Brake Problem. Please Help.
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Junior User
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Brake Problem. Please Help.
OK.. So I am in the finger lakes on vacation and my brakes decided they wanted to give me a problem. This is a new to me 2008 Super Duty that I bought with 18,000 miles. Currently 20,504 on the odometer. It was owned by an old guy in my local town and I sucked it up for a really good price (26000 out the door). This thing was immaculately maintained. Yesterday I was leaving and I hit the brakes and the pedal went down very far. Pumped the brakes a few times and then they were ok until I had to hit the brakes again. Today I left to golf and the brakes were fine. When I left the golf course the brakes were **** again. Same symptoms as i described as yesterday. Hit the brakes and they go way down and then bite. If i dont jam on them and slowly press the brakes it seems to grab way earlier. I have a suspicion that the master cylinder is ka ka because the fluid is fine. Can you guys offer any suggestions that I can look at tonight before I have to drive home 300 miles tomorrow? By the way, the brakes/rotors are fine.
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks,
Jim
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Since you didn't mention difficult steering (which would lead me down a failed hydroboost path) - It Sounds like crud in the Master Cylinder.. I would minimally bleed the Master Cylinder and if you have time, flush the whole system.
You may end up replacing the Master. Make sure you bench bleed it before you install it or you will be bleeding it for days..
You may end up replacing the Master. Make sure you bench bleed it before you install it or you will be bleeding it for days..
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Thanks for the help. I will most likely baby it home back to PA and deal with it when I get back. I suspect it's the master cylinder because I drove it today and it was fine when I left. The next time I stopped/started the truck I had the problem again. Then when I left the produce place it was fine again. I'm going to call about a master cylinder now and pick it up when I get home.
Thanks Again,
Jim
Thanks Again,
Jim
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Jim
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From: monroe ct
Even though it's a fairly new truck with low mileage it's not unreasonable to think a mouse could have chewed through a vacuum line or that it is simply dry rotted. I wish you the best of luck.
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I will definately look at the vacuum hoses. I mentioned before that it is fine one time and bad another. Well, since I was home i wanted to test that theory. On my way home the brakes were completely fine, a slightly soft pedal but nothing like when the problem occurs. I parked my truck at home and unloaded. Moved the truck from the front of my house to the back and the brakes were super soft once again. My wife wanted something from the store so I ran it to the store where i had brakes. Left the store to get chinese and bam, ****ty brakes again. Left the chinese joint and came home with brakes that were fine. It seems like every other time i start this girl up she has very soft brakes. I myself think i might be slightly dillusional at this point but i sware its every other time I run the truck. Doesnt make any sense at all but is slightly freaky. Anyone else ever notice something stupid like this?
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks,
Jim
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Post Fiend
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From: Mt. Shasta California
I will definately look at the vacuum hoses. I mentioned before that it is fine one time and bad another. Well, since I was home i wanted to test that theory. On my way home the brakes were completely fine, a slightly soft pedal but nothing like when the problem occurs. I parked my truck at home and unloaded. Moved the truck from the front of my house to the back and the brakes were super soft once again. My wife wanted something from the store so I ran it to the store where i had brakes. Left the store to get chinese and bam, ****ty brakes again. Left the chinese joint and came home with brakes that were fine. It seems like every other time i start this girl up she has very soft brakes. I myself think i might be slightly dillusional at this point but i sware its every other time I run the truck. Doesnt make any sense at all but is slightly freaky. Anyone else ever notice something stupid like this?
Thanks,
Jim
Thanks,
Jim
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Junior User
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Haha. I guess it could be. Or I wake up with the splatters. Hahah. I don't get it. Yes the e-brake works fine. And it's never that I totally loose brakes. They're just real soft. If I pump them after feeling the soft brakes it does get a better pedal but they slowly start going down again. If it's not vacuum it's got to be the master cylinder.
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Most of the time, if a m/cyl is going bad, it will show up when you are sitting a stop sign or red light with the pedal pressed real lightly, and you feel it slowly creeping down---it's bypassing in the bore, between the front and rear sections. If you hit the brake suddenly or hard it will feel OK. As it's been said, if there is junk in the m/cyl that would keep the bore from filling back up when the brake pedal is not applied, then, the next time you hit the brake it will be low and spongy. I place my bet on the master cylinder, if the booster is going bad, more than likely, you'll have a high pedal without power assist and you'll have to really push on it to make a stop.