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My brakes don't work as well after the flash flood the other day. Why?

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    #1

    My brakes don't work as well after the flash flood the other day. Why?

    I had to drive through a flash flood a few days ago, during which the brakes were yanking me around as they do whenever they're wet. The day after, I went to pick up my Xbox controller from my brother and they were still acting up, making me look like I just got my license. I drove it around the block a few times until it quit. Yesterday, I went to the store and noticed the brakes work about half as well as they used to. I have to put it nearly to the floor before they do much.

    This makes no sense to me, because it never did that before and the entirety of the brake system is less than a year old. I had all of it; brakes, calipers, pads, rotors, everything; replaced last November.

    So what the hell?
    89 Grand Marquis GS.

    Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Probably just wet and/or dirty. Through evaporation and heat they should be ok. Now if they got mud, then you will have to clean them.


    "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

    "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

    "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

    Comment

      #3
      Were brake lines replaced along with all of that? If you have to go all the way to the floor it sounds like you may have developed a leak, and it may be unrelated to the flood water. Check the brake fluid level at the master cylinder reservoir. If the level is at the max line then it's probably not a leak.
      Vic

      ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
      ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
      ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
      ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by VicCrownVic View Post
        Were brake lines replaced along with all of that? If you have to go all the way to the floor it sounds like you may have developed a leak, and it may be unrelated to the flood water. Check the brake fluid level at the master cylinder reservoir. If the level is at the max line then it's probably not a leak.
        It's possible a rusted or damaged brake line may have been ripped or torn by all the water during the flash flood, causing a leak to develop. Inspect all your lines when the underside of the car is clean and dry and verify there is no leaking of brake fluid. If there is, replace the broken line, bleed the brakes and you *should* be good to go.
        Summer car-> 1988 Lincoln Town Car, triple blue, 335,xxx km. New HO 5.0 in and running. Bought 2006/08/22. June 2017 PotM!
        Winter vehicle-> 1995 Ford F-250 XLT SuperCab 4x4, 284,xxx+km. AKA "Brutus" 460/E4OD/4.10 axles and 12 MPG. Bought 2019/08/14

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment

          #5
          Yeah, he said they worked "half as well" (whatever that means) - not that the pedal went half way down so I didn't suggest a leak but +1 on checking fluid level (NEVER a bad idea).


          "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

          "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

          "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

          Comment

            #6
            Could be the slide pins are rusted, and now they are seized in a position keeping the pads out of contact with the rotors.
            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

            Originally posted by phayzer5
            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

            Comment

              #7
              They still work fine, I drove 50 miles that day, it's just they don't work as well. The same pressure that would put me to a stop before now barely even slows me down. If I put it down harder, it still does its job fine, but yeah.

              How would one identify the brake lines?
              89 Grand Marquis GS.

              Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by ootdega View Post
                ... The same pressure that would put me to a stop before now barely even slows me down. If I put it down harder, it still does its job fine, but yeah.

                How would one identify the brake lines?
                If it was a leak the pedal would go to the floor without applying much pressure. Since you indicate that there is not a difference in the pressure applied at the pedal I would have to agree with gadget73.

                The brake lines can be traced from your master cylinder to each wheel. I believe on 89 and down there are only 2 lines, one for front and one for back, that come off of the master cylinder. The front line goes down to a junction before running to each front wheel, while the back line runs along the driver's side frame rail (the smaller of the two lines, the other is fuel return line). The back line runs to the middle of the rear axle where it goes into a junction mounted on top of the differential housing and two lines run along the axle in each direction to each rear wheel.
                Vic

                ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                Comment

                  #9
                  3 lines. Two in front, one in back, but not quite directly. The front line goes from the master cyl to a tee on then frame, and then splits out from there. The rear line runs to the back over the rear, through a hose, then splits to a pair of steel lines along the rear axle.


                  If there is a leak, the fluid level will be dropping. Thats your first clue of an issue. if its going to be bad, my bet is on the line heading to the back, over the trans crossmember on the driver's side, at the rear of the frame where it takes a turn inward, or maybe at the A pillar.


                  Just some advice here, go get the brakes checked out. I know you've said in other posts that you're not real mechanical. Go visit your mechanic and explain the issue. Whatever he charges is going to be less than dealing with the results of crashing the car because the brakes didn't work correctly.
                  Last edited by gadget73; 08-13-2014, 08:49 PM.
                  86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                  5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                  91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                  1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                  Originally posted by phayzer5
                  I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                    3 lines. Two in front, one in back, but not quite directly. The front line goes from the master cyl to a tee on then frame, and then splits out from there. The rear line runs to the back over the rear, through a hose, then splits to a pair of steel lines along the rear axle.


                    If there is a leak, the fluid level will be dropping. Thats your first clue of an issue. if its going to be bad, my bet is on the line heading to the back, over the trans crossmember on the driver's side, at the rear of the frame where it takes a turn inward, or maybe at the A pillar.


                    Just some advice here, go get the brakes checked out. I know you've said in other posts that you're not real mechanical. Go visit your mechanic and explain the issue. Whatever he charges is going to be less than dealing with the results of crashing the car because the brakes didn't work correctly.
                    this. When in doubt, hand it to someone who can get it on a hoist, inspect all the lines, rip off all 4 wheels, and know what should and shouldn't be happening in the drum and disc brake systems. Most places will check the brakes for little to no money because it's simple and can make them big money if they get a sale.

                    85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                    160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                    waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                    06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                    Comment

                      #11
                      They work fine for now, but yeah, I should get whatever it is fixed as soon as possible. Problem is I only have 60 bucks to my name right now. I'll have to come up with something.

                      I noticed the day I was experiencing these things that one of the wheels had some black stuff on it which turned out to be dried oil. I didn't pay much mind to it till now, but looking at it, there's no way that would be able to get in-between the spokes that way unless it was something rupturing from behind it. It wasn't brake fluid, cause it hasn't eaten the paint, but it still shouldn't be there.

                      So I'll get them checked out and fixed as soon as absolutely possible.
                      89 Grand Marquis GS.

                      Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Rear wheel? You probably got water in the axle housing and blew your axle seals.


                        In which case, your brake shoes are now oiled. This is very bad.

                        85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                        160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                        waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                        06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Front passenger wheel. Just took a look at it, and it -is- oil, but it's probably irrelevant. It could've come from anywhere, the streets were drenched and there were puddles everywhere.

                          So nevermind, I guess. It's probably the brake lines.
                          89 Grand Marquis GS.

                          Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Is it coming from the back side of the wheel, or maybe near the hubcap area? My money would still be on a seal, in that case the wheel bearing dust cap.

                            85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                            160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                            waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                            06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                            Comment

                              #15
                              It's on the front of the wheel, and there isn't much of it. From what I can tell after looking at it, I don't think it's anything important.

                              However, I will not be able to take it anywhere to get it fixed until next Tuesday. Considering that, and assuming they're at risk of failure, what can I do to make sure the brakes at least get me the 30 miles to the shop?
                              89 Grand Marquis GS.

                              Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.

                              Comment

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