Greetings All,


Still trying to get everything fixed on the wifes '86 300E. One issue was the rear brake disc as well as pads, the front were new all the way around. After putting on new disc and brakes there still seems to be quite a bit of brake pedal movement before engaging the brakes. I like the way the brakes react on my old '80 300TD. Do you think bleeding the master cyclinder as well as the front brakes will bring the pedal up where it seems comfortable for braking action? Any experience you've had concerning this issue, please chime in to relate this. I'd just like a firm braking acion on this car for her like I have on my Diesel. Of course after driving her gas powered vehicle, I am almost tempted to trade her rides, her's rides smoother and handles better than the ole wagon does.


Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan

Charles,

Yes, there's a WORLD of difference in driving a 124 car vs. a 123. After I started driving my 300E, I said I could never go back to driving a 123 on a daily basis. Now that some time has gone by though, I'm enjoying driving my daughter's 300D. They're just different animals.

I did notice the firm brake pedal on the 123 car when I started driving it. I'm sure that there's nothing wrong with the brakes on my 300E, and I don't notice the pedal on it to be in any way objectionable. But when I get in the 123 I definitely notice a firm pedal.

Without pushing the pedal with my own foot, I don't know if your 300E is okay, or if you have air in your system. Was the pedal better before you did the brake work on the 300E?

It never hurts to do some more bleeding, it will just freshen the fluid that much more. Some cars have to have the power assist to get them bled properly, meaning engine running while bleeding. A pressure bleeder would eliminate the need to run the engine.

Good luck,

Greetings Larry,

I guess I wasn't imagining the ride as well as the power of the 300E verses the 300TD. I miss the clatter of the engine when driving my wife's car though, to quiet to even notice it's running. I really like my diesel most when I raise the hood of each and want to start working on one or the other, I prefer mine. I changed out her water pump last week, and I am sure someone from Ford designed the location and acessability for it.
At any rate, the brake pedal feels the same distance wise as it did before I did the rear brakes and rotors. Even though I got the pistons retracted without bleeding the system I did bleed the rear after the job. I guess I'll go back and do the front as well as the master cylinder. There's absolutely no leakage at all on the system, and even the master cylinder looks like new with no stains or fluid marks on it. I'm not saying that the pedal feels spongy like there's air trapped in the system, but it seems that your foot travels further and then all of a sudden the brakes are applying. The 300TD lets you feel the pressure as it's being applied to the braking system, even before the brakes actually take hold. Maybe it has something to do with the ABS system on this 300E that the 300TD doesn't have that makes this system feel differently. I do know that the front pads on the 300E sure don't shed dust like the ones on the 300TD do. Maybe I'll put some textars on it next as well.

Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan

Charles,

I'm infected with same disease, you know, we just have to hear that diesel sit there and rattle. Maybe we need Citpro.

Sounds like your brakes might just have a different feel like that between my cars. It never hurts to keep bleeding though, as long as you don't let any air in. The way you describe it, it could be air in one end or the other.

Good luck,

Greetings Larry,

My wife says a man that owns a diesel enjoys the sound so much because it always sounds like it's falling apart, and they enjoy the fact that it's perfectly natural, plus it drowns out the sound of them talking to us while on the road. Hadn't thought about that, but it's a good excuse for not hearing something we don't want to.

Oh well, my question to you not related to this post at all is that I lost heat in the diesel today. All vent movements seem to be o.k. but no coolant coming up to the core and the center vents push out air as well, (not suppose to when in the heating mode) I hate to think the controller under the hood is bad, but then again maybe it's the interior control panel. Haven't really studied the book on this one, but isn't the outside controller vac operated?
Any help would be great as usual.

Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan

The ABS give the W124 a different brake feel -- almost as thought they are remote rather than boosted hydraulic, if you know what I mean.

There is a sort of numb spot as the brakes apply -- more noticable in some cars than others -- it is always an anoyance for a couple of stops when I get in the 300D or 300TE after driving the other cars. Much softer feel, not like the 220D or Volvo where you can definitely feel the pads hit the rotors.

If the pedal is just "strange" but everything works and it isn't really spongy, it is the ABS.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!