At 07:56 PM 12/25/96 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi Everybody
>
>This is a question to those MGA owners who may have had a similar
>experience.
>
>Today, Christmas day, we went driving in the LBC and after about 20
>minutes, I noticed that the car was getting very sluggish. Also the
>brake pedal was almost solid to the push. I deduced that the brakes were
>binding. When we arrived at our destination the whell spinners were very
>hot and there was evidence of molten grease on the hubs of the front
>wheels.
>
>After a couple of hours, the wheels had cooled and were free again. This
>is very worrying, since the brakes have just been completely overhauled.
<snip>
>Best wishes to all for the festive season and 1997..
>
>Regards
>Leigh
>1957 MGA Coupe'
>South Africa
You didn't say whether you had silicone fluid or Castrol LMA. I am
guessing that you might have put silicone fluid in when you
rebuilt.
FWIW, this happened to my on my 58 MGA after a brake rebuild. I had
rebuilt all cylinders, master cylinder, flushed out the lines and
replaced with silicone fluid. Whenever the temperature got over
70 deg. F (appx. 21 deg. C), the brakes would bind. I got to carrying
a box wrench in the door pocket and jumping out and loosening the
driver's side rear bleeder whenever this would happen to relieve
the fluid pressure. The fluid would shoot out, even without a
foot on the pedal.
After doing all adjustments, brake pedal push rod, replaced shoe
return springs, etc., I replaced the silicone fluid with Castrol LMA
and have never had the problem again. In conversations with other
LBC fans, the best theory I've been able to come up with is that
the silicone fluid doesn't have quite the same lubricating qualities
as the Castrol (I know when you get some on your fingers and rub
them together, they don't feel the same). Result - the master cyl.
doesn't return that last microscopic amount to uncover the port.
I don't want to start a long discussion on the pros/cons of silicone
fluid; but since going back to the Castrol 8 years ago I've never
had the problem again. I tried the silicone in the '57 Jaguar too,
(last of the drum-braked Jags), and the brakes never worked right.
Could it be that British drum brake systems don't like silicone
fluid?
Just my opinions. Happy new year!
Mark Moburg
markmoburg@mindspring.com
57 Jaguar MK VIII
58 MGA
70 M*rc*d*s-B*nz 300 SEL 6.3
86 XJ6 VDP
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