I need brake help - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

240sxspeedracer1 · 11-15-2001, 11:38 PM

Earlier today, I was driving my car as usual, and then i suddenly felt like the car wasnt taking off like normal!  It felt like the brakes were being applied when I wasnt evening pushing it.  It was sooo weird.  Ok, whatever that was stopped for no reason, I dont know why.  Then, All of a sudden, when I would try to brake, the brake pedal goes really in, and then when i release and then reapply the brakes would be fine.  Why the heck is that happening, its so weird but I trust u guys better than the friggin mechanics cause they dont have experience in these kind of situations in my car like u guys.  Thanx in advance for the info, im planning to get whatever needs to be fixed tomorrow so i cant prevent any hazardous conditions.  

chickenmanq · 11-16-2001, 12:05 AM

Sounds like you have air in your brake line.  Bleed them and see if that takes care of it.  Don't know about the car not taking off like normal though.  You don't have your ebrake slightly on, do you?

240sxspeedracer1 · 11-16-2001, 12:15 AM

nah, i checked to see if i had my e-brakes on and they werent.  I was so perplexed at that.  And then, like i said before, the car went back to normal, and then my brake would go all the way in, the go back to normal after releasing and then reapplying.  It would happen every friggin time i drive for lil bit.  When i come to a red light, i apply brakes and it would go all the way in, then i would release and it then becomes fine.  BTW, i know i need to change the rotors and brakes and clutch.  I checked my brake fluid and its normal.  Could me having to change any one of those things induce what i was going through.  I doubt that me having to change those things have to do anything with my prob but i could be wrong.

HippoSleek · 11-16-2001, 08:49 AM

I'm usually really good with brake issues, but this one has me stumped.  If you had just told us that the pedal went to the floor and then would get pressure after you released - I would say bleed your brakes, check your lines and master cylinder for leaks, and double check your pedal assembly to make sure that it is not cracked.  But this is a bit different b/c of the feeling of constant application.

My advice:
1) check that pedal assembly - if it is cracked, funny things happen... I've seen stranger symptoms occur in my old Bug when this happen.  Plus, I've heard of this happening in a 240 in one other case.
2) take a look at the calipers where you have badly worn pads/rotors.  If these become too worn, the piston in the caliper will come all the way out during application and get stuck (i.e., siezed).  I think this may also be able to cause the symptoms you describe.  This will likely necessitate rebuilding the caliper - which is not particularly cheap.
3) <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'> go to a shop - the only way to be sure is to have someone who knows what they are doing take a peek at the basics.

240sxspeedracer1 · 11-16-2001, 09:36 PM

thanks a lot guys, i had my brakes bled today and now its not going down anymore.  I figured the other prob i had with the car stopping for no reason and it was cause the e-brake was kind of on.  Its strange though becuase i thought the e-brake had to get at least one click before it starts to work but it was just a little up and my car would stop.  Is there are reason to that because that wasnt happening before?

MingMing · 11-16-2001, 10:35 PM

did u get new brake pads?
cuz the ebrake is just a wire that goes to the rear and applies the breaks physically instead of using brake fluid, so if it locks real fast then it mite be cuz of new brakes.. or ur locking mechanism is messed, and if it is, then i dunno what to do for that
if its a drum brake, those things autocorrect themselves for the thinning of break pads, so if u got new ones, the pads mite be alot closer to it than before.. but then again i'm just talking outta my butt with my limited knowledge so dont take anythign i say to the bank ;-)

240sxspeedracer1 · 11-17-2001, 10:53 AM

nah, all the brake shi% that i have are old and used up, i gotta change all that shi%.  R u sure that the e-brake just stops the back wheels cause it felt like the front left side of my car was stopping.  

240sxspeedracer1 · 11-17-2001, 09:29 PM

ok guys and gals, bleeding the brakes did absolutely nothing for the car.  I thought that the car might be fine but I was driving today and the darn shi% started happening again.  I would try to go and it feels like the brakes are being applied.  Sometimes this hapens, sometimes it doesnt, its like something is getting stuck or something.  I have no clue, but after driving for a while with the car not starting right, it started to smell funny.  I find out that the right rear tire is giving off the weird smell.  Like something is grinding something else.  anyone have any suggestions?  I'm not sure what the prob is and i have to wait till monday cause the friggin mechanics take sunday off(they aren't supposed to have days off!)

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11-15-2001, 11:38 PM	#1
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 39 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Earlier today, I was driving my car as usual, and then i suddenly felt like the car wasnt taking off like normal!  It felt like the brakes were being applied when I wasnt evening pushing it.  It was sooo weird.  Ok, whatever that was stopped for no reason, I dont know why.  Then, All of a sudden, when I would try to brake, the brake pedal goes really in, and then when i release and then reapply the brakes would be fine.  Why the heck is that happening, its so weird but I trust u guys better than the friggin mechanics cause they dont have experience in these kind of situations in my car like u guys.  Thanx in advance for the info, im planning to get whatever needs to be fixed tomorrow so i cant prevent any hazardous conditions.

11-16-2001, 12:05 AM	#2
chickenmanq Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1,000 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Sounds like you have air in your brake line.  Bleed them and see if that takes care of it.  Don't know about the car not taking off like normal though.  You don't have your ebrake slightly on, do you?

11-16-2001, 12:15 AM	#3
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 39 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	nah, i checked to see if i had my e-brakes on and they werent.  I was so perplexed at that.  And then, like i said before, the car went back to normal, and then my brake would go all the way in, the go back to normal after releasing and then reapplying.  It would happen every friggin time i drive for lil bit.  When i come to a red light, i apply brakes and it would go all the way in, then i would release and it then becomes fine.  BTW, i know i need to change the rotors and brakes and clutch.  I checked my brake fluid and its normal.  Could me having to change any one of those things induce what i was going through.  I doubt that me having to change those things have to do anything with my prob but i could be wrong.

11-16-2001, 08:49 AM	#4
HippoSleek Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: elsewhere Posts: 2,081 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I'm usually really good with brake issues, but this one has me stumped.  If you had just told us that the pedal went to the floor and then would get pressure after you released - I would say bleed your brakes, check your lines and master cylinder for leaks, and double check your pedal assembly to make sure that it is not cracked.  But this is a bit different b/c of the feeling of constant application. My advice: 1) check that pedal assembly - if it is cracked, funny things happen... I've seen stranger symptoms occur in my old Bug when this happen.  Plus, I've heard of this happening in a 240 in one other case. 2) take a look at the calipers where you have badly worn pads/rotors.  If these become too worn, the piston in the caliper will come all the way out during application and get stuck (i.e., siezed).  I think this may also be able to cause the symptoms you describe.  This will likely necessitate rebuilding the caliper - which is not particularly cheap. 3) <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'> go to a shop - the only way to be sure is to have someone who knows what they are doing take a peek at the basics.

11-16-2001, 09:36 PM	#5
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 39 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	thanks a lot guys, i had my brakes bled today and now its not going down anymore.  I figured the other prob i had with the car stopping for no reason and it was cause the e-brake was kind of on.  Its strange though becuase i thought the e-brake had to get at least one click before it starts to work but it was just a little up and my car would stop.  Is there are reason to that because that wasnt happening before?

11-16-2001, 10:35 PM	#6
MingMing Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 174 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	did u get new brake pads? cuz the ebrake is just a wire that goes to the rear and applies the breaks physically instead of using brake fluid, so if it locks real fast then it mite be cuz of new brakes.. or ur locking mechanism is messed, and if it is, then i dunno what to do for that if its a drum brake, those things autocorrect themselves for the thinning of break pads, so if u got new ones, the pads mite be alot closer to it than before.. but then again i'm just talking outta my butt with my limited knowledge so dont take anythign i say to the bank ;-)

11-17-2001, 10:53 AM	#7
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 39 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	nah, all the brake shi% that i have are old and used up, i gotta change all that shi%.  R u sure that the e-brake just stops the back wheels cause it felt like the front left side of my car was stopping.

11-17-2001, 09:29 PM	#8
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 39 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	ok guys and gals, bleeding the brakes did absolutely nothing for the car.  I thought that the car might be fine but I was driving today and the darn shi% started happening again.  I would try to go and it feels like the brakes are being applied.  Sometimes this hapens, sometimes it doesnt, its like something is getting stuck or something.  I have no clue, but after driving for a while with the car not starting right, it started to smell funny.  I find out that the right rear tire is giving off the weird smell.  Like something is grinding something else.  anyone have any suggestions?  I'm not sure what the prob is and i have to wait till monday cause the friggin mechanics take sunday off(they aren't supposed to have days off!)