Hard brake pedal

[danh90]

Right I recently burnt a hole in my brake vac pipe it was sorted fitted some new piping not original but stuff that will still do the job.

Now I can press my brakes half way down and there fine then there solid after that I can come to a stop easy but can't slam on and stop??

Any ideas guys??

Basically wouldn't be able to get abs to kick in then really as can only press it half way down so can't hammer on the brakes

 

[danh90]

Anyone

 

[robgooch]

Have you checked all the brake pipes? You may have a kink in a flexi meaning fluid will get through and you will stop just not very quickly.

 

[danh90]

It stops sharp tho when I first apply just can't press the pedal fully. Could melting one of the pipes behind the engine cause this or would that just piss fluid out leaving no brakes at all?

I don't know if it has melted btw just guessing

 

[Tony Hunter]

Right I recently burnt a hole in my brake vac pipe it was sorted fitted some new piping not original but stuff that will still do the job.

Now I can press my brakes half way down and there fine then there solid after that I can come to a stop easy but can't slam on and stop??

Any ideas guys??

Basically wouldn't be able to get abs to kick in then really as can only press it half way down so can't hammer on the brakes

It stops sharp tho when I first apply just can't press the pedal fully. Could melting one of the pipes behind the engine cause this or would that just piss fluid out leaving no brakes at all?

I don't know if it has melted btw just guessing

Well have you or not, check it because I'm lost!!

 

[robgooch]

I'm lost too, not sure what you have checked and what you haven't. In order for someone to help you need to be accurate and not guess.

 

[danh90]

I've not checked anything as yet I was just questioning if one of the pipes had melted behind the engine surely that would piss the fluid out and leave no brakes at all right? Including the pedal going straight to the floor..

Ill check inamin but it feels like when you have a leak in the vac pipe but I'd of thought the pedal would be solid as soon as you touched it if that was the case

 

[Tony Hunter]

There isn't any fluid in the vac pipe.

 

[danh90]

I think I've confused some if you I meant the pipes the fluid runs through ill check all the pipes and feed back

 

[robgooch]

Brake pipe will be solid behind the engine so wouldn't melt. And as said a vacuum hose wouldn't carry fluid because if it did, it wouldn't be able to create a vacuum. I'm no mechanic, but I was always told to start with the basics. Start at the wheels and work towards the engine bay making sure everything looks ok. It could be that you have worn pads and the piston is stuck on?

 

[danh90]

There the pipes I was on about mate the solid ones I thought the heat of the turbo may have got to them..

I know the vac pipe doesn't carry fluid as I've already melted that in the past lol

Will have a good look round then just wondered if anyone had this problem before where could only press brake pedal 50%

 

[easym5]

Will have a good look round then just wondered if anyone had this problem before where could only press brake pedal 50%

Had this problem when i had air in the abs unit ?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Could you have boiled your fluid? Any heat shield between turbo and pipes?

 

[danh90]

Got it I bet it's air in the abs I had a leak in my break line before Xmas which I had to replace and it drained all the fluid so guessing airs got into the abs unit

 

[Tony Hunter]

Get bleeding, then try it. More than likely the problem.

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Or it's a dodgy one way valve at the servo as your running boost now, bleed the brakes first to see, also was there any damage to the brakes when the wheel came off?

 

[danh90]

Fitted new hub and disk caliper and that seemed sound and I fitted new line just after and bled all the brakes and they seemed fine..

Before I bled them though there was literally no brakes there from pissing fluid out so I'm thinking air in the abs unit which am I correct needs the clip to sort out?

I will bleed again and see what there like

Cheers lads

 

[danh90]

Scoff mentioned something to me about getting a one way valve but can't remember exactly what he said now will have to give him a call

 

[...]

So lets just get this correct ..... you had a vacuum pipe issue , you have replaced it , and now when you press the pedal it feels normal to start with and goes solid half way down ?

the car stops fine but sounds like you have a high pedal ?

the solid feel indicates to me that its an issue with the brake servo that gives you the assistance ..... either that or you have a pad issue thats giving you a wooden feeling pedal but i doubt that .

either the pipe you fitted is doing something weird as its not an original one , my first step would be get a genuine one and try that , next is the servo , which i guess as not looked at the clio setup is part of the mastercylinder setup .

it does not sound fluid related to me unless your description is something i have misinterpreted.


??????????????????????????

 

[Djw John]

What did you use as a new vac pipe? It could be closing in under pressure. Seen aftermarket ones collapse before.

 

[danh90]

I don't think it's fluid related either as I've had problems fluid related and that feels the opposite to this..

Will start with the new vac pipe and see from there

 

[danh90]

What did you use as a new vac pipe? It could be closing in under pressure. Seen aftermarket ones collapse before.

Me and scoff literally just bodged some shitty pipe on simply as I needed to get home in it..

Right so having a crap pipe could actually cause this. Ill get a replacement on ASAP and see what it's like

 

[...]

I don't think it's fluid related either as I've had problems fluid related and that feels the opposite to this..

Will start with the new vac pipe and see from there

99% of time fluid related problems give long soft pedals

hard pedal on a servo assisted car is usually servo related (vacuum feed , servo itself) , or related to another mechanical issue like a caliper sticking .

a sticking caliper won't give you a good braking effort , so thats what i questioned what i had thought you had described .

my bet is its the vacumm hose you have used .

 

[...]

must type english .................. its early !!

 

[Djw John]

Yup, one I saw slid inside the original vac pipe which also meant it was a smaller id so less capacity.

Before doing the bigger jobs I would get the obvious change you've made sorted. And with your turbo below it its got to be good quality, not just a random bit.

 

[danh90]

Spot on cheers will get an original put back on but everything your saying seems right as the connection onto the back of the head is really pushed/stretched on too

Thanks

 

[Djw John]

No worries, hope it sorts it.

 

[danh90]

Found it.. Vac leak from the crappy pipe we put in..

New one needed now then will get wanted thread up as I'd imagine Renault will rip me off

 

[...]

for a vac pipe ?



doubt its the end of the world for an easy life .

 

[Scoff]

That piece of pipe we used is 8mm nylon Dan, so unless it's burnt through somewhere I don't think you're problem will be there.

Did you get round to installing the one way valve ? You need a valve in that line to stop the servo seeing boost pressure.

Pull that pipe off the back of the manifold and blow/suck through it to make sure there are no leaks. It should feel blocked. If you can hear air rushing through it somewhere then the pipe has failed or the servo is leaking.

You should check the pipe / servo for leaks first. And check that the pipe has not kinked. It was a bit of a tight squeze in the wheel arch so have a look there too.
If that looks fine then try bleeding it. While bleeding check that the pedal is going all the way to the floor with a bleed nipple open. If the pedal is still hard with a bleed nipple open then maybe the master cylinder is dead, or something funny happening inside the servo causing a lack of travel ?

A one way valve and heat sheild are definately required Dan

 

[danh90]

There was a leak that bit of red piping had torn mate fitted some new piping on now until the original piece comes and everything's working fine..

Where best place to get a one way valve from?

 

[Scoff]

Here you go Dan:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Triump...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4170212c6f

The existing metal hose tail in the back of the manifold can be removed with an allen key and leaves a 1/8" threaded hole. The valve above should screw right in. Then connect your OE brake servo pipe to the valve.