Brake question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 0
From: Pineville, Louisiana
Brake question
This isn't about my brakes on my Vette, its about the brakes on my mothers Pontiac. Her brakes locked up today while she was at work and I had to get it towed into the shop. The mechanic called me and told me that someone had put power steering fluid in her brake fluid tank. He also told me that he would have to replace every part that had a rubber gasket in it because the power steering fluid damages the rubber seals in the brakes. Well to make a long story short he is replacing both front brakes and both rear brake calipers, flushing the system, changing all the hoses for the tune of 700.00 dollars. :eek:
I am not sure how power steering fluid got into the brake system because her last oil change was 4 months ago and she said that no one had fooled with her car since then. I just wonder if the guy is giving her the run around but how in the hell did the right front brake lock up. They were the original brakes and she has 100,000 miles on her 94 Bonneville.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance
I am not sure how power steering fluid got into the brake system because her last oil change was 4 months ago and she said that no one had fooled with her car since then. I just wonder if the guy is giving her the run around but how in the hell did the right front brake lock up. They were the original brakes and she has 100,000 miles on her 94 Bonneville.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 5
From: Jacksonville Fl
Re: Brake question (CowboyNVette)
Yep...you have to replace it ALL if any type of oil was added to the brakes.
No doubts about that.
Question is, did it really have oil in the brake system? If so, all hoses and gaskets in the brakes system will be expanded looking, so it's not hard to identify.
Now...other than that...the most common cause of locking brakes IS a bad brake hose. No oil necessary.
No doubts about that.
Question is, did it really have oil in the brake system? If so, all hoses and gaskets in the brakes system will be expanded looking, so it's not hard to identify.
Now...other than that...the most common cause of locking brakes IS a bad brake hose. No oil necessary.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 0
From: Pineville, Louisiana
Re: Brake question (BBA)
Thanks BBA , well at least I don't feel bad about doing what he says needs to be done. Now I just got to figure out if that is power steering fluid in the system and how in the hell did it get there. :smash:
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 582
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville, GA
Re: Brake question (CowboyNVette)
whilst I was out of the country (desert Strorm) a good intentioned friend of ours kept an eye on the cars for the wife and he put power steering fluid in the master cylinder....of our LeBaron....after I returned front brakes locked up...it took me awhile to figure out what happen...thing that struck me was that the power steering fluid had been in the brake system for about 3 months before there was a problem...guess it would depend on how much was put in how fast it would work its way to the calipers.......I did what your mech is saying replaced all the rubber...flushed the system etc.....some people just dont know that brake fluid...trans fluid and power steering are not all the same....
