QuestionQUESTION: my van struggles to start after standing 24hrs. it starts when jumped and runs fine. can you help?
ANSWER: Old tired battery most likely - how old is the battery? It should have a date stamp on it somewhere.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: i took it out yesterday and brakes were fine, half way there i had to put the peddle to the ground to get it to brake, on the way home it was back to normal again?? There was a melting smell as well.
Thanks for your help. i am hoping i havnt bought a heap of rubbish, x
ANSWER: Check the fluid level, you could have run low on brake fluid.
also check each brake cylinder for leaks.
- you mean the pedal went soft and needed pressing FAR, or the pedal went hard and needed pressing a LOT???
- give detailed description of occurence of fault, fetures of fault and how it changed as it got better... did the brakes pump up? could be failing master cylinder or leak somewhere in the system.
- before commencing anything have the brake fluid CHANGED, not expensive, takes an hour or so tops, shop around for the best price and have it done. maybe £30 or so
If the brakes are not sorted by that...
Park the car on cardboard and pump the brakes as you would normally use them + a few "emergency stop" type operations for 10 minutes (have a cup of tea and put the radio on)
when done check the cardboard for fluid leaks, if no fluid is on the cardboard get a torch and trace each and every brake line and try and find any dribbling fluid, if it all checks fine and there are no rusted pipes or connectors either then I'm pretty sure you have a worn master cylinder - if not the cylinder then the vacuum assist hose from inlet manifold to brake master cylinder could be leaking.
Once ypoure sure the vacuum hose doesent leak then I'm certain it;s the master cylinder - you could get one froim the scrapper for about £40/£60, get one from a car that has had a new one fitted, not an original one, look around and find one with a unipart sticker on it or something like that... otherwise it could be £300 to buy and £150 to fit... this way you'll sort it for under £200 if you haggle a little at the scrapper*
Check the slave cylinders for leaks, check the brake pipes/cpnnectors for leaks, check the vacuum-brake-assist line for leaks, if no leaks themn master cylinder is buggered.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: The peddle went soft and was touching the deck before it would break,
When i drove it again (later in the day) it went back to normal, peddle braked half way.
AnswerHalfway is still too far, braking should start after about 1cm of pedal travel, sounds like this master cylinder is completely knackered, though I'd get the fluid changed first, it could be an airlock and contaminated fluid (the fluid absorbs moisture from the air when it is old, it's only supposed to have a service life of 2 years and many many people overlook this, this leads to formation of air bubbles in the pipes as the moisture oxidises the inside of the pipes.. Co2 I think caused by the oxidisation) - so change the fluid first then if it still has this pedal travel fault then change the master cylinder.
