Ni5mo180SX

Well ive come across this problem twice now and im not too sure what its caused by. When doing hard braking from higher speeds the brake pedal seems to get very soft, Peddle pressure seems to drop and so does braking power. I can smell brake fluid also. I never experienced this with the 240 so thats why im a bit confused. Is this cause of my pads, rotors or maybe bad brake lines? Maybe im just pushing the stock brakes? Im not too sure on the last one. I have a base 87 GXL.

BTW- Does anyone have suggestions for a good set of pads with not too much initial bite but progressively increase in strength through increased temp. that are somewhat stock rotor friendly? Thanks

autocrash

uhmm.. if you smell brake fluid, it would PROBABLY be a good guess that it's coming out somewhere.... (u have a leak...)

Green

do you have steel brake lines?
purchase some and switch over to em might as well do that ..

NZConvertible

Sounds like a bit of brake fade. Didn’t the base model have smaller rotors and single piston callipers? Those were hardly performance brakes. Short of a major component swap, the best ban-for-your-buck brake modes are decent pads, higher spec fluid (DOT4 or DOT5.1, not DOT5) and stainless steel lines. The lines won’t help with the fade though.

Ni5mo180SX

Yea I figured it was fade. But I doubted it cause the 240 never really had that problem even without vented front brakes. Well I guess im gonna hold off on other engine and suspension mods and go to the brakes next. Any more suggestions? I guess im gonna get the new lines and DOT 5.1 fluid. Just need to find some decent pads...........

Icemark

You know there has been a lot of controversy over using SS brake lines on street cars, due to the problem of getting abrasives (read dirt/sand) into the braid and wearing out under the braid.

Not an issue on race cars where the lines are replaced every other season at the most.

I personally if using SS lines would make sure they are covered with something (a conformal coating or shrink tube) if using SS lines on the street.

NZConvertible

That’s a good tip, I’ve heard of that problem before. Most people ignore it though because you wouldn’t be able to see the pretty SS braid!

rx-7fc

if it is a gxl it should have bigger brakes in the front not single piston calipers .it should have 4 piston calipers

autocrash

mine doesn't! ...stock one pistons baby!

rx-7fc

mine is a gxl and it has 4 piston calipers

Silkworm

Autocrash, then someone gipped you or you don't have a GXL, because all of them came with 4 piston calipers.

And damn do they work good Tested them tonight prior to loading on the trailer for my test session tomorrow.. Felt real good.

PaulC

Ni5mo180SX

anymore suggestions..........

SpeedRacer

At the very LEAST, it could just be old brake fluid that needs replacing. As brake fluid gets older it eventually starts absorbing moisture which lowers the boiling point of the fluid, and also allows the fluid to compress making your pedal feel spongy. I used to get brake fade ALL the time, but I switched to 4-piston front calipers, Hawk HP+ pads, and put in new DOT 5 fluid(i now have DOT 5.1). Since then I have NEVER had brake fade even after 45+ minutes of straight hard driving on mountain roads close off the 101. I think the problem was mainly just the crappy OEM pads, and old fluid.

Ni5mo180SX

How difficult is it to upgrade mine to the stock FC's 4 piston set up?