Hi all
I am so hoping someone can help me out .... and so hoping that this is an easy problem to fix

Yesterday I drove Putt Putt to the city and did feel the brakes (Cooper S Disks) go a little sloppy and not stopping very well so I relied on gears and thought that I was just stupid.

Today I backed him down the driveway and foot almost went to floor on the brake pedal but just managed to stop .... Thought I should drive him back inside but again thought I was just stupid ..... So drove down the carwash (now know both front quarter glasses really do leak, but now he is a clean boy) popped the bonnet and realised very little amount of brake fluid .... So went over to Notsosupercheep and alost ran up the bum of a Triton had to hand brake it and bought some brake fluid and put in magic canister and brakes still all sloppy NO LUCK. I could not spot any leaks out of front or back brakes, so ALAS we needed to call RACQ for a lift home (2 hours later) .... Now apart from putting new motor in I have to fix brakes.

Has anyone had this before? Could diagnose the problem? HELP in anyway? Please Please Please.......

Putt Putt did have a pulsating front brake when slowing down from high speed if that helps in any diagnosis.
Ta Gerard

fluid could have leaked out from the bottom of the master cyl, would have "tell tale" brake fluid leak all over the clevis pin & maybe the fire wall in front of the pedal

that being the cae, then a reco (or new) master cyl is needed

check that & get back to us

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Even if there is no leak, running low brake fluid will mean that possibly there is air in the system. Try pumping the pedal about 4-5 times, does it get any better? if it does, it's air. If it doesn't it's probably a leak...

Do yourself a favour, don't drive it till you fix it!

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Jack it up and take all the brake drums off-Check if brakes shoes(linnings)are soaked in brake fluid.ie Wheel Cylinder seals are stuffed.
Its got to be these or Brake Master Cylinder..........

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Stop driving it until you work out what the problem is

Whipping all the drums off is a good idea for a start and checking for fluid leaks everywhere you have a brake line running

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"Show me the Mini!"

If the fluid level is that low, then there`s got to be a leak somewhere

quite often an unseen leak is below the master cyl & sometimes a rotten/rusted brake pipe or stuffed hose

"""UNLESS"""" he`s using the very old skool (low height) tin resovoire type master cyl, & if he is, then i`d suggest not using it at all,,,very dangerous as the recovery hole inside the cyl is very high in the resovoire & it doesn`t need to be very low at all & will suck air

That`s why the long plastic resovoire extensions & the taller tin "S" type master cyls were introduced

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

teh rubber boots on the wheel slave cylinders could be holing quite a bit of the fluid......

good check.....take the wheels of...undo the drum retain sceew...if it still has one....take off the drum....and peel back the rubber boots on the slave cylinders.....

if you are going to do a master cylinder its good practice to do the lot if you can afford it....

blake

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ausmini member 195

71K 'Kaye', KAZZ69's work in progress
66 panelvan, going no where fast...
71 MS75 toyota crown COUPE yes A COUPE!
76 ra23 celica wid 1ggte, GT3071r, 13.5@106mph with alot of spinin....

wheels keep on turnin!

Thank you so much everyone

One thing I did notice and will check again in the morning was that it looked wet (however did not touch this area to see if it was water or not)below the botom of the master cylinder (Plastic Type).....

I will keep everyone informed (oh when i pumped the brakes no change in sloppiness)

I learned my lesson - NO DRIVING until fixed - I am guessing I will need to bleed the whole system when replaced,

Thanks again Gerard

Are you running a power booster with the 'S' discs?
It's possible that the seals are worn and leaking fluid into the vacuum chamber.

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Curly
'64 Cooper 'S' (Group Nb spec)
'67 Mini Marcos GT www.mm7056.wordpress.com

If its brake fluid under your MC youll know by the bubling paint in that area - brake fluid stips paint like nothing else. BTW driving your car with the brakes not working - thats stupid and also criminal.

Matt what is the difference in external appearance between the Coop. S type tin MC and the older tin type?

Cooper S tin one had a taller tank.
This was so that as the pads wear and fluid level drops, it don't suck air... works even better if you put a plastic extender on the top.
Like mine has...
If you have a stock tin MC just add the extender, they are on MS website.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

you know what my relationship with MS is like right? I'll have to find them on ebay or something.

Mike karcraft have(or had) them though my catalogue is from the earlier half of the year

BRAKE+CLUTCH M/CYLPLASTIC EXTN - MINI BHA4661 $25.25

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67' Matic
73' S