kdh Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 I've just had new discs, pads and all the brake lines replaced on my 3.2 by a garage. Car is back with me but the pedal feels spongy and you've got to give it a good press before the brakes work. I've been driving my son's 987 while it was away and the brake pedal on that hardly has any travel before it stops the car. Garage said things will improve with time, anything I can do to speed it up? Pumping the brakes a few times makes the pedal less spongy and the 'bite' is higher. But after a while it goes back into spongy mode. Is it a 986 thing? Thanks as usual, Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 40 minutes ago, kdh said: I've just had new discs, pads and all the brake lines replaced on my 3.2 by a garage. Car is back with me but the pedal feels spongy and you've got to give it a good press before the brakes work. I've been driving my son's 987 while it was away and the brake pedal on that hardly has any travel before it stops the car. Garage said things will improve with time, anything I can do to speed it up? Pumping the brakes a few times makes the pedal less spongy and the 'bite' is higher. But after a while it goes back into spongy mode. Is it a 986 thing? Thanks as usual, Kim Require bleeding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 ^+1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 And you may also have to trigger the ABS if any air got trapped in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rat Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 And they won't improve with time. Love that one. Come back in 6 months and we will charge you again. 😮 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
999mch Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 15 minutes ago, Fat Rat said: And they won't improve with time. Love that one. Come back in 6 months and we will charge you again. 😮 Assuming you haven't written it off in accident when the brakes don't stop you ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdh Posted January 25 Author Report Share Posted January 25 Well that's what I thought but I'm not a mechanic. Okay to drive? They won't get worse or suddenly fail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 29 minutes ago, kdh said: Well that's what I thought but I'm not a mechanic. Okay to drive? They won't get worse or suddenly fail? No , but it would not inspire me to use a company,that can’t properly bleed a braking circuit, regardless of what car,shame you don’t live near me , done right and undoubtedly saved you a bucket of money! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 It might be true for new pads and discs to get better over time as they bed in. But the news that they feel soft, but work better when you pump the pedal a few times, is the classic symptom of air in the system and the need for bleed. If you told them that and they fobbed you off, that's a bit disgusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phazed Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 What he said in spades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 25 Report Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, BBB said: And you may also have to trigger the ABS if any air got trapped in there. Trigger it take it down a quiet road and hit the brakes hard and trigger the abs and re bleed 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdh Posted January 26 Author Report Share Posted January 26 Apparently the bleed nipples on the rear calipers seized/broke when the lines were being fitted and they suggest I buy two new rear calipers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 13 minutes ago, kdh said: Apparently the bleed nipples on the rear calipers seized/broke when the lines were being fitted and they suggest I buy two new rear calipers. 😡 no need to buy new , get them taken off and sent away for refurbishing, sure some one will come along a supply a link 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Sadly a known issue with the bleed nipples, but as it's known there are techniques for dealing with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Bigg Red, (Worcester way???) Brake Caliper Services (BCS) in Nottingham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 1 hour ago, bally4563 said: 😡 no need to buy new , get them taken off and sent away for refurbishing, sure some one will come along a supply a link But fancy letting you drive away without the brakes bled properly.. boils my p*ss on how people get ripped off, hence people come to me as a amateur 50 years experienced mechanic, added to that I am a highly specialised engineer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianJ Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Fancy telling you they would get better in time if they knew full well that they hadn't done the job properly and that they had broken the bleed nipples. What a shower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halfordwill Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 (edited) They shouldn’t have let you leave with the car without it being bled properly, they undertook the job and failed. They were hoping you didn’t notice because they don’t want the hassle and or cost to put it right. The bleed nipples can be removed and helicoiled the threads don’t buy new callipers. Edited January 26 by Halfordwill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Yup. On further questioning they knew damn well what the problem was. Wonder who else needs to know about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBarediver Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 2 hours ago, kdh said: Apparently the bleed nipples on the rear calipers seized/broke when the lines were being fitted and they suggest I buy two new rear calipers. Excuse me? They broke the bleed nipples and expect you to make it right?? I get that things can break - especially on an old(er) car but they are supposed to be the experts, aren't they? In a case like that I would be happy to pay for new bleed nipples but not the labour it will take to remove the old and fit the new. And that's just because I'm a nice guy. I'm pretty sure that is a them problem, not a you problem. And yes, the brakes have not been properly bled. Get it done right by someone else and speak to the original garage so they reimburse you because not only did they not do the job properly but they also caused you to be out of pocket. Shocking really 😠 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Depends on you mental approach to this - but I would: 1) find another garage who will remedy the situation and get the calipers refurbed - tell them the full story so there are no surprises. Get a written quote. 2) tell the original garage, that you are independently assessed ( mention RAC legal services even if you aren't a member) and if the car was deemed not safe then to expect a call from trading standards or alternatively they can immediately refund you 100% of your costs ( or at least as much as remediation quote is) - if they don't respond appropriately - follow it up with a letter to the same effect stating they failed to perform the work you paid for, that they damaged the vehicle ( yes its common, yes perhaps they can claim it was out of their control - but let them respond) , that they did not disclose the damage and they provided deliberately misleading information. Mention the small claims court procedure. But. be prepared to get nothing from them and you will have to pay someone else, again, to get it resolved. Your call of course - but they need a "slap" for this kind of behaviour and if they are doing it to you then they are doing it to others. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ribroaster3 Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 2 hours ago, kdh said: Apparently the bleed nipples on the rear calipers seized/broke when the lines were being fitted and they suggest I buy two new rear calipers. Ouch-that’s a sore one. What a bleeding useless garage they are and cheeky b’stards too………. they absolutely should be named and shamed as they should never have let you drive off with spongy brakes. I just renewed all my brakes and it was the one part of the job that had my stomach in a knot. I was super careful with the bleed nipples when I was bleeding my calipers during the fluid flush. Lots and lots of WD-40 and left them to soak before attempting to back them off. Flare nut spanner a must to avoid rounding the hex. in the end my calipers /pistons/nipples were in such a poor state I sent them all off to BCS in Nottingham to be fully refurbished and repainted and new bleed nipples fitted, so good as new. Still got sweaty palms when I backed off the new nipples in the nice shiny new calipers during bleeding……..😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 I would not be hard on them for seizing/breaking the bleed nipples, that happens often to old Boxsters. But I would shame them into next week for not being honest about it and sending you away with unbled brakes WITHOUT WARNING, and then apparently trying to claim they'll improve with time. They could have said "mate, we tried to bleed the brakes, the nipples didn't work. You can drive off now carefully and take it somewhere else / bring it back when you're ready, or we can keep it but we warn you it could be a couple hundred quid extra and another week to refurb them." Apparently they didn't. Ask them if they'd like to explain that to the local paper, as much as Trading Standards. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 1 hour ago, Menoporsche said: I would not be hard on them for seizing/breaking the bleed nipples, that happens often to old Boxsters. But I would shame them into next week for not being honest about it and sending you away with unbled brakes WITHOUT WARNING, and then apparently trying to claim they'll improve with time. They could have said "mate, we tried to bleed the brakes, the nipples didn't work. You can drive off now carefully and take it somewhere else / bring it back when you're ready, or we can keep it but we warn you it could be a couple hundred quid extra and another week to refurb them." Apparently they didn't. Ask them if they'd like to explain that to the local paper, as much as Trading Standards. ^^ this ^^ I totally agree that in fairness the nipple issue is well known - but the "we busted them and didn't say anything and then BS'ed when you queried it" is unforgivable. My expectation would be "we have gone to bleed the brakes and there may be trouble" or better still before they jumped in "ahead of us pulling stuff apart we have checked the nipples and they are seized we recommend ....." ( and then they shouldn't be recommending "new" they should be able to fix themselves or outsource to someone else) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted January 26 Report Share Posted January 26 Obviously not busted , as op would be driving nowhere, probably rounded them off to the point no chance to open them , rather than going over old ground, before paying for the job , should of made totally aware it just beggers belief, you don’t feck around with brakes ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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