Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 09:53:53 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: What is my problem?
In-Reply-To: <OE56o2oZL701IpQqFkj0001c99e@hotmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The brake pedal going to the floor indicates a hydraulic problem. The
brake booster will have nothing to do with this at all. Check the entire
system for leaks. This includes pulling the rear drums. Make sure the
brakes are properly adjusted. Bleed the system. If still no good, you
have a bad Master cylinder.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Robert Keezer
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2002 2:07 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: What is my problem?
I am really hoping someone has the answer(s) to this one.
Beginning about a week ago, my brake pedal goes to the floor slowly at
stops and then the Vanagon has little braking and starts rolling.
The first thing I thought of was "vacuum check valve". I looked for it
and was gone, having been replaced with a short length of plastic tube.
I am surprised by this, because I don't remember removing and not
replacing the check valve. I know there is supposed to be a check valve.
So who knows for how long the check valve has been missing.
So I replaced the tube with a proper check valve, but the pedal still
won't hold, and goes to the floor.
The questions are: Can driving missing a check valve ruin the vacuum
brake booster?
Or, can a bad master cylinder be the problem?
Are the symptoms of a bad master brake cylinder as described?
I have had almost every other problem with a car you can think of, but
never a bad master cylinder.
The one that is in the Vanagon is not the original, having been one of
many swapped out until we learned the real reason for the mushy brake
pedal after replacing the rear shoes: we didn't adjust the new shoes til
they touched the drums, then back them off.
So, the master cylinder is one that was sitting in a garage for an
undetermined amount of time, exposed to dust and humidity no doubt.
Before I possibly go in the wrong direction, and remove the master
cylinder for the fourth time, does anyone know how I can be certain the
master cylinder is bad? Please be as technical as you want.
Robert
1982 Westfalia
Robert
1982 WestfaliaGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download :
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