RE: Emergency!!! No Brakes

["Brubaker, John" <JBrubaker@AMF.com>]

First thing, I thank everyone for their quick response,  it is greatly 
appreciated.  Now the answer to some of your questions:

> OK, back up, I need more info to help.
ÿ	Now, the brake fluid Res was empty, right?
ÿ	
ÿ	At this point, no.  I filled it up to the max level and still 
nothing.
ÿ	Where did the fluid go? Did it  leak out? If so, from where. (Check 
each wheel for brake fluid leak. Check  the res for a leak.) If there 
is no leak, then you probably have a bad master cylinder.
ÿ	
ÿ	I believe this to be the case, I have not noticed any leaks around 
the res or around each tire.  The res holds the fluid once I put it 
in.
ÿ	
ÿ	If this is the case, chances are good, you will be late for
ÿ	work tomorrow.  Is it possible you have a very slow leak that is 
undetectable and you simply neglected the fluid levels and you sucked 
air into the M/C?

This may be possible, I did neet to put about 5-6 ounces into the res 
to fill it up, the last time I did this was about 4-5 months ago.

> Brake pad wear will also lower the fluid level in the res over time. 
If you
> havent touched the fluid since you got the car, this could have 
happened
> also.

Shawn is right, Check for leaks I once had a 79 (AKA: THRASHER) that
the brakes went out very slowly. So when they did die I changed the
master & the damn thing took 3 bottles of brake fluid & would never
bleed, still felt like a bad master.
If there is a possiblty of rust where you are pull up the carpet on
the drivers side footwell area. There is a brake line that goes from
the gas pedal area shoots left & goes down the rocker panel to the
rear. Mine was trashed & all 3 bottles of brake fluid were now on my
carpet. It seemed that the even SO CAL roads rusted away my
floorboard & my brake line:-)

I haven't pulled up my carpet, yet but I the carpet doesn't seem 
saturated with any type of fluids at all.


> >My question is:  do I just need to bleed the lines (which have not 
been
> >done for I don't know how long - I've had the car for 6 mths now)
>
> You could try that first. But the main question you need to search 
out
> thuroughly is where did the fluid go? If it leaked someplace, it 
should be
> seen easily enough. look for brake fluid on the inside of the 
wheels. Brake
> fluid leaking out of the master cylinder or even fluid leaking from 
the
> brake lines. You gotta check it all until you find out where it 
went.

Unless brake fluid evaporates or magically disappears, there must be a 
leak someplace, but I don't know where that is.  I'm not sure what to 
do.

Yeh dont waste to much brake fluid before checking for leaks.  I've
even seen the booster fill up with brake fluid witch would really
suck.

> >will I need a new master cylinder.  If a new MC is the case, can I 
take
> >one off of an 82 Scirocco?
>
> I dunno about the interchangability of the different body styles. My 
first
> instinct is yes, it should work fine but then again, I dunno for 
sure.
> Maybe somebody with parts experience can help?? (MIKE!)

YES it will work!!
All german 80 to late 83& early 84 (Scirocco1,2 , Convertable & Jetta 
1 ) are the same.


> >If yes, please send help with any know how on how to complete this 
task.
> >Thank you all,
> >John
> >80 Scirocco S


No problem, BTW if it is the line under the carpet I still have the
piece of line that I made to fix mine.( the car was toatled about a
6 months after & I parted it out )
GL
Potterman
80 Scirocco S
Michael Potter
VIRTUAL WORLD PARTS
http://www.parts4vws.com
vwparts@thegrid.net
(714) 663-2434
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