Citroen C3 (2002 - 2009) - 05 1.4 C3 brakes

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Thu 29 Oct 2009 21:24
05 1.4 C3 brakes - Smart Mart
My son has a problem with the brakes on a Citroen C3. They were dragging and overheating on a run. He has replaced the front discs and pads. After adjusting the rear shoes the brakes were still dragging so he attempted to bleed the system by pressurising the master cylinder but could not get any fluid out of the bleed nipples, front or back. Bear in mind I am passing this info on, but I can get more if required. Thanks for any help in anticipation.
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Fri 30 Oct 2009 10:48
05 1.4 C3 brakes - piston power
Back to basics.

Has he checked the brake calipers are not sticking?

Was one of the old discs red?

Are the wheel cylinder free not sticking on?

Check handbrake cable is free not sticking the way to adjust rear brakes is to slack off handbrake and then adjust rear shoes to just binding only just!, then adjust handbrake to approx 4-5 clicks.

As for bleeding a pressure bleeder is best a simple one costs about £17.00 eazi bleed its used from the spare wheel air pressure.

Then make sure no grit is stuck in the nipples they do block up.
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Sat 31 Oct 2009 18:31
05 1.4 C3 brakes - Smart Mart
Thanks bigtee,

He did use an eazi bleed and seems to have covered the other points. Could it be a faulty master cylinder or ABS causing the problem?
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Sat 31 Oct 2009 21:18
05 1.4 C3 brakes - dieselnut
Fluid should be passing through the loosened bleed nipples by gravity & certainly with pressure.
Could the brake pedal be binding & not releasing properly.
This would prevent pressure bleeding & give the binding symptoms.
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Sun 1 Nov 2009 08:23
05 1.4 C3 brakes - piston power
I don't think you will have a master cylinder problem on such a new car unless you have flipped the seals when the pedal may have been pushed when the pistons were back.

You could remove the master while the pipes are still connected pull back just to see if fluid is passing out of the front seal.

I still think this is a basic problem not abs releated.
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