| Author | Message | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Intermediate Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 1829 Registered: 2-2001 |
haha, I knew it. On occasion I think to myself if the brakes went in the jeep would I be able to throw it in neutral and then bury the emergency brake (on the floor in the jeep). And possibly use the engine then to slow my down also, all in time before I hit the car in front of me. I generally make it a point to stop slow enough that I may indeed be able to pull this off. The Fcar's parking brake, haha, don't see stopping with no brakes being an easy thing, but it's got a more sophisticated braking system, so hopefully I wont need to ever do so. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 1637 Registered: 12-2000 |
That was me Bret  | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Intermediate Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 1809 Registered: 2-2001 |
Peter I vaguely remember a story about someone loosing brakes in their other car and pumping like crazy just in time to barely stop. Was this you? If it was then I can understand the concern. | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Intermediate Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 1808 Registered: 2-2001 |
It was unplugged when I got the car, probably by a lazy mechanic as the guy that had the car before me was in no way capable of doing this (I doubt he fully understood how brakes worked, forget about sensors, etc) or may have just worked off as the oil temp was unplugged too (plugged it back in and worked perfect ever since. I'm pretty sure the brakes are due for a bleeding. There are three things that can set off the sensor: 1. low brake fluid level (mine doesn't leak a drop over a year and a half) 2. incorrect proportion (either needs to be bled or line has blown) 3. something else, not pad wear, something common sense that I can't think of right now. Brakes have worked perfect the whole time, I've really gotten into them quite a few times for fun and pull straight and all. The front left locks up a hair sooner than the right though (when I had the bridgestones that I hated I made a regular practice of braking to the limit when there weren't any cars around, occasionally locking up the brakes to spite those tires) which makes me think that bleeding is in order. It could be electrical though too. Don't worry Peter, I've checked it out a lot while working on it and all is fine. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 1632 Registered: 12-2000 |
Bret, do you know why the light come on in the first place? Are you sure its an electrical glitch and the circuits are clear and functioning their fullest? I would investigate this further Bret... Not to be taken lightly (I don't wear panties, but my boxers certainly get tied in a knot, when I read about people's lack of brake system attention). | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Intermediate Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 1790 Registered: 2-2001 |
My brake failure light was on, I solve it by unplugging it. Before anyone gets their panties in a knot, the brakes work fine (doesn't pull either way, lock up fronts at pretty much same pressure, I do this in the rain all the time for fun when I get an opening, it makes me happy). I think I need to bleed my brakes, I guess while it's all apart would be a good time to do so. | ||
| Brian stewart (Eurocardoc)
Junior Member Username: Eurocardoc Post Number: 196 Registered: 11-2001 |
Three words- Ferris Buellers Dayoff!! LOL How far did they drive your car Rob? | ||
| Kelly J. Vince (Tifosi1)
Junior Member Username: Tifosi1 Post Number: 131 Registered: 2-2002 |
Rob, I first had this problem when I got caught in a driving rain storm. You see i don't have the foam under my front hood to protect the spare tire well. Water made it all the way to the brake connectors. After that it would happen every once in a while, so, I clean the connectors and it has never happen again. The connectors i'm talking about are the ones on top of the brake fuild tank or master cylinder. | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
Member Username: Irfgt Post Number: 866 Registered: 2-2001 |
On most cars that have this proportioning valve, you have to bleed the front and then the rear brakes to center the valve in the center position to put the light out. Kinda like balancing the system. | ||
| Peter Delaney (Delaney)
New member Username: Delaney Post Number: 4 Registered: 2-2002 |
I didn't discover the disconnected wires until ~ 3 years after I bought the car... a bit out of the 'warranty period'. Can't complain though, it goes brilliantly. Thanks for the feedback. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Intermediate Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 2059 Registered: 2-2001 |
Obviously those wires should have been connected for the warning light to work. Did he tell you why they were disconnected? I would check it out as Peter GT4 suggests. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member Username: Peter Post Number: 1627 Registered: 12-2000 |
Peter, the way that warning light works is there is a valve that sits inbetween the two brake circuits (front/rear). If, for whatever reason, there is a sudden drop in pressure (eg: a split hose) in one of the circuits, the valve will be forced into the lesser one. This motion trips a switch which lights the warning lamp. I'd doubt you have some sort of brake failure, but there must be some other reason for the lamp to be lit constantly (jammed valve, poor electrical grounding, etc..). Check your hoses and fluid just in case! | ||
| Robert Davis (H2oquick)
Junior Member Username: H2oquick Post Number: 87 Registered: 8-2001 |
It may read low pressure not sure about unequal. Rob, only turn rotors in front if you feel a pulse in the pedal when applying the brakes, or the steering wheel shimmies. Also inspect the rotor for hot spots or grooving in this case they may need to be replaced. Otherwise let em' fly. If the pads are just beyond 1/2 to 3/4...replace them. It seems the further the pads are used the harder they seem to get on the rotor surface. PADS are cheaper than ROTORS... | ||
| Peter Delaney (Delaney)
New member Username: Delaney Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2002 |
My first post! I have an 83' 308 GTSi. The brake light used to come on ... until I disconnected the equalization pressure sensor ... under the front panel .. between the two front wheels. I was poking around once under the car and saw some wires disconnected.... on a 'T' junction holding the brake pipes. On connection, the emergency brake light came on. I asked the previous owner who is much more knowledgeable than me about Ferraris, and he says there is a sensor that catches unequal pressure between the left and right brakes. Right / wrong ... don't know. Regards, Pete | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
New member Username: Magoo Post Number: 12 Registered: 2-2001 |
The older ones don'thave the sensors, 70's. I don't know about the last ones. | ||
| Richelson (Richelson)
Member Username: Richelson Post Number: 374 Registered: 12-2001 |
Do the 308s have this sensor? | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
New member Username: Magoo Post Number: 9 Registered: 2-2001 |
Rob, This condition I have seen before when a sensor grounds out on a rotor. That is why I posted the afterthought. It is obvious that the sensor wire grounding out on the rotor edge caused the problem. If the pads look good to you then the sensor will tell you when they should be replaced. I would leave well enough for now and run her a little longer. | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
New member Username: Irfgt Post Number: 793 Registered: 2-2001 |
The latter | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
New member Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1003 Registered: 12-2000 |
Brake fluid was running a little low, but topping it off didn't fix the light. I bled the brakes and inspected the discs and pads. All discs were good, rear pads were excellent, and the culpret is probably the front pads. The sensor wire is rubbing right on the disc. The pads still look like they have several months of life. Now that it looks like I'll need front pads, when replacing them in the past do you... have to have the rotors turned? have to have the rotors replaced? or just replace the pads if the rotors are in spec? Thanks, rob | ||
| Dirk Rabenschwanz (Dirk)
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My 84QV has sometimes the same problem. I have overhauled the brake calipers renewed all brake lines, and replaced the brake fluid. But sometimes the light still goes on. My brakes also works very well and i come to the result, that it is the contact in the brake fluid distributor. Now i ignore these light. Dirk | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Thanks everyone for the quick and good responses, I will check it out later today. | ||
| Steve (Steve)
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Rob my 2 cents is if the brake fluid is up and you still get the light then disconnect the wires at the brake fluid container and see if it still lights up. If it does not then maybe the float in the cap is "water logged" and needs to be replaced. If it still lights then I would check the brake bias valve which has the switch built in to tell you if you have unequal pressure in the system.This has a spool valve that can shift and turn on the light. You should see where this is located in the parts manual.If this is still not the problem then it could be your swiths on the handbrake which is intermittent. The last problem would be the brake pad sensors. My 2 cents. Steve | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
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Magoo hit all the things to check, sometimes the fluid just needs to be topped off. Occassionally it will laek around the clutch housing (front of the left rear tire) and as he said the pads may be low but since it happens on bumps I think the level or connection is a better guess | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Rob another thought. If your 86 328GTS is equipped with brake pad sensors and the pads are low it will cause the same condition. Just another thought. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Rob, Just a shot in the dark but it seems to me there is a connection that is loose somewhere on the master cyl. or in the line that senses loss of pressure. Also check your brake fluid level just in case you have a leak. It does seem weird that it just happened after the valet park. Sometimes curiosity can cause strange things. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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I know I don't post much here, but I haven't had any problems with my car. Tonight since I had valet parked it at a club, the brake failure light has been coming on anytime I'm on the brakes or it even flashes just going over bumps. It wasn't doing this before I had the valet park it. The brakes work 100% as far as I can tell. Any ideas? Thanks, rob |