C3 SS Caliper Leaking

[Jack O.]

Hi everyone,
I noticed a small drip of brake fluid (DOT 3) coming down the trailing arm. I replaced my 69's calipers with quality SS sleeved calipers about 10 years ago. I have not been driving the car as much over the last couple of years but still manage to move it in and out of the garage at least every few weeks. I have not changed the DOT 3 brake fluid since then either.

I thought the SS sleeving would take care of leakage issues but I guess there are other pieces (seals?) that can cause leakage from what I'm assuming is from lack of use and/or fluid water absorption?

Thanks,

Jack

[Mathew S.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

I had leaking in mine after getting it moving after sitting for 20 years. I got some raybestos kits and replaced the seals, and have been ever since.

[Jimmy G.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Even with SS calipers, seals can still get old and leak

[Don H.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

I bleed mine every year and try to remember to pump the brakes at least once a month when it is not driven. The SS calipers were not the final solution they were supposed to be.

[David M.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

X2 what Don said. Pump or stand on the brakes every 30 days. Also do a complete system bleed every couple of years. Dot 3 (glycol ether) is very hydrophilic. Opened stored containers of fluid will absorb water as well so always use fresh. Replace the soft lines when they show dry rot.
Buy a Motive Power bleeder or a Vacula Power Bleeder. Allows you do do the whole system under an hour. Cover all painted surfaces when messing around the master cylinder.

[Jack O.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Thanks everyone for the information. I'll have to be more vigilant with my maintenance and procedures.

[Gene M.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Hone the cylinders and replace the seals. As Jimmy says they don’t last for ever. Dot 5 should be a better choice. That would require entire purge of the dot 3.

Also suggest the o-ring seals vs the lip seals especially on a car that sits a lot.

[Domenic T.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Not on the brakes, but I saw something interesting. These were stationary O-rings. The area that they were in was black. The oil in one, and the fluid in the others was clean. I
To me that supports moving them by pushing the pedal or driving. Only place the black could come from was the O-ring.

Dom

[Domenic T.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Forgot to say that that is why I buff all seal surfaces on the A6. It's to remove what the O-ring left. That is why a lot of seal replacements from the front leak. It's a dirty shaft. I would have to think this would be possible on a brake system, especially when the lube between the O-ring and its mate eventually loose the lube by lack of use and there go's a small part of the seal till it gets lube back.
I find the stationary O-rings stuck and hard to remove. So I vote to move them every so often when they are used in a brake system.

Dom

[Russ S.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Hone stainless steel??

[Patrick B.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

I don't think the problem is the ss surface. The lip seals lost their shape after many years on my C3 and leaks occurred . New seals alone fixed the problem. Disuse is probably a contributing factor.

[Gene M.]

Re: C3 SS Caliper Leaking

Hone stainless steel??

Yes, a polished surface from the wear of the old seals is not what you want. A check surface of about 16 is what you want.