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Hi Guys-
I had to take my 240 sedan to a mechanic for some front end work which required them to temporarily detach the brake lines. When I got it back the brakes are very soft- I need to pump them several times and then they still need to move pretty far down in order to stop. The mechanic said they would be that way at first, then get better with use.
Is that true? What's up with that?
Thanks,
Keith
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Along with all the other issues, here's a possibility from personal experience.
Back in 1987, I was looking for a used 240 and saw an ad for a 1984 at a price that we would call a steal!
Went to see it and the wife (husband was at work) told me that she's unloading the car because she wants it out of her house -- its brakes are dangerous! I asked for more details, and she told me that the car was hers for driving her and their kids around, and her husband, wanting to avoid the Volvo dealer's prices, took the car to Midas for a brake job (it needed front pads). When they got it back, the brake pedal was very soft, and she didn't feel comfortable. Her husband took the car back to Midas and after rebleeding it they found nothing wrong and insisted that it would clear up after it was driven for a while. Then he took it to another brake shop and they, too, bled it and assured him that it would clear up. So she drove the car for a couple of weeks and it never cleared up, so she doesn't trust it (particularly for her kids' safety) and wants to get rid of the car fast!
[I would interject here that it seemed to me that she was selling the car very, very cheaply to punish her husband -- she probably blamed him for trying to get the car fixed cheaply, and she' mad. My inclination was to buy the car fast, before she cooled off and reconsidered her ridiculous price.]
I took the car for a test drive (after she warned me to be careful!) and, indeed, it had a very soft pedal. But, I figured, I could buy this car for a price so far under the "going price" for a 3-yr old car that after rebuilding the entire brake system I'd still call it a steal. So I bought it and drove it home.
At home, I put the car on jackstands to begin my own proper fluid flushing (thinking that maybe these Midas and indy shops didn't know the proper sequence). But (and I don't know why I did this), I first took a flashlight and looked down into the left front caliper, and then I almost rolled over laughing! As it turned out, it was the same for the other side as well.
What was so funny? Apparently, the Midas tech (if you want to call him that) had pushed the pads into the caliper such that the rubber seals around the pistons had rolled partway off the pistons and a portion of each were lying between the piston and the back of the pad. So stepping on the brake caused the pistons to squeeze against the rubber, rather than directly on the pad's backing. No wonder the brakes were spongy -- they were literally pressing on rubber!
I got new seals for the pistons (which were ripped), installed them, along with new pads that I preferred over the hard Midas brand, and the brakes were perfect. And those calipers wound up lasting until I got rid of the car (rust, etc.) in 2011.
So give this some thought, especially if he did some "pad" work.
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the mechanic who did the job either introduced air into the line where it now remains or your master cylinder is on the way out.
only a proper bleed will rule out which is which.
the fact he stated your brakes would improve with driving around makes him out a liar or a fool or both.
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1) What year is your 240?
2) What work required brake lines to be opened (detached)?
3) Were any parts replaced?
--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.
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1992 240 sedan. They said in order to pass PA State inspection they needed to replace the strut mount, inner tie rod, and lower ball joint, all on the driver front side. I can't do that type of work, so I was stuck. They charged me an arm and a leg.
In addition, the mechanic accidently broke off the brake bleeder- I think that's what they said. With a car this old (300K) I didn't think that unreasonable, but then they charged me $150 parts cost for the caliper! I am not a happy camper.
But I wanted to get an opinion on the brakes, because regardless of the cost they need to be done corrrectly.
Thanks,
Keith
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"In addition, the mechanic accidently broke off the brake bleeder- I think that's what they said. With a car this old (300K) I didn't think that unreasonable, but then they charged me $150 parts cost for the caliper! I am not a happy camper."
Sounds like a shop to avoid. A broken bleeder (valve) normally should not result in soft brakes, since the bleeder seals at the conical tip which would remain sealed as long as the threaded part was left untouched. Sounds like they compounded their problem.
Even so, the pedal should not be that soft after a caliper replacement if they had done a proper job of:
a) preventing (or at least minimizing) fluid loss while the single (ABS) brake line was open.
b) properly filled and bled the replacement caliper.
Maybe you should seek legal counsel on this debacle.
--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.
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There was no need to remove any brake lines to replace those parts as well. A rebuilt caliper is 50$. Your brakes will not get better with driving around either, its possible now if the pedal is going to floor to stop that your master cylinder is toast.
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It is not true. They need to be bled. Also, I think you need a new mechanic.
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OK, thanks guys! With your comments I felt more confident talking with them about it. And now I will know better for the future.
I just got back. The mechanic did not do the brakes properly (had never done a Volvo I suspect) so they redid them correctly this time with no hassle.
I knew they hadn't done them properly right as I drove off last night, but it was closing time and with my inexperience wanted to get your opinions first.
Yes, they did compound the problem by breaking off the whatever-it-was on the caliper. That kind of stuff happens with old cars, so I was disappointed but could accept that. Later the counterman explained to me that their pricing can't compete with online pricing- which I understand- and they actually offered that in the future I could bring parts with me if I wanted. Very few shops will do that.
Yes, they maybe could have given me the option of a used caliper, but I couldn't leave the vehicle over-night anyway. I waited almost 8 hours as it was (they only charged me for four).
Also, to compensate for me having to return to redo the brakes they aligned the front end for free.
So all and all, now that the brakes work great, I'm satisfied. Pricey, but I couldn't do that (suspension) work myself. None of this work would have _needed_ to have been done if it weren't for state inspection requirements, but I do feel more confident driving it now- it feels much more solid.
Thanks for your comments and encouragement,
Keith Ostertag
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