Relay 2.5 diesel van engine brakes failed.

[alandav123]

Hi all, Im on holiday from the UK in Norway and my brake pedal has just gone to the floor. The fluid is pouring out from somewhere around the servo area, I ws unable to see exactly where it came from before the fluid ran out.
Can anyone offer any advice as to whether this is a common problem and what needs doing OR is this a rare occurance. Are the servo units prone to leak or is it more likely the hose? If its the servo... is it a hard job to switch it out or do able by someone with decent mechanical skill?

I have limited european breakdown cover and am trying to find out as much aspossible before ringing them as they will take me to their mates garage and as Im in Norway I will get hammerred.
if its a common fault fixable by the avarage guy with tools, I could get a second hand one from the UK and fit it myself rather than getting towed to a mega expensive Norwegain garage who will charge minimum of 60 to 80 quid per hour plus vat at 22% then all parts will be double or trebel or worse than they are in the UK.

All constructive advice welcomed as my holiday is already going down the toilet.

Regards Alan

Relay Luton Van 1998 2.5 deisel non turbo.

[Stewart(oily)]

There is no fluid in the servo, almost certainly master cylinder leak, inspect it and see if there is anything visibly amiss, the reservoir usually plugs into rubber plugs in the top, or remotely connects to same, if any of that has popped apart it might be easier to fix, the only leak from seals will occur where the pushrod goes in, hope this is of some help, keep us informed.

[alandav123]

Hi there thanks so much for reply...I went to visit local back street garage and they charge £120 per hour labour!! I nearly died. The master cyclider is now totally empty of fluid and it seemed to me that the engine still running was helping that get pumped out but that may have been coincidence. I was running the engine to re charge batteries and did not wnt to swtich if off. But either way the master cyclider is totally dry now. Would the MC getting emptied happen if it was a single brake pipe leaking just behind the mster cylnider OR does the fact its totally empty mean defonately that its the master cyclinder thats gone and requires a swap out. If it was swpping a MC I would try and do it myself.

Regards Alan

[Stewart(oily)]

Put more brake fluid in and see where it comes out, pressing the brake pedal will make it leak faster, look at the backs of the wheels for wetness look at the brakepipes and flexibles too, you are looking at a leak in something downhill of the master cylinder, unfortunately that is the whole system
It will leak slowly under gravity, if you have been parked up for some time the leak might be a slow one, if lucky this could be something relatively simple.

[alandav123]

Hi there...I refilled cylinder tonight and after a good look found a brake pipe that was leaking like a sieve...it had been rubbing against a bit of ther chassis and had worn through. I have removed it at the master cylinder and letting the other end union soak in wd40 over night as I need it to come away clean. Then its off to town to get someone to hopefully make a pipe up, then I will reconnect it , fill MC and try and bleed the system out. Any tips for bleeding seqeunce etc please feel free to share. There are more than one bleed nipple per wheel on the front at least.
Lastly...if I cannot source a pipe here...can I get a blanking plug and blank the master cyclinder off on only that damaged pipe outlet.......leaving me with 3 good brakes on 3 wheels? its not ideal but worst case senario O may have no choice.

thank you so much again for input...this is the internet at its best.....Alan

[Stewart(oily)]

Here good car accessory shops will make brake pipes up to length, often in more flexible kunifer, easily formed by hand, any garage will have a flaring tool and can at worst reuse your nuts, though they are common too, you could probably buy a flaring tool, a roll of pipe, a junior hacksaw and a bag of the correct ends for £100 and re-pipe the whole vehicle, if you have a real problem getting a pipe them PM me and send images of the ends and the length of the pipe and I will get one to you ( I will let you pay though )