Hi everyone,

I am starting to think I am crazy here. The first Pug (and only Pug I have owned in the UK) I have had that has caused so much trouble but hey at least it is fast.

I had the problem of brake pads falling out of the left rear caliper a month back, fluid everywhere, no brakes, you probably know the story. After various issues I now have 2 new rear calipers, 2 new copper brake lines (the ones from the calipers-inboard), new rear pads and new retaining clips etc.

Time to bleed the brakes...hard pedal yes, start the car, no pedal...

Go round the system (all four wheels) many times, no improvement. Have now un-seized the compensator, bleed it with the rear wheels on the ground, sent it to the Pug garage for them to bleed it....after which it is slightly better but still not what I would call brakes.

Diagnosis time. With the car off and the pedal hard, weight on the pedal and start the car. The pedal depresses the normal amount you expect from the servo. The only problem is after the initial drop, it then keeps falling away until it reaches a bit of brake but there is only around 20% of pedal remaining. I can pump the brakes back up to pressure, but they will go away in a short period of time.

So...we then jacked the rear axle up and put the brakes on to find that the rear wheels can still turn reasonably easily. handbrake does the job though, not a great job, but what I have expected from the 5 or so french hot hatches I have previously owned.

Where on earth do I go now? I am completely stumped.

I realise this is a massive rant, but I would really like my car back on the road soon so that I can really appreciate it. Any advice that anyone might have would be appreciated, thanks.

Ka kite anō au i a kōrua

I don't quite see how there could still be air in the system, we have been getting clear fluid through for quite a while aside from a couple of tiny bubbles at the beginning of the bleed?

Is clamping the rear flexis off to see if the pedal is harder when the engine is running with the rears essentially locked out?

Cheers for the quick response.

OK...hopefully not the latter

had this on my xsi and it was MC

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306 rallye reproduction decals (full sets/individual decals) | 306 b-pillar textured vinyl weatherstrips
306 slam panel esso stickers | 306 yellow / orange / pension fund red side door badges
gti6 inlet manifold badges | 306 rear boot badges (p2/p3)
winner of Extraction of toys from prams with outstanding vigour award 2009 [source: gti6 owners club]

you're a master curler

________________________________________

306 rallye reproduction decals (full sets/individual decals) | 306 b-pillar textured vinyl weatherstrips
306 slam panel esso stickers | 306 yellow / orange / pension fund red side door badges
gti6 inlet manifold badges | 306 rear boot badges (p2/p3)
winner of Extraction of toys from prams with outstanding vigour award 2009 [source: gti6 owners club]

I clamped off the rear hoses and got a lot more feel in the pedal and the fronts are working really well. I looked at the compensator which looked pretty bad and have replaced that (and a few rusty brake lines). Have now re-bled it and the brakes are functional and the ABS is activating when you stomp on it, but the pedal isn't what I would expect from a performance hatch.
Do I really want to go down the line of a new master cylinder if the brakes are working?

Cheers for the input guys.