No brakes

[mark.hingston]

Hi, Just on a bit of a tour of southern Spain and I'm in a pit of a pickle. Just drove through the Zaffarya pass and the long down hill roll towards Lake Vinuela, brake light illuminates and no brakes. Pull over to check brake fluid all fine. Noticed in hand book it says something about Vacumn pressure could be the other sympton of said light illuminating?? Dont really know much about what goes on under the bonnet. So my question is what should I do, managed to get to some accomadation using the low gears to help with braking, the foot brake just feels as if the engines off, ie wont depress. Any advice!!!

Mark.

[g8dhe]

Yes there are three sensors/switches that can operate the light;

1. Handbrake switch C1-09
2. Vacuum switch C1-11
3. Brake fluid C1-10

We suffered once in Scotland with the brake light coming on due to the angle of the vehicle, it was tilting at sufficient angle to cause the Brake fluid detector to think the level had fallen. When on the level it was OK, and checking the level visually it was above the low mark, but I topped it up and the problem was cured, however it never affected actual breaking itself.

If you have checked that then it leaves Vacuum pump here are the Lush diagram links;
Brakes (& vacuum switch above) - http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... o=.html#10
Vac. pump 1 of 2 - http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 1of02.html
Vac. Pump 2 of 2 - http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 2of02.html

[mikeonb4c]

Of you press really hard on the pedal, can you get any braking effect? Sounds like servo assist gone if so. I'd have thought any competent garage could fix it subject to sourcing the parts, and any related delay. Good luck and keep us posted.

[mark.hingston]

Yes if I press really hard on the pedal you do get some braking. Are the servos unique to bongos?

[Driver]

Hi Check pipes and hoses / joints to and from servo might be a split or loose rubber pipe there is no vacume at servo .
Good Luck Andy.

[mark.hingston]

Thanks guys, Just got a good reply from Allans garage instructing on how to check hoses, pump etc. May have to remove drivers seat to check though as we've had the campervan conversion, as the seat won't tilt. Am I right in thinking that?

[Driver]

Yes remove seat. 4 bolts you will need to slide it forward to get at rear bolts and there maybe an electrical plug / connector under seat that has to be disconnected.

[mark.hingston]

Just an update, The Bongo was taken to a garage and the found a broken part inside a motor?? They sent the motor off to Seville to have the broken piece copied on a lathe. Now the garage have said its all fixed now just that if you pump the brakes 7or 8 times you lose the brakes i.e pedal becomes hard. Now any ideas what that motor is called and could I get a new one sent from the U.K? Or should I accept the repair as is?

Thanks guys.

[mark.hingston]

Just done some research. could it be a servo pump? Its situated on the bottom of the engine towards the front.

[scanner]

Doesn't the Anti Lock Brakes mechanism have a motor of some kind?

I think the servo vacuum is just supplied by a pump that runs off the engine - there shouldn't be any motor as such.

If the assistance goes after several pumps of the pedal, that sounds like loss of vacuum to me.

[Velocette]

I think the mechanic might be using the term motor very loosely to describe either the vacuum pump or the impellor or whatever moving part. If the servo is still not working properly maybe there is another problem.

Or maybe pumping the brakes seven times would normally exhaust the vaccuum, especially if the engine is just ticking over. Is anyone in position to do the experiment?

[teenmal]

I think the mechanic might be using the term motor very loosely to describe either the vacuum pump or the impellor or whatever moving part. If the servo is still not working properly maybe there is another problem.

Or maybe pumping the brakes seven times would normally exhaust the vaccuum, especially if the engine is just ticking over. Is anyone in position to do the experiment?

Pumping the brake pedal whilst the engine is running will not Normally cause lack of vacuum(hard pedal).

It would appear for some reason that the pump is not producing enough vacuum to cope with excess braking.

I Would not take any chances with this vehicle until the braking system has been rectified.

Cheers.