Flushing the brake fluid issues. Brake failure. - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

himmy33 · 09-05-2016, 12:48 PM

Hey guys I was at the track the other day and my brakes failed. Best we could tell was vapor lock. I was using the original fluid so I'm sure it had some moisture in it. Anyway I took it to a local hot rod mechanic. Trusted guy who knows what he is doing. I was going to do it myself but did not have access to the Tech II machine or whatever it is to pulse the ABS to clear fluid through.

Later in the day he gives me a call and says he is having problems getting clean fluid to the passenger rear caliper almost like there is some type of obstruction. He used a power bleeder and still was unable to get clean fluid through. His friend who lets him borrow the Tech II machine is a GM mechanic and they called over to the East coast and talked to one of the head mechanics that works solely on these cars and Corvettes. That mechanic stated that it is a known problem when the cars are tracked and that the line may need to be replaced. GM has my VIN and have noted that it may need some warranty work regarding this.

He gave me the car back and told me to put it through same heavy braking and let him know how it feels and if its not right he will take it back and get it sorted out free of charge.

On the way home the pedal felt a little spongy but traffic didn't allow for proper heavy braking.The next day I put her through her paces and sure enough the brakes failed again.

I am dropping her off tomorrow and he will have it the next week and a half while I'm on vacation.

My question to you guys is has anyone experienced this before? What do you think?

The fluid was replaced with new Motul RBF 600. I am thinking of getting the Tick remote clutch speed bleeder to help rule things out.

PS: it should be noted that regular driving and even some hard stops the brakes work (feel a bit spongy but no horrible). But after repeated hard braking (smoking front passenger caliper) they fail.

KaBoom1701 · 09-05-2016, 08:38 PM

Never heard of this....

Sakudog · 09-06-2016, 08:06 AM

keep us posted

ZMEnow · 09-06-2016, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

Never heard of this....

+1, just bleed out everything sat night for the same reason u did, track day that boiled the dot 3 fluid, no problems after bleed, also did, clutch again.

himmy33 · 09-06-2016, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sakudog

keep us posted

Will do. Hang in there. I will be gone for about a week and a half but will post results as soon as I know.

Sakudog · 09-06-2016, 09:53 AM

I seem to have a spongy pedal and I've done a Tech2 bleed at the local Caddy Dealer. I'm wondering if the master cylinder needs to be replaced or something with the pedal linkage is messed up. Everything works, but it doesn't feel "Great" like say my Mercedes.

himmy33 · 09-06-2016, 06:00 PM

Just dropped the car off. The mechanic said he has a time set up to talk with the GM tech on the east coast. He said he is going to hook up the Tech II machine and have the GM tech remotely look at the car and run diagnostics through the internet while its on the dyno in real time. Pretty amazing what they can do these days!

Sven59 · 09-07-2016, 10:15 AM

Not sure if it makes a difference, but I thought the OP said he was running the original brake fluid (dot 3), I thought they said dot 4 for the track.

ZMEnow · 09-07-2016, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

Not sure if it makes a difference, but I thought the OP said he was running the original brake fluid (dot 3), I thought they said dot 4 for the track.

He had some one bleed it with DOT 4..

himmy33 · 09-07-2016, 08:00 PM

To clarify I was using the original DOT 3 at the track when it failed the first time. My mechanic tried flushing and replacing with motul 600 but couldn't get a clean bleed on all four corners. He gave it back and said to try it. I got it to fail again just with repetitive heavy braking. Now its in the shop again to dive more into the problem.

I did order a tick remote clutch speed bleeder as well to help clean tbe system up.

Sven59 · 09-07-2016, 09:27 PM

That's why I asked, could the dot 3 have boiled and clogged the line?

ZMEnow · 09-08-2016, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

That's why I asked, could the dot 3 have boiled and clogged the line?

Don't know, but I boiled mine last week at the track and had no issues bleeding to dot 4.

Sakudog · 09-08-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

That's why I asked, could the dot 3 have boiled and clogged the line?

I've never heard of that happening, do you have some direct examples of boiled brake fluid blocking lines as an issue or is this just your hypothesis?

ZL1-V · 09-08-2016, 09:47 AM

Was he able to drain ALL of the DOT 3 fluid? Did it mix with the new Motul fluid? New master cylinder time.

09-05-2016, 12:48 PM	#1
himmy33 Go Cougs! Drives: 2012 Ashen Gray ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 230 View My Garage	Flushing the brake fluid issues. Brake failure. Hey guys I was at the track the other day and my brakes failed. Best we could tell was vapor lock. I was using the original fluid so I'm sure it had some moisture in it. Anyway I took it to a local hot rod mechanic. Trusted guy who knows what he is doing. I was going to do it myself but did not have access to the Tech II machine or whatever it is to pulse the ABS to clear fluid through. Later in the day he gives me a call and says he is having problems getting clean fluid to the passenger rear caliper almost like there is some type of obstruction. He used a power bleeder and still was unable to get clean fluid through. His friend who lets him borrow the Tech II machine is a GM mechanic and they called over to the East coast and talked to one of the head mechanics that works solely on these cars and Corvettes. That mechanic stated that it is a known problem when the cars are tracked and that the line may need to be replaced. GM has my VIN and have noted that it may need some warranty work regarding this. He gave me the car back and told me to put it through same heavy braking and let him know how it feels and if its not right he will take it back and get it sorted out free of charge. On the way home the pedal felt a little spongy but traffic didn't allow for proper heavy braking.The next day I put her through her paces and sure enough the brakes failed again. I am dropping her off tomorrow and he will have it the next week and a half while I'm on vacation. My question to you guys is has anyone experienced this before? What do you think? The fluid was replaced with new Motul RBF 600. I am thinking of getting the Tick remote clutch speed bleeder to help rule things out. PS: it should be noted that regular driving and even some hard stops the brakes work (feel a bit spongy but no horrible). But after repeated hard braking (smoking front passenger caliper) they fail.

09-05-2016, 08:38 PM	#2
KaBoom1701 KaBoom1701 Drives: 13' ZL1 Red M6 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: I.E. SoCal (Yucaipa) Posts: 8,630	Never heard of this.... __________________ Mods: Roto-Fab Intake, WW Res. kit & Big Gulp Air Scoop, Elite Catch Can, ATI Super Damper & 18% OD Pulley, LF Idler pulley bracket, Metco CC breather, ID850 Injectors, Stainless Power Headers w/ ceramic coating, TR71X Spark Plugs, JMS Fuel Pump Booster, Bo White TB, Tuned by Ted @ Jannetty Racing, Ron Davis HX, D3 Reservoir, Pfadt 1" Springs, Moreno Camber Plates, ZL1 Addons Splitter guard washers, Tow Hook kit & rock guards, Hurst Shifter Billet Plus 6 Speed Short Shifter, ZL1 DRL lighting harness, ZL1 Recaro Seats.

09-06-2016, 08:06 AM	#3
Sakudog Drives: 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: The ATX Posts: 966	keep us posted __________________ Ryker #29 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 2015 Z/28 #809

09-06-2016, 09:53 AM	#6
Sakudog Drives: 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: The ATX Posts: 966	I seem to have a spongy pedal and I've done a Tech2 bleed at the local Caddy Dealer. I'm wondering if the master cylinder needs to be replaced or something with the pedal linkage is messed up. Everything works, but it doesn't feel "Great" like say my Mercedes. __________________ Ryker #29 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 2015 Z/28 #809

09-07-2016, 10:15 AM	#8
Sven59 HAMMER PILOT Drives: 13 ZL1#182, 85 CJ7, 16 Silverado Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 4,386	Not sure if it makes a difference, but I thought the OP said he was running the original brake fluid (dot 3), I thought they said dot 4 for the track. __________________ "DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN?"

09-06-2016, 06:00 PM	#7
himmy33 Go Cougs! Drives: 2012 Ashen Gray ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 230 View My Garage	Just dropped the car off. The mechanic said he has a time set up to talk with the GM tech on the east coast. He said he is going to hook up the Tech II machine and have the GM tech remotely look at the car and run diagnostics through the internet while its on the dyno in real time. Pretty amazing what they can do these days!

09-07-2016, 08:00 PM	#10
himmy33 Go Cougs! Drives: 2012 Ashen Gray ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 230 View My Garage	To clarify I was using the original DOT 3 at the track when it failed the first time. My mechanic tried flushing and replacing with motul 600 but couldn't get a clean bleed on all four corners. He gave it back and said to try it. I got it to fail again just with repetitive heavy braking. Now its in the shop again to dive more into the problem. I did order a tick remote clutch speed bleeder as well to help clean tbe system up.

09-07-2016, 09:27 PM	#11
Sven59 HAMMER PILOT Drives: 13 ZL1#182, 85 CJ7, 16 Silverado Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 4,386	That's why I asked, could the dot 3 have boiled and clogged the line? __________________ "DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN?"

09-08-2016, 09:47 AM	#14
ZL1-V Drives: 2013 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,155	Was he able to drain ALL of the DOT 3 fluid? Did it mix with the new Motul fluid? New master cylinder time.