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Newbie needs help with brakes

O

Old Man

Hello, I'm now to the page. I am not new to British cars but this '66 Alpine is my first Rootes. My parents owned a Hillman Hunter when we lived in NZ and the first car I ever drove was a Woosley... I have always liked the Orphans and Odd-balls. My Apline has 52K original miles, and I fished ot out of a garage after 25 years of 'waiting'. Seller put DOT4 in the brakes and clutch. The clutch was toast right away, but I have that taken care of thanks to VB. I have installed an electric fuel pump and replaced the lines and cleaned the tanks, carbs have been sprayed out and a Pytronics set up installed. It runs well, I still need to adjust the valves. When replacing the fuel lines I found the main line to the rear leaking at a pinch clamp and pulled it all out and replaced it. Now, I have bleed the brakes starting at the master and moving out, ending at the left rear wheel. The booster is now leaking internally and the vacuum line is pulling brake fluid into the motor, loads of white smoke! So I disconnected the line and plugged it. Now the pedal will pump up after three short strokes and hold, but if you just push it in casually you get nothing! Is the booster shot? I am guessing so. I will bend up a new piece of brake line tonight and bypass the booster and see how things go. DOT4 should not have hurt the brakes? On the Triumphs I have had in the past I used LMA iin the clutch but regular DOT4 was OK in the brakes? The replacement parts I bought from VB for the cluthc master and slave should be OK with DOT4, I researched the Beck-Arnley part numbers and it said DOT4 was OK and so far the clutch is still fine.

So help a nwebie out will ya? I don't see the need for power brakes anyway, the car is so light, but I do want to keep them if it's not the problem.

Thanks,

There are only a few weeks or top down weather left up here, I's like to get her back on the road before the snow flies.

Roland in Minnesota
 
lgurley

lgurley

Donation Time
You would probably get more attention posting mechanical questions in the stock Alpine forum.

There are guys on this forum with a plethera of knowledge and of course some without (like me).
 
M

mikephillips

Donation Time
Yes the servo appears to be bad. To start with for now you can bypass the servo by taking the line from the master and attaching it to the splitter fitting that the servo feeds. You'll need to rebleed when doing this but it should firm the pedal up. Servos can be rebuilt, but it's an expensive proposition these days.

As for brake fluid, there are differing opinion as to what's ok. I personally have always just used DOT3 and not worried about brand name. And in 34 years it's never been a problem for me. I did read an article once in the old British Car magazine that stated the problems that some poeple saw might be due to how the rubber for the seals was blended. Apparently there's more than one set of additives in the rubber and they look identical can different rubber parts from different batches can be found in the same seal sets. The problem with this is, so they said, that the additives in some of the rubber blends can react with the additives in DOT4. So some folks will work fine, others will have problems. Is all this completely true?? I don't know but it does fit the facts.
 
Ken Ellis

Ken Ellis

Donation Time
Castrol GTLMA won't steer you wrong, and I use it in both clutch and brake systems. Brake booster failure does indeed have the symptoms you describe, as well as the solution you describe. Fitting an earlier master cylinder, from the cars without boosters, will decrease the pedal pressure necessary for stopping. That master cyl, plus rebuilt wheel cylinders/calipers, will get you back on the road. Bleeding the system, especially the back, is somewhat tedious, but be patient and you'll get your brakes back.

You should get in touch with the regional chapter up there -- you'll find lots of help and support. Here's their link on this forum:

http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Ken
 
F

Fastback

Donation Time
Bleeding sequence

Also, when bleeding the system, ALWAYS begin with the hydraulic unit FARTHEST from the master cylinder. In this case, your sequence should be:

Right rear, left rear, right front, left front.

Otherwise, air in the system will remain there, resulting in an inconsistent pedal.
 
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