Question on early S30 brake pressure warning device - Page 3 - Wheels & Brakes - Classic Z Car Club Skip to content

Question on early S30 brake pressure warning device

Featured Replies

I'm having a similar issue on my 72. I've been wrestling with the brakes for a few weeks. The rear works fine and I can bleed those lines without issue. However, I don't get fluid flow to the front calipers. Rather, I had fluid flow to the front calipers and no longer do. I have tried two new master cylinders so I know that can't be the issue. The next most likely culprit will be this switch device. Mine is "original" (as in it was in the car when I towed it home 4 years ago) and is missing the electrical sensor. I installed the part during my reassembly and had reasonable braking performance for a few days. Then, I tried re-bleeding the brakes with a vacuum bleeding kit and haven't had front brakes ever since. I now suspect the pressure switch is pushed/stuck to one side and not allowing brake fluid to the front circuit. Does that sound reasonable?

Has anyone removed this part and used something else in its place?

The car is almost completely reassembled and finished but I can't drive it until I solve this problem!

 

IMG_5606.jpegIMG_5991.jpeg

I plan to remove it from the car today and then disassemble/clean/assess. I am still missing the probe that connects to the electrical circuit to activate the light on the dash and I'm unclear about how that will affect the performance of the "plunger" inside that moves when a pressure imbalance is detected. Without the probe associated with the circuit, can the plunger move too far and jam to one side or the other?

I doubt it's caused by the brake switch. It could be a blockage in the piping to the front brakes.

S
Sponsored
Advertisement
Go Ad-Free
No ad showing? Ads help support ClassicZcars. If you use an ad blocker, please consider allowing ads on this site or Go Ad-Free.
  • Author

In looking at the FSM drawing I posted back when I created this topic, it appears that your piston only moves a few millimeters in response to a pressure differential that will overcome the opposing spring force.  The "full diameter" part of the piston then makes electrical contact with the sensor and the warning light goes off on the speedometer.  Once you release the brake pedal, the spring forces "should" return the piston to its central position, breaking the contact and the light will go off.

Without the sensor, it does not look to me as though the piston can move so far as to shut off either brake circuit.  So, I agree with EuroDat and would look for something else that is clogging the system, most likely on the inlet flare fitting of the front brake circuit or in the line coming from the MC..

 

  • 4 years later...
  • Author

Resurrecting this old topic (of which the original situation was rectified), if I were to get the Wilwood proportioning valve shown here, my understanding is that would totally replace the OE unit that's shown in the reprint of Dens240 photo from earlier. Correct? I'd then need to fabricate some new brake lines from the MC to the Wilwood valve and then from the valve to the distribution lines.

Are there brake line union connector bits where I could mate new lines to the existing ones or would I have to fab new lines throughout the car?image.png

image.png

Edited by Seppi72
Added pix

Create an account or sign in to comment

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.