Strange brake happenings...

[Crazypierre]

Hi
As some of you may have read, I recently took delivery of my old aunt's yellow 1979 1300CL. I have noticed strange happenings with the brakes:
Most of the time they work fine but sometimes, (I think if I put my foot on the pedal gradually), the pedal goes nearly all the way to the floor with nothing happening.  Its as if all the fluid is leaking out.....
But there is plenty of fluid in the reservoir so it can't be that there is a leak as it would have draining out by now. 
Has anyone seen anything like this before? Any ideas?
Thanks
Pete

[mirafioriman]

Sounds like it could be the seals in the master cylinder beginning to fail. Safety first with brakes, I would recommend you take it straight to a garage and get it checked out. Getting hold of a new master cylinder should be no problem. I recently got a new one for my 132 for about ?12.

[Phil]

From your description I have to agree it sounds like the master cylinder is failing, I am guessing if you pump the pedal you can get a good brake pedal back for a while.

Sounds like the seals are starting to fail and draw air into the system, you need to go and get it checked out properly.

[Crazypierre]

Thanks guys.
I will get it checked out. 
I was thinking it may have been due to the brake fluid is 29 years old and I would doubt that my aunt ever got it changed....(Most garages don't change it unless you ask them to and she wouldn't have known to ask.)
Cheers
Pete

[Thotos]

Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture so you may be right that the 28 year old fluid has a bit too much moisture in it. I had exactly the same problem with my CL and I first changed the brake fluid but didn't make much difference so I changed the master cylinder and it was fine. Master cylinders are still available for the 131 and often appear on ebay for very little money so you might as well change the master cylinder and of course the brake fluid to be sure.

[Baja141]

Best to take the opportunity to do a complete seals replacement on slave cyls and brake compensator valve, also brake pipe connectors along the brake lines for possible rust and also the rubber hoses.

I use a small motor for refilling and purging the brake lines from the bottom so I have less hassle to bleed the air. Brake bleeding is one of the horrible thing to do on a car 

[Crazypierre]

Thanks for all your tips. I will set up a saved search on ebay for one.
Dave-where did you get your 132 master cylinder by the way?

Baja141-I know what you mean about this being a pain in the butt: the last time I tried bleeding brakes was about 25 years ago on my 1974 Fiat 128. When I went to undo the bleed nipple on the front caliper, it sheered off at the caliper! Why is it all these jobs turn out to be much more of a production than you think?

Regards
Peter

[mirafioriman]

Wire brush and spray WD40 or similar on all the bleed nipples now to save hassle later! I got my master cylinder from my local motor factors.

[Crazypierre]

Gents
Would anyone know how to find the part number for a master cylinder for my UK spec 1979 1300cl? I have found one on ebay from the USA but I don't know if they were different over there (given left hand drive brake pedals etc). That one has a part number of 072-7719.  They say it fits

Fiat Brava 1978 - 1981
Fiat Strada 1979 - 1982
Fiat 131 1978

But does the left hand drive set up mean a different master cylinder was used to the UK right hand drive ones?

Cheers
Pete

[eugene]

I could be right here or i could be incorrect,but the Lada Niva 4x4 and the Lada Riva could have the same master cylinder as the 131.Lots of the parts are the same as Fiat.Could you post a photo of the Master cylinder.Lada parts are very cheap to buy. ;)Hope this helps .Eugene

[Crazypierre]

Hi Eugene
Thanks for the offer of looking but I'd need to take the master cylinder off my car to take a picture as its not easy to photograph........
This may be a daft question but what is a man with Ladas and an Opel doing on a 131 forum?  ;-)

Pete

[eugene]

Pete,I always liked the 131and as a teenager would loved to have owned one,but didn't have the cash to buy one then.In the late 70s,Fiat here were considered to be a poor mans car,just like Lada is now(some people will disagree with that comment)and there re-sale value back then was next to nothing.
3to 4 years ago,i often wondered to myself were there anymore 131s left anywhere,however one day i happened to buy a copy of Buy&Sell(local rag here) and Kev131 had a advert in it about 3MMMA07 .So thats how i found this site and to think today that so many 131s exist is beyond belief.Thanks to Kev for placing that advert.Whatever yo do Pete,look after that car as it's a true original. ;)Eugene

[Crazypierre]

Eugene
You sound a bit like me. When I was a teenager, my first car was a 128 and I thought every car should be a FIAT! I could not understand how anyone bought anything else?
Don't worry, I am going to look after this car. It reminds me of my youth when my aunt used to drive me to a warehouseman job she found me at the factory she worked at. I'm planning on restoring it to as close to "new" as possible. I've only had it 2 weeks and so far I have managed to locate and buy a new front bumper (new old stock) as the current one is dented and the rubber insert is badly scuffed. And just today I received a passenger side door mirror from Italy. (Found a brand new one of ebay Italy for ?17 delivered! Not bad for a brand new item in the original box!)
Not quite the same scope of project as the others I see here but it'll do me for now.
cheers
Pete

[sid131]

Hi Pete best of luck with your 131, i see you like your Bikes, i have Honda CB900FA  1980 vintage have it since 1990 that makes 18 years never had a yoke that long think i will keep it forever,lol, cheers.

[Crazypierre]

Sid
That CD900FA was my of my faves in the '80s. I used to lust after those gorgeous bikes but they were way out of my reach back then when I had a 250 Superdream! I've had both my bikes for about 15 years now and like you will probably keep them forever.
Cheers
Pete