fluid loss

Ok as a paraplegic I have to rely on my garage to service my car every year. Anyway after being in hibernation since last year I booked her in for a service, so I pulled the covers off and started here up , to my horror the brakes were non existent , I checked the fluid level and yes the reservoir was empty I filled the fluid up but I need to get the brakes free of air so she can go the the garage for the service and brake repairs. I know the answer is probably no but is there a way to get the air out so she is drivable without bleeding the brakes through each of the brake nipples , I ask this as being paralyzed from the waist I cant get down on the floor to carry out the work.


Regards John
 
I know that this doesn't help you much, but usually when the fluid disappears like that in our cars, you will find it has leaked out of the rear calipers (even if it is still under the caliper covers). It means that even if you manage to bleed the system with the help from someone else, you cannot drive the car safely, and you should be prepared for rear caliper rebuilt.
 
Demetris is quite right, I've had that happen before after a longer lay-up. Brake fluid can also vanish into the servo unit. Did you spot a telltale puddle of fluid anywhere on the garage floor, or is it a case of mysterious fluid disappearance? I rather fear you might have to have your car collected by your mechanic and transported to their workshop for a thorough service before you can safely use it. Best of luck, John.
 
I could not see any fluid on the floor particularly at the rear of the car, bone dry on the floor with no patches. I have arranged for the car to be trailered to the garage for repair but I am worried about getting her out of the garage as she is an auto and the gearbox will have to be primed which means going through the gears before even trying to move the car..

John
 
I am worried about getting her out of the garage as she is an auto and the gearbox will have to be primed which means going through the gears before even trying to move the car..

If it's just being winched on to a truck or trailer you don't have to worry about that.
 
You should still have a working handbrake. On the brake rollers at the MOT my handbrake is very close to foot brake efficiency.
 
If it is the rear calipers then don't fit replacements that haven't had the bore lined with stainless steel. If the car is sitting for extended periods then this is the main way to prevent them losing fluid. Mark Gray at MGBD should be able to supply you with a sleeved exchange pair (with a refundable deposit on your old ones).

REAR BRAKE CALIPER LEFT HAND SIDE REFURBISHED SERVICE EXCHANGE. - Rover P6 Parts supplied by Mark & Angie Gray

Wadhams still don't list their recon calipers as having the stainless mod done, which l'm actually quite surprised about. It's a no brainer to me.

J R Wadhams Ltd | Rear caliper: late
 
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Thank you all for your comments, I will just have to wait until she is collected and work with it then. She was registered in June 1972 so I guess she has imperial caliper . Has anybody had calipers from MEV


John
 
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[URL='http://shop.roverp6cars.com/epages/es146747.mobile/en_GB/?ObjectID=25531360' said:
REAR BRAKE CALIPER LEFT HAND SIDE REFURBISHED SERVICE EXCHANGE. - Rover P6 Parts supplied by Mark & Angie Gray[/URL]
I too have just had the brake fluid loss thing. However I'm not sure if MGBD spares actually have these calipers available. I recently tried to enquire about availability and got no reply to email and could not get a reply on the phone. I took this as a no.
 
I too have just had the brake fluid loss thing. However I'm not sure if MGBD spares actually have these calipers available. I recently tried to enquire about availability and got no reply to email and could not get a reply on the phone. I took this as a no.

He sorted mine out a couple of years back. I know he was discontinuing the sleeved servos (unfortunately :rolleyes:) but l don't think the calipers were a problem except perhaps for a slight lead-in time.
I would persevere if l was you. Try him on farcebook.
 
Past parts in Bury St Edmunds have a P6 rear caliper in a glass display case in reception. I suspect they will require your calipers for rebuild though.

PastParts

Their website seems to have issues at the mo. The telephone may work ?
 
Oh yes, I forgot to mention them. They just resleeved/rebuilt both master cylinders for my A60. £120 +VAT for both of them. Good service.
 
Few years back now, but I had my original rear calipers re-sleeved and refurbished by Past Parts. Very good service.
 
[QUOTE="I would persevere if l was you. Try him on farcebook.[/QUOTE]
I got one from Geoff @ Wins in the end. Not only was mine leaking but the ratchet adjuster thing was up the spout too. As has been noted many times, it's amazing those rear calipers work at all!
 
Ok things going from bad to worse, I have been operating the brake peddle to try and get some brake movement so the car is at least ok to get out of my garage so that the car can be put on a trailer.
Anyway kept pushing the peddle and gradually some brake came back. suddenly the brakes went rock hard to a point I thought possibly the master cylinder push rod had jammed. I left the car for a couple of hours and the brakes had freed off to the point that they were.
I started the car today and now suddenly the engine is only firing on three cylinders. So is it possibly the servo for both faults or is there a second issue now as the petrol was filled up in February 2020 so is it possibility stale fuel to add to the issues.

John
 
I think stale petrol would just make it harder to start, rather than a misfire. I've had petrol older than 12 months before now and they seem to run ok.

Weird one with the brake pedal though.
 
At the moment I think that maybe the servo slave has failed without any proof, simply because the car has started to misfire and running on three which is the first in12 years plus, it has always been good runner. It has only just started after the brake failure,. so i am thinking brake fluid drawn into the manifold. I tried to get the vacuum hose off yesterday to see if there were any signs of oil but it is to far away when I am in my wheelchair

John
 
If it's drawing fluid into the manifold and causing a misfire it will be putting a lot of smoke out of the exhaust.
 
It has been a bit of time but as promised I have an update so far, firstly yes the master cylinder is having to be replaced, following that the Coolant rad has been exchanged due to a water leak, the next issue was due to improved flow and pressure the heater matrix started to leak so that is now being replaced. So it is all adding up. The only possible good news is that the miss fire seemed to have cleared on its own .


John
 
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