BrickBoard Archives
The files contained in this listing have been automatically archived from the active forums. Because the vast majority of posts are now in one place, this archive is considered legacy. You should use the SEARCH feature OR choose your topic and select date tabs within the forum you choose.
brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Aaron on
Tuesday, 30 December 1997, at 1:05 a.m.
I own a 1980 242 DL Volvo. I purchased the car in August, and the mechanic who did the prepurchase inspection told me I had 60% of my brakes left. The brakes have worked fine almost all of the time, but on three seperate and seemingly unrelated occassions, I have pushed on the brake pedal and it has gone several inches further than usual towards the floor with no resistance at all, and then it will resist and the car will stop. This is a far cry from the normal action of the brake pedal, which usually only depresses about an inch or so before the car comes to a stop. The only other thing I can think of to mention about the brakes is that when I am at a stop with the car running, I can push on the brakes and there will be plenty of pressure, but gradually, the pedal will keep moving towards the floor. I'm not sure, but I think this is unusual for a car tp dp. If anyone has any insight on this matter or knows what's going on please let me know. The problem has only happened three times in the last four months, and I can't think of any connection between the incidents. The brakes weren't wet, as far as I could tell, and the problem occured after I had been driving for several miles and had already made many normal stops. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Aaron
Re: brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Topi on
Tuesday, 30 December 1997, at 6:41 a.m.
Change your Master Cylinder - or park your car....
Re: brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Glen on
Tuesday, 30 December 1997, at 12:41 p.m.
Classic Master Cylinder leakage problem as Topi says. I have had several that gave the same symptoms. Replace or install kit. If I remember right, the kit is only a little less than a new Master Cylinder from Volvo. There may be an aftermarket source of kits. Remember, Dot 4 Brake Fluid only!!!!!!!!!
Re: brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Glenn Goodspeed on
Tuesday, 30 December 1997, at 8:31 p.m.
Before you run out and buy a master cylinder kit, have someone depress the brake pedal long and hard while you check all the rubber hoses leading to the brake calipers. Sometimes a hose can develop a "balloon," which can cause the symptoms you describe. A friend of mine went through three master cylinders before he discovered this problem. -Glenn.
Goodspeed's Volvo 1800 Newsletter
Re: brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Lee on
Wednesday, 31 December 1997, at 7:58 p.m.
Probably is the master cylinder, but do as Glenn says and check your hoses first. I would add to also bleed the brakes carefully (or have a qualified mechanic do it) to see if that doesn't solve your problem before popping for a new cylinder. I had the same "intermittent" problem with our '81 245 and a brake bleeding solved it. If you bleed the brakes yourself, buy the big bottle (or two) of DOT 4 fluid, follow the bleed sequence in the Haynes manual (there are eight bleed nipples!), and "crack" the fittings that attach the brake lines to the master cylinder as a final bleed (every now and then an air bubble will "lodge" in the lines at the master cylinder and no amount of brake pedal pumping will force this bubble all the way to your calipers).
Good luck.
Re: brake problems[ALL/1998] posted by Trevor G on
Thursday, 1 January 1998, at 1:04 p.m.
When I replaced the master cylinder on my 144 to cure a problem similar to what you describe I did the following. I filled the M/C with brake fluid before I installed it, and then tilted it partly onto its side with the outlets on top and worked the piston in and out a little to work the air bubbles out of it.I then quickly placed it into position on the mounting studs on the brake booster and then connected the two brake lines to it to stop the dripping fluid. I then installed the mounting nuts and tightened the brake line connections. Now, since air bubbles rise in a fluid, and you only have a few bubbles in the brake lines close to the M/C I sent them back into the M/C by removing a front wheel and retracting the brake pads. A sort of reverse flush! You can then work the bubbles which are now in the top of the M/C out by working the brake pedal a few times. It worked fine for me and gave me a nice hard pedal without a lot of nipple manipulation.
On the subject of brakes, it's a good idea to flush the lines etc. occasionally. I was suprised how much crud/dirty fluid came out when I did. I used one of the hand-operated vacuum pumps to suck out dirty fluid at each nipple, one at a time. Be sure to keep the M/C topped up when you do this. If you let the level in the reservoir drop too low and you suck air into the system you will have a much longer project! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
Trevor