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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: "Patrick J. Horne" <horne@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 20:56:09 -0600 (CST)
Dan,

 It's really good that both of you made it through the trial by fire! Hang
in there.

 My $$ is on either a defective master cylinder, or the brake lines are
too close to the exhaust pipe/header so that the fluid is vaporising.
GT/LMA is probably the best fluid to use in any vehicle. There may be some
vehicles that the rubber in the brake system will be damaged by it, but I
don't know of any.

Peace,
Pat

- Support Habitat for Humanity, A "hand up", not a "hand out" -

Pat Horne, Network Manager, Shop Supervisor, Future planner
CS Dept, University of Texas, Austin, Tx. 78712 USA
voice (512)471-9730, fax (512)471-8885, horne@cs.utexas.edu

On Thu, 3 Jan 2002, Daniel Neuman wrote:

> 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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