Re: [DML] Weird brakes

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxx>]

I'm no expert (yet) but my guess is that your master cylinder is going bad.
Mine had similar symptoms before it leaked all over the frame. If I were
sitting at a traffic light with my foot on the brake pedal, then after a
minute or so the pedal would gradually drop to the floor. After it bottomed
out, I could release the pedal and repeat the cycle. At this point the
system wasn't loosing any fluid.

If your problem were in the vacuum assist, then your symptoms would be
opposite. When it quits working then the brake would feel more firm and
then as it started working again the pedal would go lower with less effort.

If you are going to continue to drive it in this condition, be sure that
your low fluid warning light is working properly. My original fluid sensor
had the internals corroded beyond repair. I got a new one from PJ Grady
that wasn't an exact replacement. The electrical plug was different, so I
trimmed it up and soldered wires to a new water proof plug. It gives me a
lot more confidence knowing that I might get an idiot light warning rather
than suddenly find that my brakes aren't working.

At the very least, put a towel under the master cylinder to catch all the
fluid as it starts leaking out. Or better yet, rebuild the system before
you have an accident.

Walt Tampa, FL

From: "Cameron Putsch" <putsch.1@xxxx>
> I had this happen a couple of times to me the other day. My brake pedal
would go low on random when coming up to a stop. It only happened a few
times and not in a row. It happened from around 55 mph when holding the
brakes to a stop. Even though the pedal went low I still had adaquate
stopping power. I checked around and I do not have a coolant leak nor do I
have a vacume leak. could this be from inconsistancies in the vacume assist
or what?