Re: Brakes keep locking up

["jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

Here is what I would do. First flush out the system with fresh Castrol 
GTLMA DOT 4 brake fluid. If that doesn't help then disconnect and plug 
the vacuum line to the brake booster and go for a drive. If that does 
it you need a new or rebuilt booster. BTW look inside the vacuum hose 
from the booster and if it is wet with brake fluid it is dead anyway. 
My first guess is that the fluid is so contaminated with water that 
when it heats up and boils it is locking the brakes. If the system is 
as bad as I think it might be you will soon be doing a complete 
rebuild of all of the calipers and master cylinder anyway. BTW if it 
is a 5-speed flush the clutch master and slave too. This should be 
done every 2 years as per the owner's manual (flushing that is, not 
rebuilding the system). A brake shop I know says about every 6 months 
or so he has a similar complaint from a customer. It usually turns out 
the customer or the gas station put WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID into the 
brake master cylinder resovoir!!!!!
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Payne" <bpayne@xxxx> wrote:
> I must say this is the most frustrating problem I've had with my car 
yet.
> If I drive it for any longer than five minutes, the brakes will lock 
up and
> the pedal get's incredibly stiff with no travel at all. It seems to 
be
> mostly the front calipers and they will eventually release after 
they cool
> down. The brake fluid does look rather old and I know it needs to 
be
> flushed, but would that cause them to lock up? I've driven it every 
day for
> a year and it happened rather suddenly.
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> 
> payne