smcg3

I noticed today that the 200 was especially sluggish, and while in traffic I came to realize the brakes are dragging. Symptoms include sliding the clutch for a prolonged amount of time in 1st gear, car comes to a halt quickly/accelerates slowly, holds still on slight inclines with no brakes applied, and most importantly ALL FOUR wheels were hot enough to the touch that I could not hold my hand on them for more than a few seconds without it hurting. This is touching the outside of the wheels, after about an hour of driving not exceeding 30mph. Also, brake pedal is very hard, and the brakes are touchy (since they are already partially applied).

What could be causing all four brakes to drag this heavily? No brake warning in the dash of any sort since I've owned the car, and it's been about 2 years/15,000 miles. I've felt like they're been a slight drag in the past, sometimes more noticeable than other times, but never this bad.

itsav8

but all four.... master cylinder.

BernieBenz

all sludged up, pistons not retracting properly. Overhaul all four before screwing with the MC.

itsav8

before the OP overhauled all four calipers the simplest, easiest way to check/rule out a bad MC is to get to the point were you (OP) describe the brakes dragging & put a cold cloth... or pour some cold water on the MC & see if the breaks reliese.

BernieBenz

breaks reliese?

Pushbutton_auto

of putting cold water on the Master doing ?


brakes on the '89 200 auto were grabbing, I just put it down to sitting for a while.(1 1/2 y)

itsav8

Brakes release... is that better Bernie?!

BernieBenz

The effect is little more than a wet master cylinder.

noriceforyou

Changing out the fluid on the old one didn't help, ended up having to change the MC out completely.

cuatrokoop

BTDT on the 5kq.