RE: Brake problems.

[rgt@lanl.gov (Richard Thomsen)]

Bill Samaras writes:

>Be careful to determine that your problem is really the pressure accumulator.
>I'd think that if the accumulator were bad, you'd notice
>increased pedal effort.

In my experience, there was no increased pedal effort when my accumulator
failed (actually, just got weak).  The symptom was that when I first
started the car, the brake warning light would come on, and would go off
shortly afterward, when the car had enough time to rebuild up the pressure.
A friend and I got a 3000 psi surplus pressure guage that we could put
into the place where the sensor went, and could watch the pressure go
down after the car was turned off.

Replacing the accumulator was simple, and I am not much of a mechanic.
First, with the car off, pump the brakes until they get hard to push
(about 20 times or so), which relieves the pressure from the accumulator.
Then disconnect the two pressure hoses to the accumulator (banjo bolts
at least on one).  Remove the small non-pressure hose that returns fluid
back to the storage tank, which will effectively drain the storage tank
through this hose, so be ready to catch the drainage.  The accumulator
comes off with just a nut or two holding it on.

Be careful with the old accumulator, as it still contains nitrogen under
pressure.  The manual recommends drilling a small hole in it before
disposal.

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