Brake Caliper - minor issue braking in a straight line!
Brake Caliper - minor issue braking in a straight line!
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Discussion

tadpole

Original Poster:

30 posts

281 months

Monday 31st August 2009
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Hi Guys

Just wondering if you can help with a brake caliper issue which I noticed after braking from speed and had a rather hairy swerving moment!!

Having bleed the brakes due to a suspected air block, I have located the problem to the front near side brake caliper. The inner brake caliper is working properly with fluid comming out of the nipple when bled.

However, the outer caliper is not working at all because there is no brake fluid getting to it. Despite fully opening the bleed nibble and pumping the brakes, no fluid emerges. There are no leaks and the master cyclinder is topped up.

Does anyone have any ideas? The brake calipers were replaced when I purchased the car 2 years ago, so I can't believe they have gone already, and the fault may have been there since new, but I have not pushed the car to notice.

Is there a valve I need to open on the inner caliper which allows fluid to pass to the outer caliper? Or is this a case of a whole replacement caliper?

Any ideas would be very appreciated. I am going on my first trackday with the car in 2 weeks, so am rather keen to be able to brake in a straight line!


BGB autosport

1,044 posts

216 months

Tuesday 1st September 2009
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There is a tube at the bottom of the caliper, it is fitted to the holes that would be the bleed nipples if the caliper was fitted on the other side. This allows the fluid to pass between the inner and outer sides.

Pressure should be equal (or as good as due to minor losses involved with fluid dynamics...). Sounds like the link tube may be blocked if you are not getting fluid out the outer. Have you checked to see if the pistons are actually moving?

tadpole

Original Poster:

30 posts

281 months

Tuesday 1st September 2009
quotequote all
Many thanks.

I will check both of those out, and let you know. I am rather hoping that it is a blockage in the brake pipe, rather than the caliper gone.

I also understand that the bleed valve is very small and that dirt can easily block it up.

GreenV8S

31,014 posts

313 months

Tuesday 1st September 2009
quotequote all
Is the transfer to the outer half of the calliper internal, or external? If it's external, check whether it's been bashed.