MOT time - and failure... NOW PASSED!

Re: MOT time - and failure...

Did you adjust it up with the discs in place. If so, drop the discs and then ratchet it up with the discs removed and with the handbrake cable disconnected, using the quadrants, while sliding the discs in to get the correct running clearance. Make sure the quadrants remain on their stops when you refit the cable.
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

I did adjust it up with the discs in place. I'll give your way a try, nobody knows more about these cars than you do, but I know the adjusters are working because the brake came up from nothing at all to on enough to torque the driveshaft bolts up against. Its ok on the handbrake, just not the footbrake. :?:
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

V8P6B said:
Its ok on the handbrake, just not the footbrake. :?:
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That's not the way it was before then. Which caliper has the low footbrake reading?
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

Nearside is low, which is pointing me towards either the link pipe, or the hydraulic piston. I bled the brakes, before refitting the discs (with a vacuum bleeder) as I figured it was easier to get to the bleed nipple without the disc there
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

V8P6B said:
Nearside is low, which is pointing me towards either the link pipe, or the hydraulic piston.
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That's logical. If the handbrake is up to spec then it proves everything after the handbrake tappet in the caliper is OK, and on the hydraulic side that only leaves everything up to and including the piston.
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

Thanks for the advice Harvey, its good to have someone to bounce ideas off of, and steer me in the right direction. I'll have another look tomorrow. I have got a rear caliper rebuild kit here somewhere, so I can service the caliper if needs be. Its only 3 years old though, so shouldn't be too bad. I've also got a new link pipe. so it looks like I'll be having some fun.
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

Well, time was against me with work, and MOT retest deadlines of 10 working days looming, so I asked my trusted garage who did the test to have a look. They work on a lot of old stuff, there's a lot around here, and are sympathetic to the ways of classic cars. They, (like me) took the driveshaft/disc/pads out, and we all agree the brake appears to be fully functional, the piston operates when the footbrake & handbrake are operated, and the adjusters are working correctly, however, the brake reading is still down on the LH rear footbrake. Handbrake is ok. They haven't taken the caliper off yet, as they don't want to render the car unmovable til I've been to see them. They've also bled the brakes again, with lots of fluid, and are getting a good flow of fluid from the bleed nipple, which would suggest the link pipe is ok. I think for what it costs, I'm going to get a replacement caliper from MGBD, as I'm wondering if there is a slight leak from the hydraulic piston inside the caliper. I suppose one could pop the cover off in situ and check to see if there's any fluid in there. (Its not losing any fluid from the reservoir) I've got an old one here in my shed I can send back as an exchange. I can then fit the new caliper, and service the nearly new one removed at my leisure and have a spare on the shelf.

Any issues with only swapping 1 caliper, and not the pair?
 
Re: MOT time - and failure...

V8P6B said:
I suppose one could pop the cover off in situ and check to see if there's any fluid in there.
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Insert a thin flat-bladed screwdriver between the cover rubber and caliper body, and then twist it a touch. Any fluid that's in here will run out down the screwdriver.

V8P6B said:
Any issues with only swapping 1 caliper, and not the pair?
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No.
 
Well, I took the plunge and bought a set of refurbed calipers from Mark Gray, as I still couldn't get the hydraulic side of the LH rear caliper working well enough to pass. I liked the idea of having the stainless steel piston liners anyway on both of them, something that my 3 year old calipers from another supplier didn't have. New calipers fitted, and in for a complete new test, (my 10 working days was eaten up before the last retest), and it passed with flying colours again. Phew!

The funny thing is, once I'd got the old calipers off, I couldn't find anything wrong with them at all, took the covers off, and pistons didn't seem to be seized, and there was no hint of fluid on the wrong side of the pistons. In fact, they looked as clean and new as the day they went onto the car 3 years ago. Complete mystery. Still, at least the old girl's legal again.
I have to say, Mark's prices seem quite reasonable for rear calipers, but I do think Mark will be a bit puzzled when he opens the box and finds a pair of calipers that look like new coming back to him instead of the usual rusty mess that he probably gets... :LOL:
 
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