Novice mechanic with brake questions

[red89diesel]

Hey everybody!  I've been reading for awhile, but haven't introduced myself or posted anything, so... here goes:

I bought a little '89 NA diesel jetta back in mid-November, and lately I've been struggling to keep up with the repairs.  I don't have a whole lot of car experience, but, man, this thing is making me learn fast.

For the last few months, I've been having a problem getting enough power at random times.  I can't find a pattern - there're just occasional times when I can't get above 30-35mph, and she runs really rough, and the temperature gauge goes up, although the overheating light never comes on.  Usually, if I let it sit for a minute, I can start it up again and it'll run just fine.  

I was gonna change my fuel filter, and run some Diesel Purge through my system this morning, and change the oil and filter since it's due anyway, and see if all that helped my power problem.  So, I ran a few errands without problems, stopped the car and got some coffee, started 'er up, and got maybe 3 blocks on my way to pick up a fuel filter before the car started struggling a lot more than it has when it's lot power before.  As it turns out, my brakes had seized up.  After spending maybe 40 minutes jacking the car up and figuring out what was wrong, I tried to just drive it the few blocks I had to go to get home, and voila! the brakes weren't totally seized anymore, although they were still tighter than they should've been.....

I tried to bleed the brakes once I got home, and broke the little brake-bleeding nipple on a front wheel, even though I was turning gently and using some lubricant.  Then I tried to bleed one of the back wheels, even more gently and with more lubricant, and broke that nipple off.  :evil:  

So, do I need to replace my front calipers, or the rear brake cylinders, or is there a way to get the broken-off nipples out and just replace them?  And... does it sound like I need to replace my master cylinder, or just replace whatever I need to replace in order to bleed the brakes, and bleed them?

I saw an earlier post in which someone said that the rod between the cylinder and the booster could be adjusted - I opened it up, and couldn't figure out how to do that....or what to adjust it to.

Just for further useful information, this is my daily driver, I do mostly city driving, and haven't been using a fuel additive so far, though I think I'll start on my next fill-up.  Also, yesterday was the first Really warm day we've had down here - three days ago we got 6 inches of snow, and today it was 80 degrees out, so that is probably affecting things.

Thanks in advance for reading and for any help..... I may post again soon if I figure the brakes out and still need help with the power problem....

-Constance
Richmond, VA

[veedubcanuck]

Maybe I can shed some light.... First off get new rear wheel cylinders since they are cheap. Once the bleeder breaks its game over. Front caliper bleeders can be repaired. You drill then out and re-tap to a larger size and install a special bleeder. BUT, it sounds more likely that your caliper is seizing. Try cracking the lines to the calipers at the master cylinder loose and then spin the front wheels to see if it releases. If not then more than likely your piston in the caliper is binding. Also check the sliders and pins. The calipers should float free. If the mounting bolts are sized in they can be a real nightmare to remove without torches... You should be able to pry the inside pad away from the disk fairly easy with a flat screwdriver. If you can't then suspect the caliper. And very lastly, as was my case, the rod was just a hair too long behind the master cylinder. To adjust it you remove the master cylinder, get someone in the car to hold down the brake pedal and you will see the nut. There is also a slotted collar that it goes into. You have to hold the collar with some good pliers (or find the proper tool) and you can then thread the nut in or out. If you don't hold the collar then the whole thing just spins and nothing will happen. And you have to hold the collar pretty tight to keep it from spinning.

[veedubcanuck]

Maybe I should ask this first..... is it the front brakes or rears that are binding?

[Rabbit TD]

I found out one of the easier ways to get stuck bleeder screws loose is to first use some penetrant like PB Blaster, use a 6 point wrench and tap on the fitting with a ball peen hammer a few times first and also while you try to loosen the bleeder.And then take it out and put antisieze on it for the next time and there will be one.  Put the antisieze on any new calipers or cylinders bleeders too before you put them on and you will have less problems later on.

[red89diesel]

Maybe I should ask this first..... is it the front brakes or rears that are binding?

Seems like it's all four brakes, which is what led me to think it might be the master cylinder.  I jacked up each wheel when they were seized and tried to spin them by hand; the front two were really tough to turn, and the back two were stiffer than they should have been if there weren't any problems.

Thanks for the advice in the previous post - I'm gonna try to get around to testing the calipers like you explained tomorrow evening, and I'm gonna go pick up some rear wheel cylinders and replace them at the end of the week.

[red89diesel]

I found out one of the easier ways to get stuck bleeder screws loose is to first use some penetrant like PB Blaster, use a 6 point wrench and tap on the fitting with a ball peen hammer a few times first and also while you try to loosen the bleeder.And then take it out and put antisieze on it for the next time and there will be one.  Put the antisieze on any new calipers or cylinders bleeders too before you put them on and you will have less problems later on.

awesome - will do - wish I had done all that the first (two) time(s) around....

[Rabbit TD]

I found out one of the easier ways to get stuck bleeder screws loose is to first use some penetrant like PB Blaster, use a 6 point wrench and tap on the fitting with a ball peen hammer a few times first and also while you try to loosen the bleeder.And then take it out and put antisieze on it for the next time and there will be one.  Put the antisieze on any new calipers or cylinders bleeders too before you put them on and you will have less problems later on.

awesome - will do - wish I had done all that the first (two) time(s) around....

Also one of the best things I've ever done in working on things is to put a wire wheel on one side of my bench grinder to clean bolt threads and even the head of them as well, same as a shiny new bolt for nothing and goes back together so nice, and I use antisieze on most everything, it's almost always coming back apart sooner than you think it seems like.  Make sure you have safety goggles or glasses though.  I've known better for 40 years doing this stuff but just went to the VA hospital Monday to get a little microscopic peice of metal  or grit out of my eye that the grinder threw off and me not wearing the protection like a dumb ass but I was lucky, it's not always the case.

[Jettage1]

Until you said "all four" I would have suggested a bad soft hose.  Would it be worth trying a complete brake fluid change?  Maybe some crud is in the M.C. & stopping things up a bit??  Otherwise it does sound like a M.C. job.

Agreed with Rabbit TD about the value of a wire wheel.  I often soak parts in thinner or diesel to loosen rust & crud first.  The only downside is that the wire wheel will take off any protective coating that may be left = a nice shiny part today & also a rusty part later...  You can't really win  :wink:

Also agreed on the value of glasses / goggles.  Wife is an ophthalmic technician - the most recent horror story was a mattress factory worker with an eye punctured by a rogue spring  :shock:   Think first, then do!

[Rabbit TD]

Until you said "all four" I would have suggested a bad soft hose.  Would it be worth trying a complete brake fluid change?  Maybe some crud is in the M.C. & stopping things up a bit??  Otherwise it does sound like a M.C. job.

Agreed with Rabbit TD about the value of a wire wheel.  I often soak parts in thinner or diesel to loosen rust & crud first.  The only downside is that the wire wheel will take off any protective coating that may be left = a nice shiny part today & also a rusty part later...  You can't really win  :wink:

Also agreed on the value of glasses / goggles.  Wife is an ophthalmic technician - the most recent horror story was a mattress factory worker with an eye punctured by a rogue spring  :shock:   Think first, then do!

Yes those parts will damn sure rust if they don't have something on them.  I like to clean everything up, injector bodies ect when putting an egine together with every part painted before it goes back together.  Duplicolor engine paint is great and is oil and fuel proof and they make it in clear too if you want things like injectors to stay nice looking.  You can put the clear on the color too and it is even shinier then for valve cover and the timing belt cover type parts if you want to take the time for this which is half the fun for a new looking engine freak like me.  I've used engine paints before but the Duplicolor is good stuff, dries in no time at all and stays nice and you can get it at Advance or Autozone anywhere.  But first before you do anything buy 2 or 3 sets of goggles and hang one on your weedwacker, one by the grinder and one in the tool box and use the things because they will already be there.

[red89diesel]

thanks for all your suggestions -

I have rear wheel cylinders and a new master cylinder coming in the mail.  I found one definite problem when I opened up the master cylinder - My brake booster is 1/3 full of brake fluid!  So, I'm replacing the cylinder, but is there anything else that could cause this other than a faulty/leaking master cylinder?  And, is there anything I need to do in addition to pouring the fluid out of booster to clean it out, or get fluid out of the vacuum pump (would this happen?  is there a way for me to check for fluid in the vacuum pump or lines?)

[jtanguay]

thanks for all your suggestions -

I have rear wheel cylinders and a new master cylinder coming in the mail.  I found one definite problem when I opened up the master cylinder - My brake booster is 1/3 full of brake fluid!  So, I'm replacing the cylinder, but is there anything else that could cause this other than a faulty/leaking master cylinder?  And, is there anything I need to do in addition to pouring the fluid out of booster to clean it out, or get fluid out of the vacuum pump (would this happen?  is there a way for me to check for fluid in the vacuum pump or lines?)

the booster might fail on you soon from being exposed to the highly corrosive brake fluid.