I will be spending my free time this weekend searching the web for anything like what occured last night.
On my way home from work I get onto the highway after having driven around the city for about 5 minutes. The traffic is stop and go on the highway. About 2 miles the traffic begins to free up so you no longer have to stop, just slow up and I notice my brakes seem really hard. I push down as hard as I can and the car barely slows. Now I am a bit frantic since I am on the highway and can't stop easily. I start shifting gears to keep the car from going to fast.
I finally baby it to an exit that I know has a few brake places and make it to one. I have to stand on the brakes going about 5 miles an hour and I can stop the car. I use the emergency brake which seems to work fine.
The guys come out, of course all excited that they get to see an 87 GN. I explain the problem, they take it in a stall and come back in 5 minutes saying that the Powermaster is gone, $1,100 for a new one, $200 for installation but no one has one. They don't have any idea how long it will be to get one.
Oh goodie.
I give jdpolzin a call, the one I bought the car from and we talk about the issue. He searches on the web for a Powermaster and we discuss the brakes. I pull the cap off the brake fluid containment and it did not seem snug. This could certainly have been due to them checking the brakes, I can not tell. I tighten it, making sure it sealed. Start the car and pump the brakes for about 5 minutes and test. No go.
Have the place call for a flat bed. Not going to chance driving 20 miles home with no brakes, except for the emergency brake.
While waiting for a tow, 2 hours, I start the car and sit pumping the brakes every so often while listening to the radio, which was the reason for starting it. I test the car by going forward for a bit and the brakes don't work. Do that about 4 times still nothing.
After about 45 minutes I try again and poof...the brakes work fine. Since the tow truck did not arrive I head off to home and make it with no issues.
Now that brings me to...WTH. The "guys" at the shop said that when the PM goes it is gone. So I suspect that is not the issue. Don't know if the car had to run for a while to build up brake pressure after the "seal" was broken or if there is something else.
Any ideas would help since my day today consists of 5 hours of soccer games and going out tonight so won't have enough time to poke around to look up the issue.
<added piece> There was no brake light stating an issue. Petal was hard not soft. Not brake fluid apparently leaking, least from what I could see.
Thanks ahead of time for any help.
On my way home from work I get onto the highway after having driven around the city for about 5 minutes. The traffic is stop and go on the highway. About 2 miles the traffic begins to free up so you no longer have to stop, just slow up and I notice my brakes seem really hard. I push down as hard as I can and the car barely slows. Now I am a bit frantic since I am on the highway and can't stop easily. I start shifting gears to keep the car from going to fast.
I finally baby it to an exit that I know has a few brake places and make it to one. I have to stand on the brakes going about 5 miles an hour and I can stop the car. I use the emergency brake which seems to work fine.
The guys come out, of course all excited that they get to see an 87 GN. I explain the problem, they take it in a stall and come back in 5 minutes saying that the Powermaster is gone, $1,100 for a new one, $200 for installation but no one has one. They don't have any idea how long it will be to get one.
Oh goodie.
I give jdpolzin a call, the one I bought the car from and we talk about the issue. He searches on the web for a Powermaster and we discuss the brakes. I pull the cap off the brake fluid containment and it did not seem snug. This could certainly have been due to them checking the brakes, I can not tell. I tighten it, making sure it sealed. Start the car and pump the brakes for about 5 minutes and test. No go.
Have the place call for a flat bed. Not going to chance driving 20 miles home with no brakes, except for the emergency brake.
While waiting for a tow, 2 hours, I start the car and sit pumping the brakes every so often while listening to the radio, which was the reason for starting it. I test the car by going forward for a bit and the brakes don't work. Do that about 4 times still nothing.
After about 45 minutes I try again and poof...the brakes work fine. Since the tow truck did not arrive I head off to home and make it with no issues.
Now that brings me to...WTH. The "guys" at the shop said that when the PM goes it is gone. So I suspect that is not the issue. Don't know if the car had to run for a while to build up brake pressure after the "seal" was broken or if there is something else.
Any ideas would help since my day today consists of 5 hours of soccer games and going out tonight so won't have enough time to poke around to look up the issue.
<added piece> There was no brake light stating an issue. Petal was hard not soft. Not brake fluid apparently leaking, least from what I could see.
Thanks ahead of time for any help.
