Problem with your car?

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

Replace the servo.

Theres nothing wrong with the servo, only the master cylinder.

If brake fluid were to evaporate readily, it wouldn't be much use in hydraulic systems.

But that is in a closed system. Fairly sure the servo / housing itself is not air locked, so I am assuming the fluid lost / sprayed into there would evaporate with the heat from the engine.

[caspar]

Re: Problem with your car?

I had a similar problem on a car once - turned out to be the slave cylinder on the clutch, this located within the clutch bell-housing, & virtually impossible to see. The clutch & break fluid top-up tank was a 'common' unit, so a leak on the clutch could affect the brakes.

Quite a few vehilces have this ridiculous system. It is potentially a killer, as a problem with your cltch could lead to a loss of brakes which could easil lead to your death. Ridiculous! I've got the same system on my motorhome.

I assume there's no damp behind the brake pedal?

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

Theres nothing wrong with the servo, only the master cylinder.

OK, do as you please.

You asked for an easy way to ensure that the servo was free from brake fluid without taking it to bits but, when I suggested an alternative, you rejected it out of hand.

Have fun.

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

OK, do as you please.

You asked for an easy way to ensure that the servo was free from brake fluid without taking it to bits but, when I suggested an alternative, you rejected it out of hand.

Have fun.

It wasnt a rejection, but I am not a master mechanic, neither do I have a lot of money. Personally, I do not see the point in replacing a part that is fully functional.

[CleverClogs (RIP)]

Re: Problem with your car?

It wasnt a rejection, but I am not a master mechanic, neither do I have a lot of money. Personally, I do not see the point in replacing a part that is fully functional.

I expect you could exchange it, or buy a pre-used one from a breaker.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Problem with your car?

Going to hope Allan sees this before tomorrow afternoon.

Pretty sure its the master now.... 99% in fact. Whats the easiest way (if any) of removing excess fluid from the servo? (without taking it apart)

Can this be left to evaporate off at all?

PM mate lol. I've asked him to come look

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Going to hope Allan sees this before tomorrow afternoon.

Pretty sure its the master now.... 99% in fact. Whats the easiest way (if any) of removing excess fluid from the servo? (without taking it apart)

Can this be left to evaporate off at all?

Sorry caspar, only just spotted your post, always better to drop me a PM to direct me to a post, as I don't always notice them.

Ok as you say it is probably the master cylinder seals which will allow fluid to drain off into the servo via the diaphragm, there is no easy way of draining it off as the servo housing is a pressurised vacuum sealed unit (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN IT) some of the excess fluid in the servo will be sucked out by the air vacuum pipe that goes to the inlet manifold that works the servo assembly, it will then be burnt out with exhaust gases, so if some fluid remains in the servo housing as long as you are satisfied the brake line pressure is OK once you have replaced the master cylinder you should be good to go, if you struggle to get a firm brake pedal, you may have to replace the servo unit.

Good Luck.
Allan

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

Ok allan, after more advice!

Have bleed the brakes, in the order NSR, OSR, NSF, OSF. I still do not have a brake. If I pump the brake (with engine running) I can get one load of brake pressure. Have double checked the nipples and there is no seepage so these are tight.

This might sound like a stupid question, but do you need the engine runnng when bleeding (for the ABS unit) as opposed to the ignition just being fully on.

Dont know if this makes a difference, and unsure if I have mentioned this previously or not, but I can hear air (like when you squeeze your palms together) - this appears to be coming from the rubber on the inner bulkhead behind the brake pedal.

If the servo does need replacing (which I cant see as I can get pressure with no ignition) are they difficult to replace?

..... Alternatively, if your up this neck of the woods next week

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Oscar, on most ABS systems you need to have the engine running in order to open the ABS valves to allow successful bleeding of the system.

The worrying bit is the sound of air pressure near the bulkhead, this could simply be air still in the system, because you are not purging the ABS unit enough. Or it could be the servo/ master cylinder unit failed. (not hard to replace, but you do need to identify the problem before spending money on something that possibly isn't broken !)

Remember, It can take quite a a bit of repeat bleeding to completely clear the system.

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

Oscar, on most ABS systems you need to have the engine running in order to open the ABS valves to allow successful bleeding of the system.

The worrying bit is the sound of air pressure near the bulkhead, this could simply be air still in the system, because you are not purging the ABS unit enough. Or it could be the servo/ master cylinder unit failed. (not hard to replace, but you do need to identify the problem before spending money on something that possibly isn't broken !)

Remember, It can take quite a a bit of repeat bleeding to completely clear the system.

Cheers Allan, was aware about repeat bleeding in some cases.

The air noise I think is coming form the rubber behind the brake pedal - like a conical rubber - like a CV boot i suppose by the feel of it (dont know how else to describe it. - thats where it sounds like - was starting to get dark when I looked!!

I suppose pressure is the wrong word as well - its like, an "armpit fart" - you know, put your hand under your armpit and flap like a chicken!

If I need the engine running, thats going to make the NSR fun to bleed!! - right next to the exhaust pipe ..... wonder if anywhere does a gas masks?!

Looks like I have a busy Saturday coming up! Suppose I should also say I have replaced the Master Cylinder (unit from breakers but all seals ok)

[charitynjw]

Re: Problem with your car?

Oldish Vauxhall Corsa (not mine, btw, the stepson's)

Started ok one morning, drove to my house & parked, went back to start it 10 mins later - engine/starting motor not turning!

Fuses have been checked & ok.

Lights, instrument warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers etc all ok.

Just in case, car battery has been charged (many hours).

Also, tried jump-starting - zilch!

Someone has suggested 'relay switch' - are they the ones handily located above the fuses, positioned so that you have to wreck half the dashboard to access them.
If so, which one?

Someone else also mentioned an immobiliser, & something about a 'chip' in the ignition key - ?? (it's a POC Corsa, for goodness sake!!)
(I haven't got the key here to check it)
If so, is this a 'Vauxhall garage only' job?

Any advice would be muchly appreciated!

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Cheers Allan, was aware about repeat bleeding in some cases.

The air noise I think is coming form the rubber behind the brake pedal - like a conical rubber - like a CV boot i suppose by the feel of it (dont know how else to describe it. - thats where it sounds like - was starting to get dark when I looked!!

I suppose pressure is the wrong word as well - its like, an "armpit fart" - you know, put your hand under your armpit and flap like a chicken!

If I need the engine running, thats going to make the NSR fun to bleed!! - right next to the exhaust pipe ..... wonder if anywhere does a gas masks?!

Looks like I have a busy Saturday coming up! Suppose I should also say I have replaced the Master Cylinder (unit from breakers but all seals ok)

Oscar I would say the "Armpit Fart" may suggest the diaphragm in the servo is feked !

But without actually being in a position to personally examine it, I am only making assumptions based on what you describe, so don't take it as gospel and go ripping the thing apart until you are really sure of the problem.

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Oldish Vauxhall Corsa (not mine, btw, the stepson's)

Started ok one morning, drove to my house & parked, went back to start it 10 mins later - engine/starting motor not turning!

Fuses have been checked & ok.

Lights, instrument warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers etc all ok.

Just in case, car battery has been charged (many hours).

Also, tried jump-starting - zilch!

Someone has suggested 'relay switch' - are they the ones handily located above the fuses, positioned so that you have to wreck half the dashboard to access them.
If so, which one?

Someone else also mentioned an immobiliser, & something about a 'chip' in the ignition key - ?? (it's a POC Corsa, for goodness sake!!)
(I haven't got the key here to check it)
If so, is this a 'Vauxhall garage only' job?

Any advice would be muchly appreciated!

Ok first of all Corsa's have a reputation for dodgy electrics, so it could be anything from simply a sticking starter motor.

A couple of things to try to eliminate the immobilisor or the key transponder unit.

Put the car in second gear, handbrake off (IGNITION OFF) and try rocking it backwards and forwards to "free up" the starter motor, then try again to see if the car starts up.
If still not starting try and bump start it either by getting a hand or two to push start it or by towing it.
If it starts, then you have eliminated the immobiliser and ignition key transponder chip.
So it is down to either the starter motor or starter motor relay.

Either way, forget going to a main Vauxhall dealer, any decent auto electrician could sort it a lot cheaper.

[charitynjw]

Re: Problem with your car?

Cheers, alland, you're a diamond!!

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

Oldish Vauxhall Corsa (not mine, btw, the stepson's)

Started ok one morning, drove to my house & parked, went back to start it 10 mins later - engine/starting motor not turning!

Fuses have been checked & ok.

Lights, instrument warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers etc all ok.

Just in case, car battery has been charged (many hours).

Also, tried jump-starting - zilch!

Someone has suggested 'relay switch' - are they the ones handily located above the fuses, positioned so that you have to wreck half the dashboard to access them.
If so, which one?

Someone else also mentioned an immobiliser, & something about a 'chip' in the ignition key - ?? (it's a POC Corsa, for goodness sake!!)
(I haven't got the key here to check it)
If so, is this a 'Vauxhall garage only' job?

Any advice would be muchly appreciated!

Totally different car, but I had this on a fiesta. I managed, purely by chance to find it was a loose wire (on the coil I think, but could have been the starter) - there was enough of a connection to get ignition lights, but nothing else. I know when the ignition was turned on and if you "wiggled" it, you could hear a clicking noise as the electrics went on and off.