delco brakes get them working successfully and well

[andydclements]

You're not required to have ABS, so whether the car was fitted with it and had it removed or it's been disabled (and you can show it's disabled so not truly fitted) shouldn't make it any different to testing a car that never had it fitted.

There's no testing for function of the ABS on the rolling road, just that little bit of does the light come on? does it go off after a few seconds?

[dodge1979]

Ive not really had much chance to keep track on this thread last year..however ill make a point now. The switch I used and have recommended to others (with successful use) here in the uk comes pre set. Also if fitted correctly you wont get any further warning lights..every now and then or once or twice only. A solution is a solution. Yes it requires an adapter to fit both the pump and wiring but it is within the capabilities of any competent owner..

[OwenGT3]

My MOT tester drives my car down the road to test the brakes, uses a brake force meter. He does this because the car sits so low in the rolling brake test meters. It's never failed an MOT for brakes or ABS light.

[CarlC]

Just wanted to drop a response back on the topic of Darren and PAULGT3 efforts to get our Delco brake system working. Huge thanks to you guys for the sterling effort you've put in to resolving the awful brakes on our cars. I've now contact Paul Matty's and I just waiting to get my car booked in for the full replacement system detailed by Darren at the start of this thread.

The brake system in its current state is by far the biggest failing of our cars. My system had the typical dead wood feeling to the brakes with no pedal feel and what felt like very poor servo assistance. Even the brake update to Brembo Rears and Hi-Spec 4 pot fronts with bigger disc and fast road pads did absolutely nothing to really improve feel or performance. Obviously now given the explanation provided by Darren, these upgrades were never going to improve things.

I'll report back on the improvements once completed by Paul Matty's.

 

Again, huge thanks to Darren and PaulGT3 for resolving this.

[CarlC]

Paul Mattys are struggling to get their Pressure Switch supplier to provide the two switches required, which is frustrating as they have the rest of the kit ready to fit. Can anyone suggest or recommend a Pressure Switch supplier that I can contact to try and organise a reliable source for these pressure switches.

 

Thanks,

[philip600]

Hi Carl, who have they tried ? I got mine from PVL as mentioned in Darren's post ( # 18 on page one of this thread ) They took a little time coming but they were very helpful with me & when one of my switches leaked they swapped it no problem.

Phil.

[CarlC]

Thanks Philip,

 

Apparently. Paul Mattys have ordered the Valves from PVL. However, it sounds like PVL are having trouble getting some other parts from their supplier and are trying to source alternatives.

 

Guess I'll just have to sit it out a while longer and keep my fingers crossed.

[CarlC]

Latest from Paul Matty's is that the pressure switches will be with them in around two weeks. So hopefully the supply of switches is sorted again now.

[Exploded]

Belgian Lotus Dealer Verhiest is selling replacement switches as well athough not cheap, the link

 

What helps in a lot of cases is taking the switch out, leave it for a night in cellulose thinner bath, take it out, let dry for day and and put it back in. In most cases it just dirt and dust that leads to the problems.

[dodge1979]

Dust???

That's the same switch whos body is made In italy and PVL buy in..

[CarlC]

Yea, tried that exactly from a post suggesting it may help. In my case I intially thought it had made a massive improvement until I took it on the actual road at low speed and tried to stop. with good initial pressure my foot then went to the floor and sod all brakes approaching a tight right hand bend in front of a ditch. So that taugh me a very useful lesson. Just lucky it wasnt a costly one on that occasion.

Edited March 5, 2014 by CarlC

[Exploded]

Yea, tried that exactly from a post suggesting it may help. In my case I intially thought it had made a massive improvement until I took it on the actual road at low speed and tried to stop. with good initial pressure my foot then went to the floor and sod all brakes approaching a tight right hand bend in front of a ditch. So that taugh me a very useful lesson. Just lucky it wasnt a costly one on that occasion.

 

I already had a lot of trouble with my switch, but never did I hit the floor with the pedal at any time.

[CarlC]

Hi Gert,

I wasn't blaming the switch specifically for that incident. I'd done that along with a total flush/bleed of the lines and the actual delco system itself. The stuff that came out of the unit eventually was almost black and looked like it had completely broken down and been in there for a very long time. As Darren highlighted in the OP there are multiple key elements to this system that clearly need to be addressed to get this Delco system functioning and feeling that it was intended.

 

Just counting the days now before I get mine sorted!

[CarlC]

Car is booked in at Paul Matty's for the 16th April.

[rizla603104]

I opted for the Australian kit in the end. Just waiting for it to be installed.

[top-plumber]

Spoke to PVL and they said Paul Matty bought the last 3 switches and they can't do small orders ( nothing under 20 were his words) so seems. Spoke to Paul Matty and they received the last 3 switches last week and they are being sold as a kit with the fittings and pressure gauge to pre ordered customers. Seems the original researchers work has been used by others for commercial purpose and gain. Same old story. Sharing information is great but now I can't get a switch because someone else has bought them all. Thanks!!!

[markw996]

OK so I decided that this wet & windy day was the time to finally start to tackle my ABS system.

I connected a gauge inline with the accumulator and took the following readings:

Initial ABS pump run time from completely depressurised:
44 secs
Accumulator precharge pressure:
500 PSI
High pressure (ABS pump stops running):
2200 PSI
Low pressure (ABS pump starts running):
1750 PSI

http://youtu.be/8f6kHbxH95Y

 

So it looks to me like the switch is faulty:

it switches the pump off at roughly 500 PSI too low

it switches the pump on at roughly 650 PSI too low

correct?

 

Also I was about to change the accumulator as it's old and rusty. With a 500 PSI precharge it looks like it's still working at 83% efficiency (600PSI when new).

However I noticed a slight diffence between the old one and the new "AC DELCO 25528382" which I thought was a direct replacement. As you can see the old one is stepped and the new one is flush (ignore the perspective, both are M14 even though the new one looks bigger in the photo).



Does anyone know if I can just screw the new one in, or do I need to modify it?

Thanks in advance.

Edited April 7, 2014 by markw996

[sailorbob]

I have fitted the AC Delco 25528382 with no modifications needed.

[markw996]

I have fitted the AC Delco 25528382 with no modifications needed.

 

That lack of step worries me a little, do you remember if the fittings looked different, i.e. as in my picture above?

[sailorbob]

I cannot remember but I do not think the step makes a difference as either way the O ring abuts a flat face on the accumulator.

[dodge1979]

If you remember on sunday mark I mentioned about comparing them for this very reason. The original with the step in the shoulder enabled the oring to seal inside a recess in the pump body. The replacement you have is the same as the unit from the P38 range rover in terms of its fitment. It does not have the smaller shoulder on it and small oring in order to fit in the recess of the pump. I mentioned this in my original details at the beginning of the thread. I would not fit it using the oring myself, for the only reason that there is a risk that the oring could well be pushed out of shape or damaged or split upon tightening the accumulator. This may not be evident visually to begin with, but without that oring sitting in a recess, its distortion cannot be controlled and its shape maintained when put under pressure.

 

This is why I opted for a copper washer of a suitable size instead, and as I mentioned yesterday too use a bit of ptfe on the thread. If  you rely on that oring only being essentially trapped between two flat surfaces I think its a matter of time before it fails, and the pressurised brake fluid leaking out....well you get the idea.

 

As for it being a direct replacement that may only relate to its litre capacity and pressure rating, not to its exact fitment. As I also mentioned at the beginning of this thread the accumulator is a SERVICE ITEM. It should be replaced regularly regardless of it only being slightly out of full function or not at all.

[OwenGT3]

I opted for the Australian kit in the end. Just waiting for it to be installed.

 

Is it now supplied with the option to fit a gauge?

[OwenGT3]

My pre-pressure on my new accumulator was nearly 1000 psi, 500 psi is no good. My accumulator came from the USA.

[Advantage]

Spoke to PVL and they said Paul Matty bought the last 3 switches and they can't do small orders ( nothing under 20 were his words) so seems. Spoke to Paul Matty and they received the last 3 switches last week and they are being sold as a kit with the fittings and pressure gauge to pre ordered customers. Seems the original researchers work has been used by others for commercial purpose and gain. Same old story. Sharing information is great but now I can't get a switch because someone else has bought them all. Thanks!!!

Do you think there may be enough contributors to this thread who would get behind an order of twenty units? Get organising you lot!

[markw996]

My pre-pressure on my new accumulator was nearly 1000 psi, 500 psi is no good. My accumulator came from the USA.

 

Thanks for the info, I think I was looking at 600 PSI as normal when really it is the minimum spec.

Really don't know how that happened as I'm usually a bit more clued up than that

 

I'm going to find some copper washers to build a shoulder to be on the safe side, then I'll connect the new accumulator and see what that reads for precharge, before final installation.

 

Thanks, Mark.