Brake servo problem

[BRYAN GORE]

Hi all, My first call for help since joining last week. My car is in Carlisle and I am in NE Spain. The garage whi are sorting it out have a problem replacing the brake servo. I cannot help as I cannot see the motor. Can anyone help with advise how to remove and replace the servo, I bought a servo from ebay. Is it so difficult? the garage has now replaced timing belt water pump alternator and now seems stuck on the servo. Thanks in advance for your help. Bryan

[Megwenda]

Bryan

I am on holiday in Spain (Olivio Nova by Denia), with limited access, but I have sent you an email with info that should help

You can get all the manuals from the LEC under the manual section. The brakes are covered in section JE of the service manual

Dave

[baldyash]

Looks like a big job!
Must be withdrawn with the pedal box from within the car so it says then as follows--- a description from the manual

servo.JPG

[BRYAN GORE]

Bryan

I am on holiday in Spain (Olivio Nova by Denia), with limited access, but I have sent you an email with info that should help

You can get all the manuals from the LEC under the manual section. The brakes are covered in section JE of the service manual

Dave

Thanks very much Dave. have a good break! Bryan

[cliff]

Is it definitely the Servo? There are some pipes, grommets and a check valve that could also cause a problem.

These threads shed a little more light on the subject.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=18412&hilit=brake+servo

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21619&hilit=brake+servo

[BRYAN GORE]

I have relayed the infi to the garage , hope it is the servo causiing problem, thier diagnosis! Many thanks for your help best regards, Bryan

[BRYAN GORE]

Hello all, second pst same promlem. My Elan , which is being sorted in Carlisisle before I drive it home to Spain, has a brake problem the garage seem unable to fix. Symtoms are brakes perfect when cool. After a few hard stops they sieze on, pedal goes very hard. the Garage diagnose a fault with servo.? I obtained a servo and instructions on how to fit from guys on forum, thanks very much for your help. Problem now is garage seems very against doing the work seeing as its quite a big job. My question is is it the servo faulty? My mechanic friend here says no, problem is sticking piston in calipers. What do I do, find another garage in Carlise? to change the servo and hope it is the problem. Any ideas please
regaeds and thanks. Bryan

[epipete]

I'm no expert but I'd have thought it was with the calipers; going on your comments above, surely as the fault is occurring when the calipers are being used it would therefore seem to be heat at the heart of the problem, this shouldn't be present at the Servo end.

[lotustonybassplayer]

hi i had a similar problem with my elise ( no servo ) all 4 calipers locked on and brake pedal rock hard pushing back against my foot it was the brake fluid causing the problem ! it was contaminated with water and boiling up under pressure and locking on all four calipers, fresh brake fluid and bleeding cured the problem .

[cliff]

To be brutally honest, do these guys know anything about the Elan? Sounds like you need to save some money and find a specialist in the area.

As has been mentioned, the sliders seize but it is not difficult to take them apart and re-grease them. There are many threads on here about that.

Many of us have upgraded our brakes, there are quite a few options, again have a look through the threads.

PNM Engineering among others offer reasonably priced upgrades, not cheap but better than an unnamed garage without a clue messing around with something that your life depends on.

http://www.pnmengineering.com/lotus-ela ... rakes.html

I found a Wilwood kit for the front and fitted the PNM calipers on the rear, my Elan brakes like a modern car now. The unmodified ones don't and it takes a bit of getting used to! (I wish we had the "opening a can of worms" smilie )

What do they class as hard stops? Where did you find your Elan and do you know the history?

I move around between Germany, Belgium and North East England so not really close enough to help, there may be other members closer to Carlisle that could help. PNM are in the North west as well, give Pete a call.

[Jon]

Find a different mechanic - the brakes are well known to sieze (Dave Massey from Lotus once advised me that they just do) I once had my car seen by an authorised dealer who thought the siezing was a major issue but then admitted mine was the first Elan they had ever seen (I never took it back after that so it may have been the last). Everyone else has always just taken the calipers apart cleaned them and put them back together.

The real solution is to fit aftermarket upgrades....

[Fredjohn]

Strip calipers down, renew the sliders and "grease" them (repair kit available somewhere, can't remember where), new pads if necessary re-assemble and put new fluid in.
Check rear brakes too.

[Jeemy]

If you suspect its water in the brake fluid, you can buy for about a £5er on !@mazon or your retailer of choice, a little sensor tool you pop in the brake fluid and it will tell you the current hydroscopy.

[Enright]

Hello all, second pst same promlem.

Seeing as this is the same problem, I've merged the topics to save people from having to trawl through different locations to find out what fault diagnosis has been done. I would suggest posting any further developments below so that it helps us to help you.