Thanks and, yes, I really have. The shop was not happy to see me for the third time this morning. Their shop was full but they cleared a lift right away. That was four hours ago and I haven't heard a peep from them.

Update:

Picked up the van around 6:15 this evening. They worked on it and tested it for 9 hours. Everything seems to be okay now. Might have to replace the proportioning valve if it happens again. I hear that's quite rare. They said they've only seen that happen twice in 25 years, but one of those was a Ford LOL. No charge today, of course, and I got the car's tire mounted/balanced for free. I don't yet trust the van for long distance camping trips, but at least the BMW can get me to work every day (knock on wood). I guess we'll see where this goes. They did stay open 45 minutes late for me today since I had to take the bus down there to pick up the van.

But, I still have no heat in the van LOL! I'm also quite broke after spending close to $3000 on both vehicles in the past month. Still need about $1000 worth of tires between the two vehicles, and we're not really having a winter in California this year, apparently. Might have to start saving for the A/C repairs on the van and wait on the heat for later.

 

If you're gonna keep that van move closer to me---Wildman isn't too far off so you'd have good guys working on the van for you.

It would be cheaper that way it seems..................

 

Ha...that probably would be cheaper. And it's not like I need any more reasons to get the Hell out of the Republik of Kalifornia.

 

Are there wads of beautiful hard body women on roller skates and short shorts near you? I mean if so I'll come out just for the helluva it.

 

lots of flannel up here...long way from LA and San Diego

 

What??? No Baywatch babes grocery shopping and all that?

Good gravy what's the world coming to?

Sadly we have plenty of flannel, gloves, boots, hats and scarves covering up our gals back here in the midwest---below zero cold snap and all.

 

Okay, brakes are still screwed up I think. Same symptom - lotta smell coming from the left front, not nearly as much from the right front. Didn't see any smoke on the last test drive but it's smells bad. If the winds are blowing in the wrong direction and the brake(s) are smoking, I wouldn't see it. My test drive was down some very steep hills and back up. Smells worse when I get down the hill with spongy pedal, etc. Obviously less so when headed back up the hill.

Just to recap, so far we've done new master cylinder, calipers, rotors and pads, and full rear brake job last August. Is a new proportioning valve...or fluid control valve, as Ford calls it?...the only thing it could be? Initially I thought this assembly was part of, or close to, the master cylinder. Is this valve mounted on the frame rail?

Van camping season is upon us and I'm so frustrated

 

Good Lord!
The only proportioning valve I know about was on my '92 F-150. I only affected the rear brakes to prevent locking and skidding the rear tires. I only know about it because I installed it backwards during a master cylinder replacement and it locked the rear brakes as soon as I hit the pedal.
IF it is possible to install it on the front brake system then maybe that could be it. I have no idea but just trying to toss out possibilities.
jim

 

I don't know either. I'm $1,100 in, thus far, on the front brakes alone and still don't feel comfortable going out of town, but this is our RV. The booster is obviously first in line. Everything after that has been replaced over the last three weeks...four weeks? The only thing left appears to be the proportioning valve. Unless I'm missing something

 

You had all the hardware replaced, have the brake lines been addressed??

Like, soft lines replaced? They can deteriorate from the interior of the line.
Hard line checked? The way the hard lines are run, one could be pinched and acting like a 'check valve'.

The way your explaining the problem, the brakes work with pressure *foot pedal* but then are dragging, causing the smoking.

Has the wheel spindle ever been checked?? A warped spindle will cause the rotor to not run true with the caliper.

No, I didn't go back and re-read every thing you have wrote on this.

 

I agree on the rubber lines.
What shop replaces calipers, and not rubber lines?
Come on now, that would have been where I started. $15 verses $40 !
As stated before, the rubber lines go bad inside, and act like a check valve. I have had this happen to me on several of my trucks.

 

Replacing flexible lines typically isn't done because its typically not necessary. Even so using cheap lines instead of the higher quality and yes more expensive lines is the best way to avoid these parts being an issue. When I did my '08 brake upgrade I used the OEM for about $70 each because when comparted side-by-side with Chinese crap the difference was staggering, at least in appearance.

Otherwise I agree the sticking Lt front caliper could be a problem with the caliper itself or the flexible line. Sadly since the flexible line problem doesn't occur all that often its easy to overlook.

 

I didn't have a price on the part, I was only throwing out a generalization .
I'm a stickler for using the best when it comes to brakes

 

Agreed Skuzzy--when it comes to brakes there's no such thing as "too expensive!

I'll add the cheap Chinese crap I had in hand was actually sold by Dorman through Amazon---cost a whopping $20 each---that alone should have told me something.

 

Didn't replace the brake hoses yet? I guess you think I was joking? BTDT, got the T shirt too!