Changing Brake Fluid

[Vanbursta]

I changed the Gals brake fluid this weekend, emptied the master cylinder, refilled with new fluid and power bled from each wheel (the type that pushes brake fluid through), the difference in pedal height is amazing, the pedal has come right up now and by pushing it down about an inch the wheels lock up solid, before I had to push the pedal about 3 inches before it started to bite. The old fluid did look clean, but there is no way of knowing if it was contaminated. After driving about 20 miles the pedal doesn't start to bite until about 2 inches down, I have replaced all seals, discs and pads, and changed the fluid - does this amount of travel seem usual? The car stops fine and when it goes cold again the pedal height comes back - I have had the car tested and it would pass an MOT but I am a little concerned about the extra travel when driving, should I accept it and not worry about it, or can someone see something I have missed?

 

P.S. rear adjusters are also working OK and she has had new calipers both sides rear.

[Guest rambo]

i have owned my gal for 1 month, after selling my lovely mondeo and the brakes on the gal are crap compared to the mondeo, the mondeo pedal was solid the gal pedal seems to travel down a lot before stopping, at first i thought there was a fault but i checked all the brakes and everything was fine, apparently thats how they are ? i am used to it now,

 

a friend had one and he said his was crap as well, and on here they all seem to say thats how they are

 

do a search on (BRAKES) on here !

[chromedome]

Sounds Ok to me.

 

The pedal travel will probably reduce as the pads and discs wear in. Just had the wife's Focus brakes done, disc & pads, and she had a bit more travel than before. Now she's done a few miles the pedal is normal again.

[chesh100]

I have an old 2.8 manual gal. The brake pedal is the same at all times, about 2" travel before braking starts. Personally, I think the gal's brakes are better than any other vehicle i've driven. B)

 

One area of concern i've thought about, when cold, you say your pedal only travels one inch before locking up, where before you had about three inches movement. Are your brake lights working with the reduction in pedal movement??? :)

 

Should not be this variation i'm sure, hopefully someone with more knowledge about the quirks of the gal will be able to point you in the right direction.

[Vanbursta]

Sorry should of explained it better. The pads and discs were changed about 500 miles ago and have bedded in nicely, the brakes are very good, it just bothers me that there is some travel before they seem to start working (I have a Scorpio Cosworth and the brakes are on the second you move the pedal and are effective enough to stop on a sixpence). The Gal brakes will lock up but it seems to take much more effort and longer pedal travel. The brake lights and cruise are working so no worries there. The pedal doesn't travel to the floor nor does it feel spongy, my concerns are the travel and that the travel varies with how hot (or cold) the car is.

 

If this is normal then I won't worry about it, but I don't want to be driving a car that is dangerous - not that I am worried about myself, it's whoever I cause to be in an accident if I am negligent.

[tim-spam]

The Gal brakes will lock up but it seems to take much more effort and longer pedal travel.

My main concern would be the fact that you can 'lock up' - is your ABS not working?

[sepulchrave]

Are you being ironic? :D

[tim-spam]

???

[Vanbursta]

The Gal brakes will lock up but it seems to take much more effort and longer pedal travel.

My main concern would be the fact that you can 'lock up' - is your ABS not working?

 

Yes the ABS is working, although I seem to recall that not all Gals come with it. I meant lock up as in the wheels lock and the ABS cuts in, but the car still stops very quickly.

[MrT]

You should not notice the wheels locking before the ABS cuts in as it happens so quickly.