why have my calipers changed colour ?

[guyh]

At Le Mans and having more braking problems. Even though I had a new set of pads and disks fitted on Tuesday last week, 10 minutes into my first trackday and the brake pad wear light comes on.

Just come off track and I have noticed that the rear calipers have changed colour, they are now a shade of burgundy (been driving in sport plus mode with PSM off, 10-15 minute sessions 30-40 minutes cooling oiff)

Any thoughts ?

Guy

[Defcon5]

Have they been repainted at some point?

[guyh]

Defcon5 said:

Have they been repainted at some point?

I hope not, I had the car from new 18 months ago.

Guy

[Defcon5]

I would imagine they will repaint them under warranty if you kick up a fuss.

[guyh]

Worried they've overheated.

Guy

[infrasilver]

The Caliper paint shouldn't change colour but the pads usually do if you have a coloured pad. Also your brake wear indicator may of illuminated because it has melted.
Not sure how you are going to explain the caliper changing colour to the Warranty guy.

[Defcon5]

infrasilver said:

Not sure how you are going to explain the caliper changing colour to the Warranty guy.

I would suggest its up to the warrenty guy to explain to the OP why they have changed colour without a manufacturing/material fault.

Were they smoking or anything?

[Ekona]

guyh said:

Worried they've overheated.

Guy

I don't know about Porsche brakes, but Brembo calipers go that burgundy colour if they've overheated. They do that on purpose so you know there's an issue and it needs sorting.

I've never heard of Porsche calipers doing it, but then I'd never seen Brembo ones do it either.

[S1_RS]

When you came in from the track session did you leave the handbrake on?

[spyderman8]

Definitely sounds like overheating to me. Might be worth checking underneath (and comparing to other cars) to make sure you havent lost any air deflectors/cooling ducts.

[fioran0]

Overheated. I've seen plenty of burgundy calipers.
Running pads that are low are the quickest way to do it.
You will need to get them inspected and most likely seals replaced as a minimum. It they've gone like that over a single track day you must have been really hitting them with heat.
The fact it's the rears is interesting, are you sure you had new pads fitted in the back too?

Is PSM off truly off on your car? Will it activate if certain conditions are met regardless? If you had new rear pads installed and they are gone along with cooked calipers it seems likely it's been grabbing away in addition to whatever's been going on.

[spyderman8]

Mind you, rears only is odd. What car is this? You don't happen to have PTV (torque vectoring) do you?

[anonymous-user]

Ekona said:

I don't know about Porsche brakes, but Brembo calipers go that burgundy colour if they've overheated. They do that on purpose so you know there's an issue and it needs sorting.

I've never heard of Porsche calipers doing it, but then I'd never seen Brembo ones do it either.

Don't Brembo still make OE calipers for Porsche? Or is that an urban myth?

[nickfrog]

Don't know about other Porsches but both my humble Boxsters' calipers had a Brembo logo engraved on the back.

[S1_RS]

spyderman8 said:

Mind you, rears only is odd. What car is this? You don't happen to have PTV (torque vectoring) do you?

That's why I asked about the handbrake use. I recently did a Bedford trackday in my Focus RS500, I managed to cook the brakes up so came in for a while to let the car/brakes cool down, I inadvertantly put the handbrake on which resulted in the rear brakes smoking heavily!

[_gez_]

S1_RS said:

spyderman8 said:

Mind you, rears only is odd. What car is this? You don't happen to have PTV (torque vectoring) do you?

That's why I asked about the handbrake use. I recently did a Bedford trackday in my Focus RS500, I managed to cook the brakes up so came in for a while to let the car/brakes cool down, I inadvertantly put the handbrake on which resulted in the rear brakes smoking heavily!

Handbrake on a Porsche doesn't operate the calliper. There are brake shoes at the rear which operates against the inside hub area (drum) of the disc.

Edited by _gez_ on Sunday 5th August 15:54

[guyh]

Local porshce specialist (Perormans) seems to think there's air in the system and there's not enough fromt braking and therefore its all on the rear.

The PSM has been switched off, but it will intervene in certain circumstances

Guy

[spyderman8]

Mmm - what does the pedal feel like? Does it jump under braking (and I don't mean vibrate)? Does it ever go all the way to the floor?