No Crust Racing

Spoke to brake guy again. He said based on what I've said the booster sounds fine to him and if it was never firm before hand (with the same brakes) it shouldn't be firm now. He suspects my adjustment of the rod to re-position the pedal might be the issue and has given me some notes on checking rod to master clearances, there should be some travel on the pedal and I'd say there's little if any. I'll take a look. That might help the initial pedal firmness but I can't see how it will help how it feels once the booster rod comes in contact with the master.

What would you suggest then? As I said I'd expect the car to drive poorly if a caliper was seized so that leaves me with the master being stuffed, and though it's not leaking internally that's not to say the diaphragm isn't stuffed from being pumped during bleeding. I'd really love to avoid having to bleed the bloody thing again.

I can try to get some pics. Fluid is all new from when I rebuilt all calipers.

I have another set I can try but the car isn't registered and it's too wet to get it out. I've done some more booster testing and it seems fine so what else does that leave? If it had a seized caliper you'd think it would pull to one side or brake unevenly and it didn't. I think his point was that I'd cooked the pads and that they're cactus. I did get to a point a few times at the last Winton day where I'd over heated the brakes and had to back off, which is why I added the brake ducts. I had to machine the rotors back so much that there's no slots in the fronts anymore. Just above minimum thickness.

Don't believe what they say about you mate, you're alright

Spoke to brake guy and he said he's almost certain it will be that those pads have hardened/are too hard but gave me some more booster tests to do, connect to vac on the car and then I should be able to move the rod by hand, if not it's dead, if so it's fine. If it tests fine I'll put it all back together and see what happens when I get the pads fully hot at Winton in a few weeks. Annoying because removing the booster was a shit job and putting it back will be worse. Probably shouldn't have jumped the gun in removing it...

I'm looking to replace the booster on my S13 (with 4 piston brakes and a BM50) and read an R33 booster is a good choice and is a direct fit. I can't find one locally but I can get an R34 one easily, are they the same?

Bummer, I enjoy a good DIY rebuild. Anyone know what other boosters will fit as I also read that an undersized booster can be an issue with larger front calipers and a larger BMC.

I'm also thinking seized caliper or non returning sliding rear but you'd think the car wouldn't drive evenly and wouldn't brake evenly.

Removed 1 way valve, tested, can't fault it but I doubt my mouth can pull the same vacuum as the engine. (Even after all my years working the corner). I've pulled the booster out (shit job) and cannot "see" anything wrong with it, but I have not disassembled it yet (need to review my Nissan manual). What am I looking for once I pull it apart?

Even after my comments about testing it?

This is a copy paste from my build thread so I'll add details up top for those who don't know the car. CA18, 4 piston fronts, slotted/vented front rotors, slotted solid rears, QFM A1RM pads, BM50 Master, new fluid, standard lines, non ABS, all calipers recently rebuilt and system fully bled with 2 people, brake duct vents. Only the caliper rebuild , master rod adjustment, fluid, and brake duct vents are new, everything else I already had before the caliper rebuild and worked fine. I can't figure out why the pedal feels stiff. I noticed on the last track day that the pedal felt quite firm (runs were only 45 or so secs so not enough time to warm brakes) The car would still stop and I could lock up the brakes if I pushed hard enough but it felt like I had to push fairly hard and that there wasn't a lot of progression in the pedal, as in only a small amount of travel (but lots of force) was required. I've pulled the front wheels and there's plenty of meat on the pads and no obvious issues with calipers/rotors. I've test the booster by pumping the pedal a few times and holding it then starting the car and the pedal dropped down a bit as vacuum builds so I "think" it's fine. I also adjusted the brake master rod to the pedal after rebuilding all the calipers. I'm thinking one of two things. 1) It's stiff because they are such hard pads and need a lot of heat in them, though I don't remember it being "this" stiff when I did this brake upgrade originally. 2) During the bleed process I've pushed too hard and the master is shagged, though I'd of thought it'd leak? (It's a BM50). Thoughts? I can just wing it at the next track day which is a proper circuit day so will be able to get the pads hot, but don't want to risk damaging something or having brake issues at speed.

Shit dude, looking beast, well done.

FYP Well done Leesh.

Good luck dude Good numbers for sub 80 for sure. Pepsi Max though, you f**king heathen.

Nice setup. I weighed myself this morning for the first time in like 2mths, a I'd switched to slightly lower weigtht but sets of 10, up from 8, and still with 90-120sec breaks. Cut total workout time down to 35-40mins where possible. 84kg, prior to that I was usually 87+ in the mornings. Have also been a bit under the weather during this period also, but interesting to see that I can still drop weight. I had wanted to shed a couple kgs specifically in the mid section, which is looking better, but was unsure if my metabolism would allow it now that I'm a bit older. I did adjust eating a little too, not too much less volume, but a bit cleaner. Nothing new or exciting there, I just found that surprising as it's the most weight I've lost in a while.

Nowhere near enough people do a proper boost leak test. I made this, fits onto the turbo intake, so I can connect a leak down tester and pressure the car while it's off and you can listen for leaks.

Looks great! Obligatory remark about something in the background that was not the focus of the picture to show how closely I studied it.

Pic fail?

Sucked in, it will be shit at the start, go easy

Don't need them, I have no wrist issues, that was my point.

No idea from me, but I can bump this also and say that my car handled quite well in my opinion at the logic day I did, it felt nice and direct. It seemed to air on the id of understeer at the limit in a faster speed sweeper which I think is roughly how you want it anyway? I wouldn't mind it to be a touch more neutral so I'm assuming a little less front camber or a little firmer in the rear?

Well done

Nice! What did you score?

Dat powerful wrist action.