Wheel cylinder leaking, must it be change immediately?

newbie007_2

Offside rear wheel cylinder is leaking fluid, my mechanic opened the brake drum and I can see its has leaked some fluid. Mechanic told me that normally change must be done in pairs, so both brake shoes and cylinders needs to be replaced on both rear drums.

I think the leak is small as I have check the brake fluid reservior and its still quite full. The car is a 1997 fiesta 1.25 so its old. I have check the parts online with eurocar parts and it came to about £55 for two sets of brake shoes and cylinders, didnt ask mechanic how much he charge labour, I would think £50 perhaps. I would try to attempt to change it myself had I got the tools, but it looks a bit more complicated than the brake pads and disc change.

I have recently had the car service - oil & filter, spark plugs and air and pollent filter to the cost of £50 as I did the work myself apart from the oil, that I went to nationals to change as I dont have the tools to do it.

I have read the load to the front brakes are 75-80% and rear brakes are just a support act. If I can help it I dont want to spend £100+ on it. I know some of u may say is my safety not worth £100, but I'm really not looking to spend anymore on this budget car. I use it only 2-3 times a week for local shoppings and I'm looking to sell in about 4 months time. Must I bite the bullet and have it replace or will it last a bit longer?

thescouselander

Yes, this needs to be done immediately but I would have thought only changing the leaking cylinder would be good enough. Both sets of brake shoes will probably need to be changed as the set on the leaking side may have been contaminated with brake fluid and you do have to change both sides at once when it comes to shoes.

goldspanners

its not just your safety,its everyone elses.
do you honestly think driving your fiesta with one set of rear brakes not working covered in brake fluid is safe?

try an emergency stop from 70mph and see where you end up.

i think your estimate for labour might be a bit adventurous,theres more than £50 worth of work in this,so if he does it for this then you've got a bargain.

CHR15

Nope, change it asap.
If you don't, you may find the brake pedal merrily decending right down to the carpet without any significant braking effect.

When I opened this post, I was expecting to see Kwikfit mentioned. It is a common scam of theirs to remove the drum during the "free brake check" and puncture the cylinder deliberately to generate some more business.

mikey72

CHR15 wrote: »

Nope, change it asap.
If you don't, you may find the brake pedal merrily decending right down to the carpet without any significant braking effect.

When I opened this post, I was expecting to see Kwikfit mentioned. It is a common scam of theirs to remove the drum during the "free brake check" and puncture the cylinder deliberately to generate some more business.

How on earth do you puncture a brake cylinder?
Even for Kwikfit, that would be a good trick, they're a machined cast metal item.

newbie007_2

Thanks for the fast replies guys. Seems like I either bite the bullet and get it replaced or sell and declare the fault to the new owner and get a lower price for it.
I will not be looking to drive much at all knowing that it has a brake problem, certainly not speeding the the motorway at 70mph. Yes you're right spanners,
I need to consider others safety too.

sassy_one

I too, can confirm Cr*pFit AKA KwikFit do scam you.

Please read my post regards my ABS.
Thankfully, my no mess reaction meant I wasn't scammed.

Regards the leaking drum, it does need changing, you have an accident and sincerely hope you don't but kill someone you would be considered for prosecution for serious offences, which is worth it, a few £££ or living with a death?

Get the things changed, if you don't, don't use the car, if you can't afford to, you can't afford a car.

Sorry to sound harsh, but the courts and the family of the person you kill will be a lot harsher on you!!!


Rant over, get them changed, they do need to be!

CHR15

mikey72 wrote: »

How on earth do you puncture a brake cylinder?
Even for Kwikfit, that would be a good trick, they're a machined cast metal item.

There is a rubber seal where the little piston comes out. That is the bit which they puncture, which is also the bit which leaks oil.

I would like to see a machine cast metal item which could provide an adequate seal between two moving parts.



It was on one of those "hidden camera, dodgy garages" programs some years back

All it takes is a smaller screwdriver like in this picture, and ram it through the seal

goldspanners

CHR15 wrote: »

There is a rubber seal where the little piston comes out. That is the bit which they puncture, which is also the bit which leaks oil.

I would like to see a machine cast metal item which could provide an adequate seal between two moving parts.



It was on one of those "hidden camera, dodgy garages" programs some years back

those are just rubber boots,they aren't pressure seals,they just keep the dust out.

CHR15

It's where the oil came out after the guy stuck a screwdriver through it,

mikey72

There is a rubber dust cover where the little piston comes out.
More importantly though, there is a seal inside the cylinder, to stop the brake fluid coming out. To "puncture" it you have to remove the shoes, disassemble the piston from the cylinder, do whatever dastardly deed you think will happen, re-assemble it, put the shoes back, bleed the brakes, then look innocent.
Personally, if it was me, I'd just pour brake fluid over the cylinder and shoes then lie, and hope no one noticed it was clean rather then black and sticky and full of brake dust.