Date:         Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:27:38 -0700
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: diagnosing by smell - maybe brake problem?
Comments: To: Joy Hecht <hecht.joy@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <6e95da690808101411m538c9adakd319214cbc92da81@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Can you determine which wheel the smell is coming from?

Does your Westy "pull" (drift) either direction when you let go of the wheel?

If it has sat idle for any length of time, I'd suggest looking at the
parking brake/rear shoes first. If parking brake was on for an
extended period, a shoe(s) could be stuck rubbing against a drum(s)

If not, other brake hardware (i.e. broken return spring) on a rear
wheel may be malfunctioning allowing a shoe, or shoes, to stay against
a drum.

Second thought is that one of the front calipers is sticking and
keeping a pad against the rotor.



Cheers,

Neil.



On Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 2:11 PM, Joy Hecht <hecht.joy@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Matilda is giving off a smell that makes me nervous - like the way it smells
> if you forget to take your parking brake off and drive with it on.  Is that
> burning brake pads?  Overheated brake fluid?  Burning something else?  I've
> noticed it on and off for a month or so.  The brakes work fine, the brake
> fluid level is fine, no other symptoms.  Oh, and no, I'm not driving with
> the parking brake on.
>
> Anyone know what this might be?  Should I panic?
>
>
>
>
>
> Joy
> on behalf of Matilda, who can't type very well
>



--
Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/