darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 thanks norm I THINK brakes feel better but it's hard to tell All I know is that it stops bl**** fast when you stamp on the pedal So a full run down of today's actions oh what a joy it was to drive it again the noise the acceleration left home and went one of two ways off the island (not that glamorous) which is via a set of sort dual carriage ways with roundabouts every ~1/3 of a mile. I just went to the quiet end and went up and down a few times. Drive up to 70 then stamp on the brakes down to 20 then back up again. Repeated this about 8 times. Then poodled along to the MOT station to let brakes cool nicely started off with the brakes test on the MOT which is somewhat of a mute point as it's not the same as the IVA test but might as well anyway. It passed the MOT one and the tester said that the fronts lock up before the rears but both drivers sides lock up a little after the lefts. front imbalance was 3% and rears 13% checked the parking brake and had 55 kg on the left and 65 kg on the right. total of 120 kg. I need 162 kg. This is with the handbrake pulled hard so the tester said tightening the cable more won't have any impact. His thoughts were the rear pads aren't fully bedded in. ho hum. Maybe they're contaminated as well trouble is I don't want to improve the effectiveness of the rear pads to improve the parking brake as this will reduce the gap between the effectiveness of the fronts and rears. then we went onto emissions and fast idle was all good. then we went to tickover and CO2s were just a touch too high. No problem, hooked up the laptop and cut back the fuel in the main map in the idle cell and CO2 dropped to 0.01%. needs to be 0.3%. sounds like a real bag of spanners but it idles so that should get me through the retest. thanks again Troy I actually cut back the fuel probably a bit too much at the lambda is then putting in more fuel rather than taking it out but who cares if the CO2s are good booked another appointment for next Saturday to get the headlights checked after I've sorted the kick up issue so that I can drive the car to bed the pads in some more and get the parking brake checked again for any changes I make over the coming week will run another brakes test and compare that to the printout of today's to hopefully see some change drove back and did a little riding of the brakes but only a little as I didn't want to cause them to overheat. also gently pulled on the handbrake level occasionally to try and help the rear pads re the handbrake issue went back via the dual carriageway and stamped on the brakes a few more times as above. also did some on off stamping from 70 all the way down to about 10. took a lot of strength do come home rather than staying out and just keep accelerating and stopping So I think I got done the best I could have done today in terms of bedding in the new front pads. I couldn't have done much more and couldn't obviously keep driving around so a few things to think about. Will rebleed the brakes again as there could be spot of air in the system after removing the line from the M/C to front t-piece. Maybe that will help with the imbalance but to be fair 3% on the fronts is hardly anything surely. Any thoughts on the handbrake issue? Big thanks to the MOT garage - will take my tin top and westie there in the future Broom broom can I go play again please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westford Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 It's not fair Darve, I passed my IVA on the 25th of last month and you have done more road miles than me My number plate and tax disk were posted out on the Thursday and I was convinced I would be mobile this weekend but NO! Hopefully Monday after work if I bunk off a bit early I will be able to get home, pick up my docs and get back to the shops and collect my plates...... Heres hoping! Your brakes sound as if they are performing alot better and I would go for cleaning the rear disks with alcohol and also refacing the pads as Norm suggests. Good luck on your retest, I was a bundle of nerves on mine during the brake test - especially as after he took down the figures he pulled out the old sheet and said those immortal words "hmmmm there doesn't seem to be a great deal of difference, we'll see what happens when I run them through the computer" That was a tense time I can tell you! But hey, they were a pass, so small changes can make all the diference Westford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 few road miles is the benefit of a fail certificate would still prefered to have passed it's so frustrating once you've passed that it takes so long to get the plates. guess I've got that step to look forward to im wondering if now its been centralised they stop demanding us SDVers to have an inspection. else that'll slow the process down even more. it'll be Christmas at this rate before I get my plates I was really nervous driving the car for the first time to test but not so worried it'll break down or fall apart anymore. not having plates makes you a bit warey as well! I drove passed a parked police car and they didn't bat an eyelid I've got fingers, toes and everything crossed that the brakes will be ok for the retest. I mean it stops so bl**** fast they're clearly doing something! if you emergency braked and a normal car was close behind you I bet they would drive into you as they can't stop as fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Remind me what pads you have at the rear. If they're EBC then I would suggest changing them to Mazda originals. If they are Mazda pads them remove, clean disc in case it has oil or the grease they put on to stop them rusting before you buy them. Then rub down the pads with the sandpaper on the mirror. You will have to get the handbrake working - you don't. Want another fail. If the front sre now locking up you can afford to improve the rears a bit, you'll have to! I've assumed the handbrake mechanism is correct and your getting the correct leverage throughout. Check it against Marks, to make sure there isn't a lever upside down or a lever stopping on the chassis stopping full travel of the handbrake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 The rears will take longer to bed in due to the lighter braking force and car weight imposed on them. Some handbrake turns required in the car park I feel. Oh, hang on a minute thats a £100 on the spot fine now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Only if your caught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 yes ebc ultimax pads at the rear too. ive never been happy with my handbrake mechanism as feel there is an element of flex in it. im rethinking the linkage at the mo and think I have a plan. that will give me confidence in the mechanism and then it will just be down to the pads. means belts, seats, carpets and tunnel top all have to come off....... again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 couldn't do a handbrake turn as the handbrake is carp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Dave before you pull it all apart can't you check the assembly against Marks. My Elan, well all Elans, had a problem with handbrakes. The lever on the diff housing would hit the diff before the brakes were on. Are you sure something like that isn't happening here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 its all free to move. ill get some pics later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Dastardly Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I can sympathise as I had to do a lot of work to get my fronts to lock before my rears for IVA. It was a right pain. My set up was also theoretically fit to pass without modification but I had to fit a pressure reducer in the end. Mine was a hi-spec set up so no help to you, but I know how you feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 thanks doug its a frustrating issue to have well I had an idea so I got cracking.... this is the set up before and now just a simple bend in a m6 threaded rod. absolutely no flex now will see how effective it is by seeing if it holds the car on the ramp (Bernie's ramps - thanks mate ). it wouldn't before just finish dinner first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darve Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 well it's still effective as a chocolate teapot so time to look at the rear pads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 This will sound daft, but it will accelerate bedding in the rear brake pads. Point the car towards a very big open area. Chock the front wheels firmly. Put the rear end up on axle stands, with the rear wheels off the ground. Run the car in gear, no more than 30 mph needed, and you can then bed in the rear brakes gradually without driving on the road. Obviously, just use caution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete g Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 what he said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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