rants about working on old cars..

[NixGTI]

right, it was just a flat battery. so it's back up and running again.
now the brakes work.... sorta

I changed the pads and discs because of just how bad the brakes were. unfortunatly it's still the same. the travel on the brake pedal is still really long, i haven't tried locking the brakes yet as the pads are new and i dont want to ruin them. but before it couldnt and i dont think it will be able to now either.

I did bleed the brakes at the front when i did them, but not the rears yet, as i've also got rear discs and pads to do.

Any ideas what could be causing this? it's as if there isnt as much pressure as there should be for every cm travel on the pedal as there should be.

help! it's not really very safe!

[mattneck(Beavis)]

long travel-master cylinder seals

thats what was worng with mine, i could floor the pedal 

[NixGTI]

was worried that might be the prob, how much do you reckon i'm looking at for a new one?

[mattneck(Beavis)]

i paid about 20-30 iirc at gsf for my 1.3 one.. 

[NixGTI]

thats not so bad then, how hard is fitting? 3 spanner job?

[mattneck(Beavis)]

err, my haynes is older, so i aint sure how to rate 

brake pipe spanner, undo the unions from the cylinder.. soak up all the fluid form the bottle first or something like that, siphon it out whatever.. once empty and pipes off, 2 nuts hold it to servo, make sure you pull it STRAIGHT FORWARD as not break the pin in servo.. pull the resvoir from the old one and insert it into the new one.. also realign and slide it in straight.. screw the nuts back on, make sure to put the blanks in if need be to the opposing sides or wherever of the master cylinder which dont have the pipes before you put it back in.. top up and bleed the entire system 

[NixGTI]

cheers, just grabbed my haynes, and yes i was right a 3 spanner job, doesnt seem too hard.
Already ordered a new one as well! £20 delivered!
will have to wait until mid next week tho....