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Hydraulic problems


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Hi all,

 

I have a Tr3 which originally had a lockheed system but at some point was upgraded to the girling system with the shared reservoir. I bought the car as a restoration project but have never managed to get the brakes working as well as they should, it feels like air but I have bleed the system about 5 times now, both pumping and with an easy bleed device. I'm now on my 2nd master cylinder as I thought that might be faulty but it hasn't solved it. It is the only tr3 I have ever driven also don't have a comparison but my bother has done and said mine are awful in comparison!

 

The car has new lines, braided hoses, new master cylinder, new rear cylinders, springs and shoes, new front discs, green stuff pads and rebuilt calipers (A-type solid calipers)

 

The pedal has about an inch or so of movement before you get a pedal, the pedal feels spongy but gets firmer when you pump it hence I think its air. I have to push the brakes hard and only get braking at the end of the pedal travel. Even if I stamp on the pedal the car won't lock up.

 

The rear cylinders feel stiff on the back plate and don't seem to slide freely.

 

I have also found I sometimes have to pump the clutch pedal to change gear, this got slightly worse after I bled the brakes again at the weekend. The pedal also improves when pumped so indicates air. I bled the clutch twice the weekend but got no air out or improvement in the pedal. the fork is to the middle hole of the arm but the alignment of the rod seems strange (ie not straight) Is this normal? The bite point is very low in the pedal travel and the clutch has lots of life in it yet.

 

The brake lights also only work when the pedal is pushed hard. I wasn't sure if this was related to a faulty switch though so have fitted an electric one.

 

The tube in the reservoir for the clutch is split and so the fluid is shared between the systems (I know this is risky and I have ordered a new reservoir) However I don't see that renewing the reservoir will improve matters?

 

Could the problems be linked? Any advice would be helpful, I've run out of ideas and am about to send it to Revington!

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

 

 

 

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The clutch problem does sound like air in the system, as does the brake problem.

Have you adjusted the rear brakes up properly ? if the shoes have to move a long way to contact the drums, that would improve the feel when pumping.

Similarly, is the clutch slave push rod adjusted correctly.

 

Bob.

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What kind of brake fluid are you using?

I've been reading up on DOT5 as I consider conversation this coming winter from DOT3 on my car, and although many people like silicone brake fluid it does seem to be more prone to entraining and holding air.

Edited by Don H.
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Tom

its worth checking that when converted, was the restrictor valve on the top of the 4 way pipe junction which the brake light switch screws into used? Part 43 in the Moss catalogue. Over the years lots of granular gunge can build up in the plunger and return spring rendering it useless. Most seem to advocate removing the guts and thereby doing away with it.

 

tr24_13_02_04.jpg

 

Iain

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Thanks, rear shoes seem to be correctly adjusted as does the clutch slave rod, I've tried each extent of adjustment in the clutch rod and not found much difference. Can't remember of the top of my head but using either dot 3 or 4 fluid, certainly not using synthetic.

The restrictor valve has been removed

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From 1964 to 1969, I ran a TR2 which had been fitted with disc brakes - I would not have bought it otherwise as a year with a standard TR2 was frightening!

The car still had retained its Lockheed master cylinder and the braking was excellent - and, being younger then, with much less traffic and no 70 limit, I drove much faster and harder.

Ian Cornish

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I(f the slave cylinder is not correctly aligned, i.e.at amn angle, it will ear the cylinder on one side quickly. I replaced mine at Lincoln with a new one and it failed on the Monday on the way home.

 

I had my original lined in stainless steel by past Parts and it has never leaked again and is very simple to bleed.

 

However the gear change is a bit notchy but I can now select first and reverse without noise. The gearbox was overhauled by a specialist.

 

I want it as smooth as TS2 but we may need 50,000 miles before we get there.

 

Richard & H.

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That is the alignment that wore out mu slave cylinder. Choose a different hole. The workshop manual shows the lowest hole.

 

After checking the Moss catalogue,as advised here on the forum, I have only just discovered that there are different mounting brackets for the slave cylinder. I may have the wrong one.

 

Is anyone else interested in mounting brackets.

 

Richard & H.

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Thanks Richard, I've previously been told the middle hole is best but try the lowest.

 

Roger, The part number for the tr3/3a and tr4 bracket is the same on moss, only the lockheed bracket has a different part number?

 

My suspicion is still air as the pedal improves with a pump

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If you want to be really frightened to death then try driving a Series 1 'E'-type Jaguar with standard calipers!!! :o:o

 

They advertised the car being capable of 150 mph ~ what, with those brakes!!! :lol::lol:

 

Tom. :wacko:

Been there and with properly rebuilt brakes they are OK. Not many know how to rebuild and set them up right.I used to race MK2`s years ago with the same calipers with no problem.

Stuart,

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With reference to the brakes try pumping the pedal until its at its highest point then jam the pedal down with a piece of wood between it and the seat and leave overnight that will get rid of the air, you could try the same with the clutch but you would need to pump the pedal about half a dozen times and then jam it down on the floor. Are you sure the clutch problem isnt the dreaded cross shaft pin?

Also have a look in the bottom of the fluid reservoir as I have known the rubber seals around the outlet connectors disintegrate and they can block the outlets.

Stuart.

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