reefmagnet
26th May 2021, 08:18 PM
Hello, I'm new here.
Well, I purchased a used 99 TD5 in reasonable knick and have been joking about the reliability issues I'm likely to experience with friends and family. Picked it up this morning and this afternoon threw the missus and kids into it and took everyone for a spin. First through the streets, then onto the highway for a little bit, back onto the streets and then went to watch the full moon rising. Decided to take a wiz down a dirt and sand track along the beach on the way home. Noticed that the car seemed to be really digging into the sand and struggling a bit, so much so that I u-turned around a stretch I know to be softer than the rest because by this time it was dark and I didn't want to get stuck. Seemed a bit sluggish on the dirt track on the way back, but the track is so rough I stayed in second gear. As soon as we hit the blacktop, I could tell something was wrong. At first I thought we'd gotten a flat tyre, but it turned out the brakes were locked on, and they quickly locked on harder as I used them to pull over to the side of the road (I'd hardly used the brakes at all on the track). As in locked in so hard, I had to put the car into low range to get it to move, which it barely could. I tried to move the car to a more convenient spot, but the brakes quickly started cooking so we pulled over pronto. Fortunately, being a Landy and kind of knowing what to expect, I'd thrown my toolbox into the back. As I sat there being pestered by the kids whilst laughing maniacally at my predictions coming true I managed to Google the symptoms and tried two suggestions. First suggestion pulling the ABS fuse didn't do anything but the second involving undoing the bleed valve on the rear brakes to release pressure did have some effect in that we were able to drive a couple of km's before the brakes locked up again so I had to rinse and repeat our way home, which wasn't too far away but nevertheless the brakes smelt like a train's by the time we got home.
Now I can't blame the guy I purchased it off as he had mentioned it has had extensive brake work done. He gave me receipts for just about everything he's ever had done to it and sure enough all the brake calipers had been rebuilt and new pads installed with it having driven less than 50 km's or so and it's also got a new master cylinder fitted. The car has sat pretty much unused for the last 6 months, but gave no hint of trouble until we hit the track.
That's the background out of the way. Now to try and figure out what it is. Obviously there has been an issue with the brakes previously and I'll need to ask the PO what the issues were. The crux of the problem is something is preventing the pressure releasing from all four calipers and logic would say it's a dud master cylinder but my knowledge of how the traction control and ABS works could be written on a pin head so perhaps there's some techno-gadgetry there that the problem. I've heard brake hoses can also cause something similar, but never on 4 wheels simultaneously I would think? So with this out of the way, I'm keen to hear thoughts and opinions on likely suspects for the cause of this problem??? Thanks!
Well, I purchased a used 99 TD5 in reasonable knick and have been joking about the reliability issues I'm likely to experience with friends and family. Picked it up this morning and this afternoon threw the missus and kids into it and took everyone for a spin. First through the streets, then onto the highway for a little bit, back onto the streets and then went to watch the full moon rising. Decided to take a wiz down a dirt and sand track along the beach on the way home. Noticed that the car seemed to be really digging into the sand and struggling a bit, so much so that I u-turned around a stretch I know to be softer than the rest because by this time it was dark and I didn't want to get stuck. Seemed a bit sluggish on the dirt track on the way back, but the track is so rough I stayed in second gear. As soon as we hit the blacktop, I could tell something was wrong. At first I thought we'd gotten a flat tyre, but it turned out the brakes were locked on, and they quickly locked on harder as I used them to pull over to the side of the road (I'd hardly used the brakes at all on the track). As in locked in so hard, I had to put the car into low range to get it to move, which it barely could. I tried to move the car to a more convenient spot, but the brakes quickly started cooking so we pulled over pronto. Fortunately, being a Landy and kind of knowing what to expect, I'd thrown my toolbox into the back. As I sat there being pestered by the kids whilst laughing maniacally at my predictions coming true I managed to Google the symptoms and tried two suggestions. First suggestion pulling the ABS fuse didn't do anything but the second involving undoing the bleed valve on the rear brakes to release pressure did have some effect in that we were able to drive a couple of km's before the brakes locked up again so I had to rinse and repeat our way home, which wasn't too far away but nevertheless the brakes smelt like a train's by the time we got home.
Now I can't blame the guy I purchased it off as he had mentioned it has had extensive brake work done. He gave me receipts for just about everything he's ever had done to it and sure enough all the brake calipers had been rebuilt and new pads installed with it having driven less than 50 km's or so and it's also got a new master cylinder fitted. The car has sat pretty much unused for the last 6 months, but gave no hint of trouble until we hit the track.
That's the background out of the way. Now to try and figure out what it is. Obviously there has been an issue with the brakes previously and I'll need to ask the PO what the issues were. The crux of the problem is something is preventing the pressure releasing from all four calipers and logic would say it's a dud master cylinder but my knowledge of how the traction control and ABS works could be written on a pin head so perhaps there's some techno-gadgetry there that the problem. I've heard brake hoses can also cause something similar, but never on 4 wheels simultaneously I would think? So with this out of the way, I'm keen to hear thoughts and opinions on likely suspects for the cause of this problem??? Thanks!