Brake Failure!

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Tigdlo
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:29 pm
Location: Royston, Herts

Brake Failure!

#1 Post by Tigdlo » Thu Aug 11, 2016 8:16 am

Yesterday, I planned to take Mrs Tigdlo out to lunch in my 100e Pop, so in the morning I gave the old girl (the car that is!), a quick check over - tyre pressures, engine oil, water and brake/clutch fluid levels. All were fine.
As the car hadn't been used for a week, I took it for a short run up the road. On braking at the first junction, the pedal went straight down to the floor - no brakes at all! Fortunately, the handbrake worked well enough to leave skid marks in the road, not to mention in my pants!
When my knees had stopped knocking, I very gingerly drove back to my garage, where I found the cause of my excitement to be the hydraulic brake light switch, which had brake fluid pouring out of it. Said switch was a new replacement about 3/4 years and 1600 miles ago. I cannot recall where I bought it, but I know that others have had similar problems with switches purchased via the Internet.
Can anybody recommend a source for a more reliable switch, as I would rather not repeat the experience!

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JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Brake Failure!

#2 Post by JPB » Thu Aug 11, 2016 8:55 am

Bull Motif (and possibly other BMC & Reliant spares specialists) supply genuine Lucas (split new rather than dangerous n/o/s) imports, £5.75 will buy one that won't leak for many years to come. The trouble you're having is sure to have been caused by an old stock part whose seals were already past it when UK manufacture ceased in 1991!

There are also some frankly wrong UK-made replicas that have a straight thread as the bloke who made them didn't have a die head that could cut on the taper, or fly off at the correct depth for that matter. People force these up but by the time they're tight enough on the four way connector block, they're likely to have damaged [the block's] thread which is another potential trigger for the old clenched buttocks.
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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Luxobarge
Posts: 1898
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Brake Failure!

#3 Post by Luxobarge » Thu Aug 11, 2016 4:04 pm

As above - probably the same thing as used on Morris Minors, ESM are my spares supplier of choice, you can either have one with spade connectors as here:

http://www.morrisminorspares.com/brakes ... rs-p829354

Or one with screw connectors as here:

http://www.morrisminorspares.com/brakes ... rs-p829353

Or you could change the plumbing to eliminate the pressure switch and rig up a microswitch straight off the pedal - but I know if it were me I'd just replace it with a new one and have done. Put one of these into my Midget a good few years ago and had no problems since - even did it without the need to bleed it! (Had to be quick though.....).

Cheers :D
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

Tigdlo
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:29 pm
Location: Royston, Herts

Re: Brake Failure!

#4 Post by Tigdlo » Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:43 pm

Many thanks for your suggestions, I will order one from one of those well established suppliers.
I have removed the guilty item and it is marked 'Lucas', so is as John said, either very old stock, or a cheap copy. It has obviously ruptured internally, as all the remaining brake fluid has since drained out, being at the lowest point of the braking system on a 100e. Connecting it to a low pressure air supply (10-15 psi) showed it leaking from around the electrical connectors.

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: Brake Failure!

#5 Post by GHT » Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:09 pm

When you have replaced the dodgy switch, check and double check, the state of all your hydraulic fluid hoses. Your experience brought back a reminisce, I was descending a steep hill when the brakes became sort of spongy, like you, I resorted to the handbrake as well as double declutching and changing down through the box. No harm came to me, or anyone else that day, but I didn't need any laxatives I can tell you. It turned out to be one of the hydraulic hoses to the brakes had perished causing fluid to run between the brake and the drum. Not an experience I would wish on anybody.

Tigdlo
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:29 pm
Location: Royston, Herts

Re: Brake Failure!

#6 Post by Tigdlo » Mon Aug 15, 2016 8:51 am

Thanks for that GHT.
I have totally rebuilt this car from the ground up, and all the brake hydraulic parts were replaced with new items purchased either from the owner's club, or from a well established specialist within the past four years.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of rubbish being sold within the classic car spares market, and I'm afraid that until something is done about that, there will be a major catastrophe.

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