You drove my '84 and used the brakes, no? On any car, the pedal should NEVER
bottom out - you have a serious problem there neighbour!

Does the pedal 'pump up'?  i.e., if you mash it repeatedly does the travel
shorten/pedal become firmer as air in the system compresses?
Otherwise you are having a hydraulic pressure loss which is usually a master
cylinder problem.

When you start the motor with your foot on the brake pedal after having
pumped it a couple of times, does the pedal push back up?

Concerned in Crescent Beach

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 8:54 PM, neil n <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> I've owned one Vanagon. I know what an outright "wrong" pedal feels
> like but not what a proper Vanagon brake pedal feels like. Like from
> 0-10, 2 -3 = normal driving pedal pressure, 10 = total stain yer pants
> panic stop pressure, pushed at level 7, my pedal eventually stops
> against what I assume is metal. Brakes fine otherwise. I've done lots
> of work on them (* below)
>
> Does this mean air in system? Should a good pedal NEVER bottom out?
> Like pushed to 10, should it feel like it's up against something solid
> but not bottoming out against a stop of some kind?
>
> To ensure air not the culprit, I pressure bled them. (finally built a
> pressure bleeder. Used one-man valve before). Pressurizing reservoir
> with air to 12 PSI, I saw a steady stream from all bleeders, NO
> bubbles, no change in pedal feel over previous method. Of note, fronts
> bled noticeably faster. Used ~ 3/4 litre.
>
> In archives, these caught my eye: Rear wheel cylinder position (early
> MY) and brake switch(s) air bound. (MC replacement)
>
> Again no point of reference, but for some time it's seemed that my
> pedal requires slightly more than normal pressure required to activate
> brake lights.
>
> I replaced MC not long after buying Westy. I don't recal bleeding the
> switch. How is this done? Likely that info is in archives.
>
> It drives with no *real* issues. I just want to be sure there's NO air
> in system.
>
> Thanks for taking time to read.
>
> Neil.
>
>
> * AFAIK, only parts not replaced over last few years: hard lines from
> MC to calipers. Proportioning valve. All replaced parts still ok.
>
> Over last few years (calipers + related not long ago)
>
> - Booster, (check valve too IIRC) pedal cluster rebuilt, MC. Checked
> push rod spec.
> - Flex hoses, calipers, pads, hardware, rotors/bearings
> - Drums, shoes (Raybestos deluxe) hardware, cylinders. From prop.
> valve to rear, all steel and flex lines
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27