rear ended! amazing bumper

[alexhay]

I was just rear ended in my 88 carerra and i must say that based on the impact i was expecting to see my engine on the ground! with that being said, i do have a small gash on the bumper gaurd (which I've found out they're very hard to get) the problem i'm experiencing now is my rear brake is making noise when i brake. and there was some fluid that leaked out the night of the crash. it appeared to be thinner than oil and it came from near the transmission but it hasn't happened again. i checked my brake fluid reserve and it seems a tad lower. open to any diagnosis

[yelcab1]

Crawl under and look. I would not drive too far until you figure it out. Don't take chances with your brakes.

[alexhay]

I've looked around already and haven't seen anything, the weird thing is there was no noise or any problem until I drove away from my mechanic! i do a lot of canyon driving and the brakes are fine, the just seemed noisy only when I was on an uphill slop??. I assume if there was a leak, everytime i press the brakes i would be getting brake fluid shooting out from somewhere

[kach22i]

Originally posted by alexhay
no noise or any problem until I drove away from my mechanic!

I'll refrain from making a joke about the mechanic and instead ask a question.

Q-1: Did your mechanic say he could not find a problem and signed off on it?

Q-2: Is there a UV light or something which can find leaking fluid sources, or have I been watching too much Miami CSI?

Q-3: The rubber bumperettes/pads work, any advice for those thinking of taking them off to save a little weight?

[MichiganMat]

Theres only one way to test this:

get your car up to around 120mph on a country road and solidly apply the brakes in a screaching halt.

If you live, then its not your brakes.

[alexhay]

wow, what would we do without your help!

[89911]

That is why I won't use a fiberglass bumper on the street. The fluid is most likely from the oil filled shocks expelling their contents on impact. They will need to be replaced along with other items possibly damaged. Hopefully there isn't too much.

[Zeke]

The brake lines come from the center tunnel and fork out to the brakes using the trailing arm as path. That means there are fittings near the tranny. (OK, I'm not positive about an '88 as I've never worked on one.) But, this is how the lines run on all the years that I know of up until coil springs. Check under there anyway with some paper towels. When you find wet and clear, you've found part of your problem.

[kycarguy 935]

The 88 carrera uses the G50 which is a hydraulic transmission and may have leaked. The hydraulic line runs from the brake booster unit back to the transmission and the fluid is brake fluid. You may want to check this out.

[alexhay]

but wouldn't it continously leak? where is the brake booster unit exactly?

[kycarguy 935]

Its up in the front trunk area. Its the round unit with the master cylinder.

Let me get a pic.

[kycarguy 935]

It may or may not continue to leak. Depends on the amount left in the reservoir. Just one more thing to check if it isnt a brake line. Hope this helps.

[alexhay]

Of course! I did notice that it was down a little bit. I will follow the lines and see whats up. thanks for all your help

[350HP930]

Hopefully there has been no structural damage which could have bent the rear subframe and caused the tranny to have damaged the brake or clutch lines where they exit the tunnel.

[GeorgeK]

I hope you did not let the person who rear-ended you go without his ID, and that you will have the whole car looked over by a specialist. A bumper that does not deform under what is described as a hard impact will usualy mean that something else got bent. What's more if you have a leak of some sort, then there *is* something bent. Trust me from experience, you don't want to discover a buckled inner fender or worse, main rail in 6 months, when the culprit is long gone, and not accountable.
Moral of the rambling: have your car looked at by the best specialist in your area.

[k9handler]

ditto...get it checked by the best in your area.

[alexhay]

I spent the weekend under the car looking over everything. I can't find a leak anywhere. the car runs great and the brakes are now totally fine. the brake fluid reserve is staying just below "max" when the car is warmed up.

[kycarguy 935]

Thats good there are no leaks. I would put some cardboard under the area that was leaking the other day to keep an eye on it and you will see fast enough if anything is leaking in that area of the car. It seems strange so much fluid would show itself and now nothing and no sign of where it was lost from.

[alexhay]

Tell me about it!

[kycarguy 935]

No signs of anything more leakage under the car?