nick1977

Wonder if anyone can shed some light on this, or offer any suggestions.

I have a MY97 Jap import which I bought last May. When I bought it the previous owner said she'd recently changed the front discs and pads to get it through MOT.
Once I got it I got the back ones changed as well as they were pretty knacked also.

All seemed fine for a few months, now I get this weird problem.
Sometimes when braking, particularly if having just taken foot off gas, very little seems to happen. If you take your foot off and reapply seems to work fine. Also if you persist and keep pressing harder they eventually kick in.

Obviously this is a bit concerning with any car, but a scooby even more so

Anyone got any advice on what it might be? David at API noticed it a couple of months ago when I was there but we didn't go into it too much at that time. I'm not due to go there for a service again until about September, but if it's likely to be a major / expensive job I probably will take it there to know it's done right!

Nick

nick1977

Anyone?

D1CCY

Sounds like a servo problem. There must be a non return valve between the manifold and the servo somewhere. If this wasn't working then the servo wouldn't hold any vacuum and you'll lose assistance.

nick1977

Thanks.
Sounds like an awkward thing to get to, like a lot of stuff on these cars!
Is something like that expensive to get sorted?

Nick

D1CCY

Can't see it being that expensive if it is what I suggest but I'm often wrong. Take it to a Subaru specialist, no idea who in your area, sorry.

nick1977

OK thanks!
I don't know either. Have used Power Engineering before but wasn't too impressed tbh. Will have a scout round.

Nick

Eprom

You could test the servo, switch engine off, press brake pedal until it becomes firm, this will expel any vacuum in the servo, then with your foot still on the brake pedal start the engine, the brake pedal should drop further down if the servo is working, due to it's assistance.

Hope this helps.

nick1977

Thanks mate
Will try that in the morning

Nick

D1CCY

That will test the servo but not the non return valve. This valve is on pipe that comes off left hand side of manifold to the servo. I'd guess the only way to check this is to take it off and see if you can only blow through it one way.

nick1977

OK D1CCY thanks. I have located the servo pipe and can feel the valve inside it. I guess it's just a case of finding the time to take the pipe off and try it. Is there any benefit to putting a bit of WD40 in it once it's off ,or would that be a stupid idea?!
Will still try servo test anyway just to (hopefully) rule it out.

Nick

nick1977

Did servo test and pedal drops as engine is started so hopefully that rules out the servo itself.
Will look at the hose when I get a chance.

Nick