Pleaseadvise if you have any solutions..
I just redid the calipers on rarely used car that had everything redone 10 years ago.
When went for a test drive the front right caliper was smoking and it was frozen. This originally happened a week ago and that was the reason why I had the caliper redone.
Could it be a flexible hose/
It brakes but does not reliese the rotor...what makes caliper reliese the rotor...some kind of a spring? maybe it doesn't work...
Please advise
Branko

You have a binding caliper piston. When you say the calipers were done, what was done?? The pistons on most designs passively release pressure on the pads(rotor)when pressure is removed from the brake pedal (return springs in master cylinder and pedal linkage). If the piston is binding, then I would look for a out of round piston bore or some type of mechanical distortion. If the left front is releasing, then it's probably not the master cylinder or pedal linkage. That left front caliper needs to come out and gone over again..

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

Jeff,
Thank you for your advice. The caliper has been redone during the cars restoration 12 years ago. It worked fine last 11 years (500 miles of usage) until this summer. It froze and overheated. It was overhauled last week again, reinstalled and during the test drive did not release agin...froze again and overheated again. When (immediately after driving the car) I released the brake line - the fluid became white smoke and hissed out for 30 seconds.
I will have caliper redone again. but this time I will replace a flexible hose as well...
When I tested the wheels before the second test drive ( jacked the car up...pressed on the pedal and released the pedal-the rotor was free...but during the drive on the road it did not release..
Thank you for your coments.
Branko
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jeffsr:
You have a binding caliper piston. When you say the calipers were done, what was done?? The pistons on most designs passively release pressure on the pads(rotor)when pressure is removed from the brake pedal (return springs in master cylinder and pedal linkage). If the piston is binding, then I would look for a out of round piston bore or some type of mechanical distortion. If the left front is releasing, then it's probably not the master cylinder or pedal linkage. That left front caliper needs to come out and gone over again..

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am pasting part of your comments into this reply. This situation is fairly descriptive of a piston binding in an oversize bore when brakes are applied and spinning rotor transmits some angular movement to the pad and thus the piston, cocking it in the bore and causing it to bind. Your little test((When I tested the wheels before the second test drive ( jacked the car up...pressed on the pedal and released the pedal-the rotor was free...but during the drive on the road it did not release..)) demonstrates this fact. Good call...


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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

Your problem is simple, and it is odd that none of the responses could see it.The short rubber hoses that goes to the brake caliper are clogged up. This will occur when a car sets up for some time. When you apply the brakes the high pressure from the master cylinder will force the fluid through the clogged hose, but will not let the brake fluid return. Replace these lines and your braking problems should be over. Bill Lewallen