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Re: Midget brake failure

To: tboicey@brit.ca
Subject: Re: Midget brake failure
From: kgstuart@juno.com (RANDELL S KEGG)
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 21:10:09 PST
If brake shoes are contaminated with brake fluid, always replace them. 
They will never quite stop the same, once they have had fluid on them.
It soaks down into the lining, where you can't get to it to clean it
off. As you say , they are not expensive. In an emergency situation,
like being stuck in east nowhere, USA, you can get Brake fluid out of linings 
by doing the following. (But, It is a temporary solution. You
should still replace them at the earliest possibility.) Get some gasoline, soak 
the shoes/pads in the gas, take them out, and light them. The
fluid will burn out of the linings with the gas.  Definitely, a last
ditch option. The linings will look like hell, but will stop the car.

Randy Kegg
1958 MGA
1966 Morris Traveller
1964 Porsche 356C

On Thu, 13 Feb 1997 23:07:35 -0500 Trevor Boicey <tboicey@brit.ca> writes:
>> More than likely, the brake cylinder seal gave out.
>> Brake lines rarely come loose or fail, execpt when they rust
>
>  Bang on. I ripped it out today, and one side of the cylinder is
>pouring fluid. The boot is ripped fairly badly as well, which
>doesn't help hide it either! (a good thing though)
>
>> I pretty sure that all you will need to do after replacing the wheel
>> cylinder is to dry off the brake pad.
>
>  The manuals seem to say replace the brake pads, any insider
>information on this? It's not really a big expense...
>
>  As well, side issue, any advantages in getting "better" brake
>pads? I finally got the January 1997 MG Enthusiast in, and the
>Tandoori Midget (love that colour) has uprated pads done as
>part of the upgrade. Hmmm, experiences anyone?
>
>> (if) still fail to get pressure, you will need to have the master
>> cylider rebuilt or replaced (an unfortunate project for me this 
>winter also)
>
>  I ws lucky. Pawning through my stack of receipts, it appears
>this car had a new master cylinder installed in 1994 by the
>PPO. (poor previous owner. Wasn't too mechanically inclined,
>and tried hard to keep the car good by paying a pro but ran
>out of money fast)
>
>-- 
>
> .---------------------------------------Ottawa-Canada-GOSENSGO-----.
>/       Trevor Boicey          1992 Celica GT    1975 MG Midget    /
>`----  tboicey@brit.ca  ------------------------------------------'
>

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