Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Brake Problem with a Buick Regal

I have a buddy of mine who owns a 1992 Buick Regal Custom w/ 4 wheel Discs and his brakes were really bad (grinding metal on metal), so he asked if I would help him change them. I said no problem, however he informed me that just last week he was driving a heard a pop or burst of some sort, and than his brake pedal went mush. He was almost zero braking capability now, and the pedal goes right to the floor basically. Definitely sounds like something happened besides just having bad brakes in desperate need of rotors and pads. I was wondering if anyone has any clues as to what may have broke or gone wrong? I know there are several parts to brakes (master cylinder, brake booster (power brakes), rotors, pads, calipers), however I honestly don't know what the master cylinder does or the brake booster.

Thanks in advance.

Time to study...

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/disc-brake.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/master-brake.htm

Pedal dropping to the floor, or mushy is a hydralic issue. Could be any number of things you mentioned, caliper, wheel cylinder (If you had drum brakes), master cylinder.

It probably ISN'T the brake booster since a failure there most likely would make the pedal harder to press, not easier.

Could be a rubber brake hose broken, a steel brake line ruptured, etc.

You will certainly need to get the wheels off and examine each caliper to see if there is fluid leaking anywhere. Then examine the master cylinder (this is under the hood where you put the brake fluid in the car) to see if it is leaking anywhere.

Inspect the brake lines, etc.

However, it sounds like some sort of hydralic system problem with a mushy pedal.

Good luck. I'd drive upstate to help, but I've got my daughter this weekend and I'm on call all next week. However, I'm a car junkie and like that sort of thing.

TB

Although the above information is all good, I would point out that since he heard a pop and then immediately lost most/all of his braking power, I would advise carefully checking the lines to make sure he doesn't have a leak somewhere. Not to mention replacing a line is a lot cheaper than a master cylinder.

So, what's the verdict?

I am working on it friday...I will let you guys know. Thanks for the suggestions

update: So his passenger front brake caliper's piston seal boot thing has 2 tears in it, which I think was causing brake fluid to leak, therefore there was the loss in pressure. I changed his pads, since the person that bought it didn't even have a front pad on the passenger side.

I did run into a big problem, however. the caliper mounting bolts are T-60 Torx bolts, and they don't budge. We bought a bit for it, however when you put any torque on the bolt at all the bit cant stand the torque and the threads just bend and the bit is trashed.

I was wondering if heating the bolt and the mounting bracket around the bolt would help in loosening it? Any suggestions? I don't have a torch, but I could buy a propane torch if need be.

So I couldn't put on new rotors, and his one is really warped. I told him I would try to find some help or at least find an idea on what to do, and than we would work on them next week (since we don't want him to be driving on new pads and a warped rotor).

But at the moment he has stopping power. I also couldn't figure out how to get the seal off, but I am guessing someone makes a rebuild kit or something that has new seals. Eventually we need to do either a rebuild or buy a new caliper.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

no one has any suggestions? will heating the bolt and housing work?