Brakes Failed - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Billy Mild · 11-04-2014

The brakes on the corvette failed today. I was coming to a stoplight, the car was slowing down when I pressed the brake pedal a little harder to come to a stop faster. At that time I heard a pop and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor. The car continued to roll forward and would not slow down.

When I lift my foot off the brake the pedal came back to the normal position. I was able to pump the brakes, but they had 0 resistance. The brakes are not effective. Also my BRAKE light is lit up in the gauge cluster all the time now. I haven't torn into the brakes yet, but Brake Fluid reserviors are both full, and I don't see any leaking fluid around the front brake calipers.

I don't really know what to start with if I should look at the pads, or something more serious. Any ideas?

Dynomite · 11-05-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

The brakes on the corvette failed today. I was coming to a stoplight, the car was slowing down when I pressed the brake pedal a little harder to come to a stop faster. At that time I heard a pop and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor. The car continued to roll forward and would not slow down.

When I lift my foot off the brake the pedal came back to the normal position. I was able to pump the brakes, but they had 0 resistance. The brakes are not effective. Also my BRAKE light is lit up in the gauge cluster all the time now. I haven't torn into the brakes yet, but Brake Fluid reserviors are both full, and I don't see any leaking fluid around the front brake calipers.

I don't really know what to start with if I should look at the pads, or something more serious. Any ideas?

Start with Brake Master Cylinder under hood drivers side fire wall. I expect your issue is NOT Brake Calipers or Brake Lines and obviously NOT Brake Pads. Suck the brake fluid out of the Master Cylinder Reservoirs with a Turkey Baster you can get at Target or WalMart before you disconnect the Brake Lines from the Master Cylinder.

If that happens again....grab the Emergency Brake left side of Drivers Seat and pull hard. Keep your thumb on the Emergency Brake Release Button so you can use the Emergency Brake as a Normal Brake.

GOLDCYLON · 11-05-2014

I think you lost the brake booster

efnfast · 11-05-2014

Keep in mind, when using the emergency brake, it only works the rear brakes. That means you've lost 50% of your braking, and the fronts do most of the work. Don't expect to just give it a light pull to stop the car. Probably something everyone should try in a safe place, like an empty parking lot. Just so you know what to expect when you need to do this.

Why not a thrown pad Cliff?

Dynomite · 11-05-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

I think you lost the brake booster

I think you would still have some braking but a Hard to push Brake Pedal if it were the Brake Booster.

Quote:

Originally Posted by efnfast

Why not a thrown pad Cliff?

Never heard of a thrown pad or for that matter some bolts or pins falling out of the Brake Calipers.
I guess anything is possible but then the caliper Plungers would extend and you would probably see a complete failure of the Plunger and brake fluid all over. In any event there would be all kinds of noise I would expect at the suspect Brake Caliper.

If the Brake Pads get sooooo thin as to end up with Pad Rivets on the Rotor.....there would be all kinds of noise at that wheel indicating the Brakes are going to hell in a hand basket

I thought Jerry had Brake Master or Clutch Master Cylinders at one time and maybe Clutch Slave Cylinders on his web site??

Billy Mild · 11-05-2014

How will I know for sure that the master cylinder is bad? Anyway to test that? I don't have a jack anymore since my garage got broken into last week. I am going to try to get a jack this weekend and take a look. I will look at the pads first, then move on from there.

If the master cylinder was bad wouldn't the pedal stay on the floor?

If the brake booster went bad, the brakes would just require a lot of effort correct?

ZZZZZR1 · 11-05-2014

Have you changed the brake fluid?

I agree with Cliff on the brake master...

David

We Gone · 11-05-2014

My guess I think you blew seals out in the master cylinder or a piston/ rod failure. If it was a line you would have fluid leaking out. A wheel cylinder the others would still work same with a pad failure. The light on the dash no pressure.

mike100 · 11-05-2014

look in the footwell and see if the rear seal area where the brake pedal rod goes into the master cylinder is wet. Otherwise I'd think a rusty line blew out somewhere or one of the rubber lines gave up. you can always look at the ABS unit behind the drivers seat in the storage bin too.

GOLDCYLON · 11-05-2014

Mike lists the correct procedure to see if the area is wet below on the brake Master cylinder and the seals are compromised. I mentioned the booster as a POP was mentioned and both reservoirs were full. I have never heard a master cylinder pop but certainly fail with the pedal immediately hitting the floor. It's clearly either one or the other and I agree with Mike if the pedal arm etc is wet. I have seen two boosters fail in my life time and a loud POP was the first indication of trouble

11-04-2014	#1
Billy Mild Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 838	Brakes Failed The brakes on the corvette failed today. I was coming to a stoplight, the car was slowing down when I pressed the brake pedal a little harder to come to a stop faster. At that time I heard a pop and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor. The car continued to roll forward and would not slow down. When I lift my foot off the brake the pedal came back to the normal position. I was able to pump the brakes, but they had 0 resistance. The brakes are not effective. Also my BRAKE light is lit up in the gauge cluster all the time now. I haven't torn into the brakes yet, but Brake Fluid reserviors are both full, and I don't see any leaking fluid around the front brake calipers. I don't really know what to start with if I should look at the pads, or something more serious. Any ideas? __________________ Looking for a ZR-1 1985 Yamaha RZ350-NOT STOCK 1971 Yamaha AT1-Middle of a restoration

11-05-2014	#3
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,153	Re: Brakes Failed I think you lost the brake booster __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V

11-05-2014	#4
efnfast Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dunbarton NH Posts: 7,253	Re: Brakes Failed Keep in mind, when using the emergency brake, it only works the rear brakes. That means you've lost 50% of your braking, and the fronts do most of the work. Don't expect to just give it a light pull to stop the car. Probably something everyone should try in a safe place, like an empty parking lot. Just so you know what to expect when you need to do this. Why not a thrown pad Cliff?

11-05-2014	#6
Billy Mild Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 838	Re: Brakes Failed How will I know for sure that the master cylinder is bad? Anyway to test that? I don't have a jack anymore since my garage got broken into last week. I am going to try to get a jack this weekend and take a look. I will look at the pads first, then move on from there. If the master cylinder was bad wouldn't the pedal stay on the floor? If the brake booster went bad, the brakes would just require a lot of effort correct? __________________ Looking for a ZR-1 1985 Yamaha RZ350-NOT STOCK 1971 Yamaha AT1-Middle of a restoration

11-05-2014	#7
ZZZZZR1 Banned BANNED Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: MD Posts: 3,690	Re: Brakes Failed Have you changed the brake fluid? I agree with Cliff on the brake master... David

11-05-2014	#8
We Gone Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: ATL. GA. Posts: 2,162	Re: Brakes Failed My guess I think you blew seals out in the master cylinder or a piston/ rod failure. If it was a line you would have fluid leaking out. A wheel cylinder the others would still work same with a pad failure. The light on the dash no pressure. __________________ Steve 1990 Steel Blue/Black #2355 1990 Red/Red #1473 1991 Quasar /Black #118 Sold 1991 Turquoise/Black #766 Parted Out 1993 Yellow/White #179 Sold 1990 Black/Gray #1361 Headers/4:10s Sold

11-05-2014	#9
mike100 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Marcos CA Posts: 1,802	Re: Brakes Failed look in the footwell and see if the rear seal area where the brake pedal rod goes into the master cylinder is wet. Otherwise I'd think a rusty line blew out somewhere or one of the rubber lines gave up. you can always look at the ABS unit behind the drivers seat in the storage bin too.

11-05-2014	#10
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,153	Re: Brakes Failed Mike lists the correct procedure to see if the area is wet below on the brake Master cylinder and the seals are compromised. I mentioned the booster as a POP was mentioned and both reservoirs were full. I have never heard a master cylinder pop but certainly fail with the pedal immediately hitting the floor. It's clearly either one or the other and I agree with Mike if the pedal arm etc is wet. I have seen two boosters fail in my life time and a loud POP was the first indication of trouble __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V Last edited by GOLDCYLON; 11-05-2014 at 10:51 AM.