Superb Brakes Just Failed Mot ! ! ! !

[Karapaul]

My TDi just failed the MoT today ...... only one fault - the brakes.

They work fantastically well ....... (on the first press of the pedal) but if you re-press the pedal a second or third time, the pedal is hard and the brakes are crap!

I hadn't noticed this fault before the MoT tester advised me about it.

The Mot tester suggested that it might be a faulty vacuum pump ..... but that seems unlikely to me - because there is obviously a vacuum there to begin with.

It seems to me that it is more likely to be a faulty valve or pipe blockage somewhere ?

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can perform any kind of test to find out what the problem is please ? ...... funds are limited, so any help will be really appreciated. Cheers Paul

[Masked Marauder]

It does indeed sound like a faulty vacuum pump.

 

Locate the vacuum pipe from the servo back to the pump. Check if it has been creased or kinked and that the one way valve (if fitted) is working ok and not blocked.

[Karapaul]

Thanks MM ..... I will inspect the pipe tomorrow (hoping for a simple solution).

Cheers

Paul

[tim-spam]

My Alhambra had exactly the same problem, except that it passed its MOT and it was me that noticed. It turned out to be a leaky servo pipe, which was replaced under warranty. Incidently, the engine shut-down was also rough, like earlier diesels. Apparently, there is a throttle butterfly in the intake tract which is vacuum operated for 3 seconds after turning off the key. The idea of this is to give a smoother shut-down, which is apparently good for cambelt life. Anyway, once the servo pipe was replaced, the engine shut-down was also much smoother (more like a petrol engine).

Tim

[Karapaul]

Hi folks ...... one happy bunny reporting ! ;)

 

Thanks for your advice/comments.

 

I checked the vacuum pipes and could not see any cracks or open joints - but I couldn't see much of the pipes anyway! ..... so I just fiddled about with them with the engine running and luckily I heard a slight hissing noise when I moved one. By trial and error I located where I thought the noise was coming from and eventually found that the servo vacuum pipe was split where it connected to the servo. I cut off the last inch of the pipe and then (eventually) managed to reconnect it (after lots of heat treatment to broaden the end).

A test drive then revealed no difference ..... so I repeated the "fiddle about" with the vacuum pipes and detected a similar quiet hiss - it was the same pipe at the other end. I repeated the process of cutting and broadening and the next test drive was great - brakes good every time. Success .... but the shortened pipe was now stretched to its limit and the connections each end were not tight - so I decided to get a new replacement pipe and get a re-test.

Then I checked the MoT fail advice - it only allows ONE day for a free re-test !!!! (I'm sure it used to be longer?) so I whizzed down to my local VW garage. They could not find the pipe on their computer so we took the part number from the old pipe - yes, it is a Sharan part number: 7M2611932N. They checked the computer again, part not in stock!!! and it would cost about

[gerryfr]

The shalaxy is wonderful but if you cant cope with the occasional problem, how's about a rope and a low branch? All your problems at once sorted/transferred. ie. Sorted.

 

Alternatively keep an eye on this site and struggle on like the rest of us.

 

I'm living beyond my means, insuring 5 motors and 2 bikes (SV650S and GSX1400) and supporting 3 hungry chizzlers (Joyce) as well. So the ageing offspring have confined the almighty alhambra, holiday vehicle supreme in 1996, to be on its own in my garage, unused, not unloved, but using space. And having attained the great five - oh, I have discovered that I prefer lawnmowers to all other applications of the internal combustion engine. Slow, primitive, and cool beyond belief. Sooo cool thump thump. JAP engine circa 1939, 200 rpm or so.

 

Sorry there, got carried away for a moment, but I found a lawnmower, (Ransomes matador 24") in Berks (where the f***s that) on ebay and guess what? The only motor I have that will make the pilgrimage to Berks (wtf) is my trusty old shalaxy. So I've dusted her down (mainly pussy hairs from the cat), checked the oil level (last changed in 2002 for 500.50) filled her up with 60 litres of agricultural cherry, and fired her up. And guess what? Started first time. And the 8 year old A/C gas still did its bit and cooled the air and made the cabin really comfy (hot today in the NE). So far good, so I put a bit of wind in the wheels and away I went for a test ride. At first slow as a wet Tuesday in Feburary, and as stiff as my back after a late morning in the cot, but gradually the old bird got coaxed into life and began to perform as nature intended (just like the missus). Eventually she got up to 70mph and the brakes came back to life and alll the lights worked and the power steering worked and the wireless worked and the Cd changer in the boot found my missing 6 CD's from way back and I decided this vehicle was the bees knees.

 

So dont worry about a bit of stick from an elderly form of motorised transportation like the shalaxy. The auld biddy is still fairly capable. And we're going to Berks tomorrow (wtfitt) for a beautiful lawnmower.

 

Episode two tomorrow if we get back. And if I remember.

 

Best wishes from the A19 at Castle Eden.

[Masked Marauder]

http://trevor.dynip.com/images/vacuumpipe.jpg

 

That was a toughie, took me about 5 seconds. Where do they get the parts guys from?

 

Was a Interpart today, had a look for you, but they cut the engines out and anything connected just gets ruined.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

..... (mainly pussy hairs from the cat) .....

Thank goodness for that :o