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Re: OT- I ALMOST DIED TONIGHT!!!!!

To: "Daniel Neuman" <dneuman@quark.sfsu.edu>,
Subject: Re: OT- I ALMOST DIED TONIGHT!!!!!
From: "Richard Wright" <duntov1@attbi.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 14:31:00 -0600
Dan,
Glad you are OK also!
Mastercylinders can leak around the pressure seal , and not leak past the
seal that keeps the fluid in the master bore.
By the way, that is one of the easiest masters to rebuild I have ever seen.
The tranny noise was the park pawl. The trans may be ok, but I would at
least change the oil (metal shavings from the pawl) and filter and test the
park.
Try synthetic oil in the diff- it swells the seals about 2%.

American car brakefluid turns natural rubber British seals into bubble gum.
Synthetic brake fluid does the same thing!!! Castrol brake fluid ONLY!!!

I drove an MGC from Houston to Austin one time (in my yopunger-dumber days),
with no brake or clutch hydraulics!!! I'll never forget that trip.
The ignition switch was my only brakes!
Richard
Dallas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Neuman" <dneuman@quark.sfsu.edu>
To: <twalter@austin.rr.com>
Cc: <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: OT- I ALMOST DIED TONIGHT!!!!!


> I really don't understand what went wrong.  If the seals were bad wouldn't
i
> of lost brake fluid?  When we got the car the brakes were great reagular
> feeling power brakes where you barely have to touch the pedal to get the
> car to slam to a halt.  After driving for about 4 hours the pedal started
to
> feel less stiff and it took more effort and pedal travel to stop the car.
Then
> all of a sudden the pedal goes all the way to the floor with no brake
action...
> could this of been the heating up of the fluid.  When the pedal first
started
> to get soft I pulled over and check the resevoir and there was no loss of
> fluid and no fluid leaking from anywhere that I could see so I shrugged it
> off and kept driving....
> Its hard to think to do the correct thing in a car that you are totally
> unfamilar with.  I tried putting the car into 1st but because of a linkage
issue
> it will only go into 2nd and that was not slowing the car enough.  Then I
reached
> for the parking brake but I went for where the brake is in a roadster and
the
> jags parking brake is under the dash like in an american car and well I am
sure
> I could of reacted better....
> The conversion was done about ten years ago by a company called
> rebello performance I believe.  THe conversion appears to of been done
well with
> solid moter mounts and no bashed in oil pan.
> I think I am going to need a new transmission...after putting  it in 2nd
> and having it not slow the car I paniked and put it in park...made a
horrible
> grinding noise but it sure slowed the car down some....
>
> Daniel
>
> > Dan,
> >
> > Glad you and Irene are OK!!!
> >
> > One issue with engine conversions is how close the
> > exhaust manifold & pipes are to any brake lines.
> > It is not uncommon to build up a lot of heat near
> > brake components. Problem becomes apparent after
> > a very long drive. ;-(
> >
> > So if everything "seems normal" today, I'd still
> > flush the brake fluid with Castrol GT/LMA (fine for
> > Jags) to remove any moisture. Then start looking
> > for any places that brake lines run within 4" of
> > the exhaust components. You can buy heat shield
> > material for brake lines at the speed shops.
> >
> > I seem to recall some of the brake line issues
> > being addressed in a conversion book titled
> > "Jags that run" JTR is still around, and at:
> > http://www.jagsthatrun.com/     Been ages since
> > I flipped through one of their excellent manuals.
> >
> > Seems odd that no one never noticed a problem
> > before. Still with a marginal brake system (old
> > brake fluid) and the long drive heating up the
> > brake fluid to the point of no response...
> >
> > When was the conversion done?
> >
> > When I have lost brakes* in the roadster,
> > I have left the car in gear and TURNED OFF
> > the engine to help stop it.
> >
> > I have been practicing my "engine off,
> > leave clutch in" for the Land Cruiser. Takes
> > practice, but on a steep descent it is easy
> > to stall out. No engine: No power steering, nor
> > power brakes. My first reaction was to slam on the
> > brakes and push in the clutch. Hmm, no power
> > brakes... and I started SLIDING down the loose
> > dirt hill. Had to work to keep the front
> > pointing straight (very heavy steering without
> > the power). Too close for comfort! Since then
> > I have learned to keep my foot OFF the clutch,
> > and how to restart the engine while in gear
> > (hard on the starter, better than rolling).
> >
> > Tom Walter
>
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