Breakes seized and almost caused accident!

[bigrubberjeep]

Last night I was cruising and sudenly I heard a rumble in the front right of the car - Then the car started to pull ot the right - U pulled over and I could smell burnt brake coming from the wheels well - I started to drive back home (slow) 1 miles later suffering the same simptoms still - THE BREAKS SEIZED - I yanked on the e-brake and came to a stop (good thing I was going slow or I would have ended up in the intersection)

I looked at the car for 20 minutes just thinking to my self. (WTF?)

So I decided to get back in the car since I was only 1 miles from home and drive at 2-5MPH - Well on my way home - All the symptoms went away and break presure came back.

Then I decided to driv eit around the block a few times for testing -

Brakes are working fine -

What gives here guys?

[Tim Walsh]

Not sure what's going on but it sounds like it's time for a complete rebuild of the system. What year car is it?

[lparker]

That's a typical symptom of a K&N filter install. It's the car telling you....Hey, i don't like all this dirt in me.

[bigrubberjeep]

It's an 85 with 930 breaks -

Hey I parker- you think a brake failure incident is the time to crack jokes? I had my 6 month old in the car just an hour before. Would you be cracking jokes then too?

[Rot 911]

Big, settle down! I'm sure Lee didn't mean any harm. Now back to your more immediate problem. Did this happen while braking or just while driving? If while braking I would suspect a caliper piston stuck. If just while driving then you are going to have to do a tear down to find the problem. You said you heard a rumble, have you check for a bad wheel bearing?

[bigrubberjeep]

Kurt - I have not checked for the bearing issue - the rumble along with the drag to the right all went away after a few yards and some pumps from the seize moment - So I suspect a stuck piston also - WHat I am curisou to know is, if the piston got stuck would I also loose presure? The pedal practicvally hit the floor with zero presure. (presure came back 20 minutes later)

[Rot 911]

If it the piston had been dragging it would heat the rotor up and heat the brake fluid and lines up. Just like when you race and stay on the brakes too much. What then happens is you lose brake pressure. when the rotor and caliper cooled down the pressure can build back up and the piston probably retracted.

[bigrubberjeep]

That's exacly what I figured as well.

Im leaving in about 15 to get new rear tires (i took the day off for this)

Then I will just take a look at the breaks - If it doesnt get stuck today - I wont fix it today -

But I will take the front caliper off this weekend. (are rebuild kit's available for these? And around what price range? From who?

[dhoward]

If the brake was dragging it also could have boiled the brake fluid causing the loss of pressure. Rebuild kits are cheap. Look on pelican. Flush all of the old fluid out and replace with new. Break down and buy speed bleeders. Look on Pelican.

[greglepore]

I would also check/replace front hoses-they can swell internally, causing symptoms similar to sticking caliper. Not very common, but can happen.

[dhoward]

Excellent thought Greg. Had to change mine last fall for the same reason. When I took them off I couldn't blow through them!

[Zeke]

Originally posted by greglepore
I would also check/replace front hoses-they can swell internally, causing symptoms similar to sticking caliper. Not very common, but can happen.

I would also like to second the hoses as suspect. If the fluid boiled, it's time for a bleed anyway. BigRubber, always look to the host (PelicanParts, if you're confused) for any P-car needs. They have practiaclly everything, especially all the brake needs.

[sammyg2]

If your brakes are suspect, don't drive the car. You just said that it almost caused an accident, you said it was't a joking matter, but you're going to drive the car some more? I think the safest thng to do would be to inspect everything before driving it again. Makes me nervous for you. I hope everything works out.

The only other thing that came to my mind when you described the problem was a possibility that a rock got wedged in there preventing the pad from retracting. Just a thought.

[DavidI]

I agree with Sam. I would not drive the car without finding the root problem. You could be hurt, hurt others, and/or wreck your car. Better safe than sorry.

Just my 2 cents, David

[Steve 82SC]

I had a similar problem some years ago. Since it involved the brakes, I didn't bother to look for the cause. I replaced the master, brake hoses, and rebuilt each caliper. The problem was solved and I figured it was worth the dough ( I did the work myself, so it was just parts...not too bad) since it involved the only method allowing the car to stop.
Steve

[JK-81SC]

I'm with Steve on this one.

I rebuilt my brake system a couple years ago. It wasn't that hard to do. I followed the tech articles from Pelican Parts, and now I have new brakes for a fraction of the price a shop would have charged.

[MOMO3.2]

bigrubberjeep:

I would NOT drive the car with that condition. I would have the whole brake system overhauled. This is not something to take lightly. The potential for something really bad to happen is too great to fool around.

The GOOD news in all this is: If you overhaul the brake system, it will last a long, long time. And (most importantly) you happen to have purchased a rare 911 that is worth every penny you put into it. Don't be bummed out. Just fix it right. Make it safe. And smile real big because you got a good one.

Mike

P.S. Keep us posted

[real550A]

I third the "don't drive it" motion! There's obviously something very wrong with the brake at that wheel. I would rebuild both front calipers, check all hoses, and check front wheel bearings, "while you're in there"!
Given the way we drive these cars, no one needs any surprises, and this one is no longer a surprise. Just fix it, and enjoy!

[addictionMS]

just read this thread about driving a car with a known problem and you will think twice before you do

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?threadid=119478&referrerid=183

[Jack Olsen]

I didn't follow the purchase of the car, but was there a PPI involved?

Maybe now would be a good time to get it looked at.