Hard Brake Pedal?

[PeteGLH]

Hey all,

I have a pretty weird situation on the 'Lara.... Everytime the car sits for more than 3-4 hours, I get into the car and the brake pedal is hard as heck. I'm pretty sure that I can pinpoint this down to a vaccum problem coming from somewhere.... I'm just wondering if anyone else ever had this symptom and knows where to look first.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Midias]

I would guess you have a caliper sticking somewhere. I would jack up each end after it has been sitting and see which tire does not turn well by hand.

[PeteGLH]

Hi Midias,

I appreciate your input about the subject. However, I find it highly unlikely as a sticking Caliper would stick anytime the car is driven. I already checked pad and disk wear on all 4 and all seems perfect. My rear e-brakes were shot, but those are in no way related to the brake calipers... Could it be maybe that the Caliper is stuck open?

When I get into the car, the pedal really feels as if I had pumped it a few times when the car was not running. (Much like when bleeding the brakes). That is why I suspect a vaccum leak... or vaccum problem. As soon as I start the car, the pedal softens right up and has good feel...

It is quite strange, I am not the most mechanically inclined person... however I do quite a lot of work on my cars, but this one has got me stumped.

[BLACK V6]

Do you live in a cold environment? If so, it could be a pressure release prob...

[Midias]

I would still check the slider pins I had the same problem as you and they would stick until I mashed the brake and it would be good for the drive (no dragging) but if I let it sit for a few hours the whole cycle would repeat its self.

[Mole]

do you have kids?

[PeteGLH]

Black V6, I live in a cold environnement, but it's summer now so it is always above 70...

Midias, I'll definately give it a check over the weekend, thanks.

Mole, I gotta dog...

[Mole]

hmm ok... b/c when i was a kid and im sure most of you did this is sit in the driver's seat and press on the brakes when the car is off....

i think it's normal for the brakes to stiffen up when the engine is off. the brake master cylinder is not pressurized when the car is off.

can you get at least 1 press that is soft before it hardens?

[PeteGLH]

That's just the thing.... I can't get one press on the pedal. If I'm on a hill, and the e-brake is off, I can't get the pedal in enough to brake the car.... It will go down the hill until it starts, then the pedal goes in...

Kinda weird huh?

[NeFaRiOuS_SLE]

^As in it brings the car to a stop to at least a formidable/quasi-normal fashion? That's odd.. The issue of the brake pedal being stiff existed until I replaced the brake master cylinder gasket... However the OEM one was too flimsy and the problem came back... Then I made one out of a shopping bag (c'mon I was unemployed, I'll get another gasket soon), but still only demoted to a less severe issue .

[Gregtrd]

It possible that you got a bad diapham in your brake booster, usually when the booster goes bad the pedal gets hard,have you check the hose on the booster that goes to the intake manifold yet.also when your master cylinder goes bad the pedal gets very soft, so you can rule out the brake master clyinder.

[PeteGLH]

I have checked the hose, cleaned and checked the check valve that leads to the brake booster as well. I cleaned and re-greased all four caliper slides so nothing is sticking.

Brake fluid level is fine, however pedal feels pretty soft (after starting the car).

Starting to look like a bad brake booster.... what do you guys think?

This car is killing me ...