Thanks for all the great info. Here are some = responses...
> The brake fade you are experiencing is due =
to vaporization
> of brake fluid (more
> specifically, whatever is in your brake lines, =
it may be a
> combination of brake
> fluid and H2O). What kind of fluid did you use? =
What is its
> boiling point?
I am using brand new Prestone DOT 4 fluid (FLAPS = doesn't carry Castrol). I flushed and refilled the entire system = when I did the brake job.
> mentioned the need to pump once to gain a firm =
pedal, that is
> a sign of air in the brake hydraulic system, =
how did you bleed the brakes?
> Did you flush the lines until clear?
I first used a pressure bleeder to flush the system = out and do the fronts. My wife helped me do the rears in the = "traditional" manner. "Pump it up... Hold it... = Pump it up... hold it..." since the pressure bleeder over = fills the M/C and it is a hassle getting the excess fluid out. = BTW, I ran about 1 Qt. of new fluid through the system to flush it = out.
> binding? Perhaps if air is in the system, it is =
staying slightly pressurized after
> letting off the brake pedal causing brake =
system heating during normal driving. Did
> you adjust the rear shoes properly so as not to =
bind? When driving long
> mountain passes, I
Hmm... this sounds plausible. All this has me = wondering if I really missed something when I bled the system. I = have probably done 100 brake jobs (I used to turn wrenches at a garage = when I was in college) and I have never had these kinds of = problems. I am suspicious of a note I saw in the Bentley that = refers to flipping a lever on the porportioning valve, and = disconnecting the vacuum line on the booster before bleeding the = brakes. Is this important?
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA