Brake Responsiveness

[profcucchi]

Hey guys,

I just got my "new" 1979. I will have many questions, but I'l start with just two:

Brakes:

Master Cylinder replaced, calipers replaced, brake pads are good. Brakes were bled. Am I supposed to push the brake 90% down then get some response? Can this be corrected to respond much sooner?

Dash Board lights:

Are there any?

[majicwrench]

Brakes should feel lilke any normal car. Your low pedal can be corrected.
Yes they have dash lites.
Keith

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[profcucchi]

Brakes should feel lilke any normal car. Your low pedal can be corrected.
Yes they have dash lites.
Keith

WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. My mechanic, whom I bought the car from, is away for a few weeks. I'd like to get this fixed sooner than the first week of October. Mind you, Toronto may get frost that week, so I can leave it until next year.

Any Toronto guys who can vouch for ItalMotors on Lawrence and Caledonia?

Also, my headlights just went out. I'm hoping it's a fuse and not wiring. They were working 2 hours ago and then stopped.

[maytag]

if your mechanic replaced the master cylinder, but did not bleed it properly (not the same as bleeding the system) then you can get this problem.

twist your fuses in their sockets. those crappy-old foil-type fuses just suck.

[profcucchi]

if your mechanic replaced the master cylinder, but did not bleed it properly (not the same as bleeding the system) then you can get this problem.

twist your fuses in their sockets. those crappy-old foil-type fuses just suck.

Thanks for the help. I'll carefully pop them out and re-insert them.

My mechanic was in a rush to get the car ready for me so if he cut corners, it doesn't surprise me, but does bother me.

[maytag]

try something. I don;t know how well it'll work for you, but try it:
find something to use that'll depress the brake pedal all the way down and keep it there without you standing there.

leave it like that all night, or all day, or better: all night and all day.

then pump the brakes several times.

let us know what you get.

This was a little trick we used to use on the superbikes. We'd clamp the brake lever all the way back with rubber bands while the bike was in transport and overnight. Any air in the system will rise to the highest point.
Now, if there are ups-n-downs in the hoses on your car, the air will still be there, but you might be able to get the M/C to firm-up this way.

YMMV. I've never tried it on a car,

[profcucchi]

try something. I don;t know how well it'll work for you, but try it:
find something to use that'll depress the brake pedal all the way down and keep it there without you standing there.

leave it like that all night, or all day, or better: all night and all day.

then pump the brakes several times.

let us know what you get.

This was a little trick we used to use on the superbikes. We'd clamp the brake lever all the way back with rubber bands while the bike was in transport and overnight. Any air in the system will rise to the highest point.
Now, if there are ups-n-downs in the hoses on your car, the air will still be there, but you might be able to get the M/C to firm-up this way.

YMMV. I've never tried it on a car,

Hmmm... sounds like bleeding the brakes. I can't see how it could damage the brakes, so it might just happen.

Thanks.

[maytag]

it won;t harm them, I'm just not ready to guarantee it'll help them.

[profcucchi]

Same issue but more detail:

1. When I push the brake, I'm pushing it in to the floor to stop. It does begin to brake prior to the floor, but nowhere near what I would consider a safe zone.

2. It makes a hissing sound when I release the brake, which stops when I reapply the brake.

3. When the car is in off, I can pump the brake and it responds like a brake should - more resistance.

From the answers provided, sounds like air in the master cylinder?

[4uall]

Hey guys,

I just got my "new" 1979. I will have many questions, but I'l start with just two:

Brakes:

Master Cylinder replaced, calipers replaced, brake pads are good. Brakes were bled. Am I supposed to push the brake 90% down then get some response? Can this be corrected to respond much sooner?

Dash Board lights:

Are there any?

this might help with your dash lights
http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... re#p144351

[profcucchi]

Hey guys,

I just got my "new" 1979. I will have many questions, but I'l start with just two:

Brakes:

Master Cylinder replaced, calipers replaced, brake pads are good. Brakes were bled. Am I supposed to push the brake 90% down then get some response? Can this be corrected to respond much sooner?

Dash Board lights:

Are there any?

this might help with your dash lights
http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... re#p144351

On my way tomorrow to purchase, the Saturday it's another job to do!

I have practically 0% light. New bulbs should do the trick.

[4uall]

No disrespect intended however, are you aware that there is a dial that increases/decreases the dash light intensity?

On my 1980 it is the dial to the far right (next to the seat belt icon)


new carpet installed by itzebtze, on Flickr

[divace73]

Same issue but more detail:

1. When I push the brake, I'm pushing it in to the floor to stop. It does begin to brake prior to the floor, but nowhere near what I would consider a safe zone.

2. It makes a hissing sound when I release the brake, which stops when I reapply the brake.

3. When the car is in off, I can pump the brake and it responds like a brake should - more resistance.

From the answers provided, sounds like air in the master cylinder?

Nobody has mentioned the adjustment that can be done between the MC and the booster, you have to be careful, too much length can bind up.

Does it hiss all the time when the foot is off the pedal? If so then you Booster needs repairing/replacing, this would make the braking very hard though.
I quick hiss is normal, it is how the booster operate, it opens a valve which lets air in that fills the vacuum void on the back of the diaphragm, this action pushes the rod (that is adjustable between the MC and booster) to the MC.

Was it ever working satisfactory with the new MC?

[profcucchi]

Nobody has mentioned the adjustment that can be done between the MC and the booster, you have to be careful, too much length can bind up.

Does it hiss all the time when the foot is off the pedal? If so then you Booster needs repairing/replacing, this would make the braking very hard though.
I quick hiss is normal, it is how the booster operate, it opens a valve which lets air in that fills the vacuum void on the back of the diaphragm, this action pushes the rod (that is adjustable between the MC and booster) to the MC.

Was it ever working satisfactory with the new MC?

It doesn't hiss all the time. Only after I apply the brakes and for few seconds afterwards. I bought it like this so I don't know how it was prior.

I'll look into the booster, as well.

[divace73]

is you car fuel injected at all??
On my FI car I had an issue when I hit the brakes and would let air back into the engine via the failed booster valve which would cause the engine to idle very low and stall, you could hear a a loud hiss. (It was letting un-metered air in the Fuel injected system) I don't know if a carb'd cars would do the same thing as the air intake is not metered per se.
Effectively the booster would fail to work making the braking very hard and I had to push as hard as I could, in fact I could not lock up the brakes at all without the booster.

Is it hard to brake or is it that you just have too much pedal travel for comfortable braking?

I think as the others have suggested, do a brake bleed again, if the system still persists then possibly look at adjusting the rod between the master cyl and booster??
(I am assuming all your brake hoses are on good condition and you brakes have been bed in)