Need your help please, got a 2001 bugeye wrx, today my Brakes became very spongy, almost amediately, was like flicking a switch off, car was cold, had only been driving it for a couple of mins, took it out later on for a drive, did a few emergency stops and it seemed to get better, then suddenly went spongy again, pulled up at some lights and noticed a huge cloud of smoke from front d/s disk, also burning smell, so limped home.
When i got back, all the disks were cold except the front d/side, which was red hot.
Does this sound like a leaking caliper, or something worse......Help please guys.

Cheers all.

 

sounds more like a sticking caliper, that'll be why it's realy hot, it's probably boiling the fuid hence the soft pedal.

 

oh ok, whats the soloution, would i need to get the caliper stripped down?

 

Strip down caliper and re-build. If your realitively at home with the spanners then read a 'how to' guide and crack on in there. Alternatively buy a new caliper. Really depends on how bad it is.

Chances are that you will also need new discs as the heat will warp the metal when it experiences long periods of substained heat.

 

Don't go buying new discs until you've sorted the problem and been out for the mandatory test drive...

It's hard to explain but you will feel a 'judder' when braking. Steering wheel might shake slightly. You'll then know almost for sure that the disc is warped. If you have the car sorted at a garage then they'll run it on the brake test machine to check for warping.

 

You can free them off but they dont usually last long till they bind on again. better trying to get another caliper. you should contact ian at godspeed, he will tell you the best thing to do..

 

A new seal kit, and you'll be laughing

Well, that..and a bit of elbow grease. The calipers and pistons don't mind the heat, the seals do. They melt and lock the pistons in.

The hardest part of the refurb is getting the stuck pistons out, without scratching them.

 

Cheers guys, very helpful, have managed toget booked into garage in the morning..

chers again :-)

 

Many thanks for all your help guys, was a sticking piston, all sorted now.

Cheers again!!!!!