scooter3

I am at my whits end on my brake issues. I hope someone can shed some light on what might be going on. I replaced my original hydro boost when it started leaking through the pushrod that connects to the pedal. Brakes were working fine just had a leak. Replaced it with a unit from NAPA along with new pads, fresh fluid and turned rotors. A couple months later that unit started leaking so my shop suggested replacing it with a Ford OE part which we did. Not long after replacing the unit my front brakes would lock up while driving. I would have to pull over turn the car off and wait so the calipers would release. It eventually stopped, but now I had a bad grinding noise like my pads were bad, but they weren’t so I replaced them with Hawk pads thinking that would help. Had the same issue. Ran it like this for a while and got sick of the grinding noise so I took it back and now I am being told that the hydro boost is bad again. The hydro boost is a little over a year old so Ford will not replace it. I really don’t want to spend another $250 for another unit. Could there be something else doing this? Pads are good, all lines have been bled and new fluid put in. No twisted or crimped lines to the calipers. Calipers seem to be fine. Any help would be appreciated.

chillindamost

I take it that your hydro boost leaking is a vacume leak? Never heard of one leaking let alone 3.

cliffyk

There is no engine vacuum connected to, or associated with, the Hydro-boost braking system.


OP--where is the new HB unit leaking--through the push-rod opening also? Have you checked the p/s system hydraulic pressure to make sure it is not too high/low?

scooter3

The current HB is not leaking. The brake system is not just functioning properly in my mind. The pedal feels fine when you first start driving it, but after a few miles it will sink a little and then you can hear and feel a grinding noise coming from the front. Almost like the calipers are not releasing all the way. Only happens from 20-0 miles an hour. You don't even need to have your foot on the brake for the noise to start at that speed. Just rolling to a stop and the noise appears. I was told yesterday that it might be the ABS module pump.

cliffyk

I would first make 110% certain the system has been properly bled--manually (NOT using a vacuum or "power bleeder") using the procedure described in the shop manual--then see what happens.

If it is the ABS module just delete the silly thing--I did that some years back using the PRB delete manifold and have never looked back...

scooter3

I know the system was bled properly. I watched them do it and it was done manually. Took them a long time, because they replaced all the fluid. I will look into the PRB delete, but does that remove the whole ABS module unit?

cliffyk

Yup, whole thing--just unplug it, pull it out and install the delete manifold...

chillindamost

I am learning more and more about these cars here. Thanks.

pfc_gomez

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago after starting to drive the car and pumping the brakes a few times I would notice the pads would not release. The more times I pressed the brakes the harder the pedal would get. I had a friends mechanic take a look at it and he replaced the master cylinder and that fixed the problem. I drove the car for about a week with the problem so I enede up replacing the pads and brake lines since I had used a lot of the pads and the brake lines were in bad shape. My problem was the master cylinder been about 3 weeks no problems.