Autozone "gold" series, they may be the problem. I have new Brembo rotors too so its not there thats the problem.

The only vibration comes through the pedal, none throught the steering wheel pr anything else. this feels nothing like my previously warped rotors.

Its only happened to me on relatively flat roads; trying to stop hard for a red light or for a stop sign. Its not fade either, I definitely have fade but this is something different.

VIP1

Questions:
* When did this braking issue occur? First hard stop or the 10th?
* What kind of braking have you been doing? Maybe you have glazed the pads.
* What do the rotors look like? Are they sliver/grey or are they blue/purple/gold? If they are blue/purple/gold then the pads/rotors have been overheated.

I dont know what it is, but here what id check/do:
* Change the fluid and bleed the system (all 4 calipers)
* Inspect the calipers
-- Make sure the caliper piston dust boots are intact and in-place
-- Make sure the caliper pistons arent scratched up
-- Make sure the caliper sliding pins move freely
-- Make sure the caliper sliding pin dust boots are intact and in-place
* Inspect all brake lines (especially the rubber lines)
* Look for any leaks or stains from brake fluid
* Check the vacuum lines leading to the brake booster for leaks or loose lines.

WS.

1) It happened on the first really hard stop of the trip I was on, 15 min. to the gym.

2) Just city driving and occasionally some high speed back roads, I get on
the brakes pretty hard sometimes though and thats when this happens(happens anytime I try to brake really hard)

3) The rotors dont look to bad, although they are starting to get some funny patterns in them, theyre Brembo blanks.


I'll try to check all that stuff soon, thanks for the advice.

pimpmaro

What kinda funny patterns? Can you get ahold of a picture?

VIP1

Yeah a picture would be helpful.

APeteSS

I have the EXACT same symptoms as WS. I noticed it first after I unboled my master cylinder to get to the strut bolts on that side. I thought maybe I bent something trying to put the MC back. I've been procrastinating, but my plan is to do a visual and bleed the system as soon as I can.

WS, have you lowered your car or touched the master cylinder for anything?

APeteSS

ttt.

WS.

After I thought about the master cylinder I looked at it and the bolts that connect it on each side of the bracket were missing and it was just floppin' around. This is probably the probelm.

01350ss

iTrader: (18)

brake fade. buy some stainless steel lines. during hard continuous braking, the brake fluid actually gets so hot that the rubber brake lines all of a sudden become soft resulting in a spongy pedal. Pedal vibration is also a very common occurence when this happens. Invest in some stainless brake lines and DOT 4 brake fluid. Your problem will go away.

kenp

iTrader: (9)

Missing bolts on the master mount? You are very lucky!

pimpmaro

There are only two bolts holding the master cylinder to the brake booster!! How were you stopping at all!?

WS.

Im a newb and maybe ive got the terms confused here, but I got some pics:

Heres the part that isnt bolted down, and the bracket its supposed to go to is highlighted in red

This shows how far the thing is able to move

heres another one


I also got pictures of my rotors, they dont look to bad now that I really look at them(except for the rust!)

WS.

Sorry 'bout the huge pics; I guess the previous owner took it off to change the plugs easier and never put it back on, what a jackass.

VIP1

That silver block is the ABS distrubution block. I dont see how that not being secured in-place can cause your scary brake condition unless a line gets pinched, but I guess anything is possible. Make sure that none of those lines are damaged/leaking. Also make sure that those fittings are tight. I cant see any staining from leaks in those pics, but that doesnt mean that there arent any.

From what I can see, the rotors look ok. The images are a bit blurry and I can only see part of the rotor though.

LS1_SS

iTrader: (127)

well since you didnt notice it was off are you sure its filled to the top with fluid? lol

WS.

The fluid level is fine, there are no visible leaks after a more thorough inspection and everything is tight. I dont think theres anything wrong witht the rotors on second look theres really no thing to worry about.

Im gonna bolt the ABS distribution block back in later today and then go and see whats up.

I have a hunch thats it has asomething to do with my problems cause when the problem happens it feels exactly like ABS has kicked in except after releasing the brake pressure it doesnt come back immediately like it should, the pedal just goes soft.

I'll be back later to let you guys know, thanks for the help.

APeteSS

I can't tell what your trying to show us. The master is directly under the reservoir, bolted to the brake booster. Your description made sense until I saw your pictures, now I'm confused.

WS.

I was wrong with my previous description of what was loose. The ABS distribution block is the only thing thats loose and in the pictures ive highlighted the bracket it should be bolted to