Brake Advice - Leaking and flat pedal

[atl93fd]

All:

My car started leaking heavily brake fluid and smoking from burning it off. Upon inspecting the engine bay, I was able to grab a lack luster picture of where it is leaking.

From a description, the hardline nearest the bank of cylinders is leaking at the fitting where the line turns soft (or is insulated). The soft section appears to be only about 3-4 inches, then has another fitting.

What part is this that needs to be replaced and what should cause it this failure. Anything could have knocked it loose while I was having my coils/plugs replaced?

[PatrickW]

how positive are you that its brake fluid?? I cant see our cars just spontaneously leaking brake fluid... maybe oil or something that got splashed on it by someone who didnt care, who changed your plugs and coils?

[htown540i]

The hose you circled is in fact a brake hose, so it is possible that it has developed a leak. I would start with attempting to tighten the connection with a set of wrenches. If that doesn't work you should order a new OEM hose, or aftermarket SS set. It should not be that expensive.

[xaxis360]

number 17.. about $50 from your dealer.

[cnn]

STOP DRIVING THE CAR NOW!!!

Go to realoem.com and look at the proper PNs.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...40&hg=34&fg=15
Basically #3 and #4:
PN: 34321162616....$15
PN: 34321162612....$15

http://www.eactuning.com/ssf/part_nu...ch/34321162616
http://www.eactuning.com/ssf/part_nu...h/343211626162

REPAIR PROCEDURE:
1. Fill Brake Reservoir with Brake Fluid
2. Using flared-type wrench, remove the rubber hoses. Make sure brake fluid does not touch paint work!
3. Install new hoses and torque them properly.
4. Bleed brake hydraulic, taking care not to allow the brake reservoir to be empty!
If air enters the reservoir bottom ---> ABS Modulator = very difficult to get air out!

If you are not comfortable doing it, then go to any shop with the parts, they can do it for you.

Otherwise you can DIY!

This is bad design from BMW, the connection should be metal lines, not rubber lines there as there is alot of heat coming up from the exhaust!

[atl93fd]

All:

Many thanks. Great replies and exactly what I was looking for. I think it is a DIY I was comfortable doing, however, car literally broke on way to work. and brakes died about 1 mile from work.

There was zero pressure on the brake pedal, it was soft. Everytime I would press the pedal, brake fluid would shoot out in large quantity into the engine bay, burning when engine was hot causing a lot of smoke. I left the car and had it towed due to safety reasons.

Mechanic is replacing the lines and flushing the system.

It looks as is the soft hose failed inside the couple. Fluid was leaking directly from the metal, not from a cut/gap/pinhole in the soft line.

Couple of hours from the mechanic and a new set of lines.

[cnn]

Originally Posted by atl93fd

All:

Many thanks. Great replies and exactly what I was looking for. I think it is a DIY I was comfortable doing, however, car literally broke on way to work. and brakes died about 1 mile from work.

There was zero pressure on the brake pedal, it was soft. Everytime I would press the pedal, brake fluid would shoot out in large quantity into the engine bay, burning when engine was hot causing a lot of smoke. I left the car and had it towed due to safety reasons.

Mechanic is replacing the lines and flushing the system.

It looks as is the soft hose failed inside the couple. Fluid was leaking directly from the metal, not from a cut/gap/pinhole in the soft line.

Couple of hours from the mechanic and a new set of lines.

This is precisely why I told you on Nov. 12 to "STOP DRIVING THE CAR NOW!!!"

You are lucky you did not cause an accident or killed some innocent people!

This is a lesson for anyone with leaking hydraulic hoses in any car: it must be fixed ASAP!

[atl93fd]

I hadn't driven the car since I started thread. The symptoms were the same and hadn't changed from the original problem. I was shocked when I had someone step on the pedal and car wasn't even running how much fluid was leaking from the circle in the picture I original posted. It was a cell phone picture..all I had at the office.

Amazing to me something this critical could fail catastrophically.

It is a 12 year old car with 134K miles. In hindsight, I would recommend those with high mileage checking the lines routinely and preventatively replacing.

The replies were great. I wish the car was at home, in the driveway with tools and this would have been an easy DIY.

If the lines were looking bad, it hadn't been caught in previously inspections by reputable shops.

[mattmartindrift]

are you the original owner of the car?

i've seen a few New England cars with pretty rusty brake lines, mine included.

[cnn]

This issue of failure of Brake Hoses near Suspension Tower has been discussed in another website:
http://www.bavarianmachine.com/tips/tip8.html

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=365191

I guess, you can fabricate a small aluminum heat shield to protect these lines if you wish. Or simply change these hoses every 6-8 years depending on climate and style of driving.

[atl93fd]

Originally Posted by mattmartindrift

are you the original owner of the car?

i've seen a few New England cars with pretty rusty brake lines, mine included.

2nd Owner. Original owner special ordered the vehicle and drove/serviced it here in GA for the first 75K miles. I've owned it for about 6 years.

Also may be important for my case, When I received the car back from having coils and spark plugs replaced from the previous day, the engine covers were left off, leaving the coils exposed.

I noticed this after failure.

Would there be additional excess hear causing damage during the duration engine was hot and covers were off?

[mattmartindrift]

no additional heat if it was only the coil cover(s)

[Doru]

You don't want air in the ABS unit.
If it gets in (air) you're hooped - only dealer or someone with the software (something like Carsoft or similar) and who KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING can get the air out.

[Wolfen]

Originally Posted by Doru

You don't want air in the ABS unit.
If it gets in (air) you're hooped - only dealer or someone with the software (something like Carsoft or similar) and who KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING can get the air out.

You just need a vacuum pump to suck all the air out. If you have an oil extractor for oil changes, you just hook up a flexible hose to the vacuum side of the extractor and presto. Instant deep vacuum in your brake system. Very easy.

If you don't have an oil Extractor this "may" be a good excuse to get one.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=96859

or this one: (one i have)

http://www.jerrybleach.com/pelaapps650.html


I added a valve to mine also. It allows me to build up vacuum and keep it stored. With the valve i can regulate and apply vacuum when needed at the power needed. Enjoy

[Doru]

That's a great tip!!!!
Thanks for sharing

Runs to go check pricing on extractors....

[cnn]

Originally Posted by Wolfen

You just need a vacuum pump to suck all the air out....

Nope,

Air in the ABS Modulator is a unique problem.
Do some search and you will find out that it is very challenging to get rid of the air in the ABS Modulator .

[Poolman]

That extractor can also be used to put a vacuum on the entire intake system and pinpoint vac leaks--sorta like a smoke detector only in reverse--ya gotta listen for the air leak--but it's easy with the engine off---

[Wolfen]

Originally Posted by cnn

Nope,

Air in the ABS Modulator is a unique problem.
Do some search and you will find out that it is very challenging to get rid of the air in the ABS Modulator .

Challenging? Yes, but no matter the method that will be used will never the less be a vacuum system. It's the only way with hydraulics, aside from gravity feeds but those are rare.

So at any rate, a vacuum system is still useful and necessary.