Brakes
 

Nice day here in Nashville yesterday so took out the roadster for a ride. Brakes are very spongy. Can pump them up but at next stop spongy again. does anyone have an idea and could a decent mec. work on this brake system or is this a dealer item. Thanks D P

Re: Brakes
 

How many miles on your car ?
I would recommend a set of SS brake lines from NeedsWings (http://needswings.com/Goodridge-G-St...Kit-34030.aspx), and a complete brake fluid flush.
Depending on mileage and condition of pads and rotors, perhaps new ones of those too.

You could DIY or have a competent brake shop do it.

If you DIY, there are 3 ways to go about bleeding the brakes :
1. the old fashioned way of having someone pump the pedal while you do the caliper valve.
2. a vacuum brake bleeder.
3. a set of the fancy new one way caliper valves ( speed bleeders ).
( in all cases, make sure you don't let the brake reservoir run dry, and DO NOT LET ANY FLUID GET ON THE PAINT !!! )

use a good fluid, Rob has this too : http://needswings.com/Motul-RBF600-R...id-RBF600.aspx

Re: Brakes
 

Are a lot of reasons brakes can get spongy but the most common is air in the lines. If so a quick bleed may cure but the question would remain "how did it get there". If the fluid in the resovoir is low then there is probably a leak somewhere.

Rarely a seal will get hard from disuse and have seen then "heal" once back in use but a thorough checkout of the whole system including the ABS and the floor in the driver's footwell under the brake rod is a good idea for old hoses, any sign of a leak including leaking wheel cylinders (will usually be fluid on the backside of the wheel) and other issues.

If the resovoir is full and there are no leaks then it might be the seals in the master cylinder. Usually if the master has an issue, the BRAKE light will illuminate particularly when pressing on the brake but is not infallible.

Just my thoughts.

Re: Brakes
 

Thanks for the info guys 35000. mi. on the car, and the master is full. It has sat for about 1.5 mos and ran well till I needed to stop the first time and peddle had to be pumped up, and every time after that. Was hoping it would heal itself but when I pulled in the garage pressed hard on pedal and went almost to the floor. Brake pads are good and know obvious leaks. Time to get it looked at. Thanks again for the help. Don

Re: Brakes
 

What was the ambient air temperature? If the brakes were last done on a warm day, you might experience what you have described on a relatively cool day. I'm not saying this is definitely your problem but it could be. Which leads me to another idea, it might be a good idea to bleed the brakes in the winter, then come spring they would be right crisp.

Re: Brakes
 

I installed the Speed Bleeder fittings when I did my brakes.
Great set and makes bleeding a lot easier.
The company will give ya a discount if you tell them you saw it here.

Re: Brakes
 

Update on the spongy brakes. Took to the shop today and they checked from the front to the back and all four wheels. Then bled the brakes and sure enough there was air in the lines. Repairman's thought is the lines at one point run close to the exhaust and could be over heating the fluid creating air. Just a possible reason but all else is fine and brakes are now where they should be. Thanks for all the help and info from fellow xfire owners.....

Re: Brakes
 

Just got in mine today. Brakes stop fine. Consistent, no fading but the brake peddle travel seems a lot longer than it did when I last drove it a few months ago. Not sure if it's that I am just used to my G8 brakes now and these were the way the brakes performed before or not. Reseivoir is full, clean, no fade when engaged, they just seem to engage lower to the floor than I recall. Arent' these brakes auto adjusting?

Re: Brakes
 

I wondered what you meant by the statement above, warm day/cool day?

Re: Brakes
 

sitting seems to influence the issue with air getting into the brake lines. Just drove one last night with this issue. Hopefully this issue. Soon to find out. It is a good time to update brake lines, fluid if you haven't done so. You have to bleed them anyway, might as well add new.