Important! : brake caliper leaking around the piston.

  1. Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2008 West Yorkshire Posts: 157 2002 Silver VTR
    #1
    I had to unsieze and service the rear calipers yesterday as one was contantly binding and the other wasn't as efficient as i could have been.
    I wound out the rear pistons and greased them, wound them back in and refitted the rubber seals around the outside of the pistons. I also removed the slider pins and greased them then fitted new discs and pads. So both sides are fully functioning now but....
    Today ive noticed that the pedal was hard then very spongey so i checked the inside of the rear wheels, the driverside rear wheel had brake fluid on it. So i removed the wheel to inspect it further.
    It seems that there is a small tear in the rubber seal around the piston and it wont sit correctly onto the caliper resulting in fluid loss.
    What i need to know is if i replace the external piston rubber seal will this stop the caliper leaking or will the seal inside the caliper need replacing too?
    Off to Citroen tomorrow to see if i can get hold of a set of the rubber piston boots or do GSF or ECP sell them?
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Oct 2008 Plymouth, Fiddling - under a two poster ramp Posts: 14064 Audi
    #2
    For the price, and seeing as you will be stripping the piston anyway, id do a complete seal change again.

    Make sure three is no shit on the piston, around the caliper that could cause it to split again! Or just get a new caliper? Lol
  3. Frequent Poster Joined: Nov 2010 glasgow Posts: 583 citroen saxo vts 1998 Citroen saxo furio 03 c2 gt
    #3
    seals away m8 miby
  4. Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2008 West Yorkshire Posts: 157 2002 Silver VTR
    #4
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tonto_VTR View Post
    For the price, and seeing as you will be stripping the piston anyway, id do a complete seal change again.

    Make sure three is no shit on the piston, around the caliper that could cause it to split again! Or just get a new caliper? Lol
    Makes sense but, if i replace inner seals its a case of caliper pison needs removing then rebuilding back up (fluid loss etc) where as if its just a case of rubber piston gaitor it is only a small 5 min job.
    I think i'll replace outer gaitor then see if i still leaks.
    What i need to know is if fluid is leaking does the outer gaitor prevent it leaking out of will it be an internal seal that has gone and both need doing?
  5. Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2008 West Yorkshire Posts: 157 2002 Silver VTR
    #5
    done some reading up and turns out i need a new inner seal. So will fully strip it down and rebuild it.
  6. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172
    #6
    the outer seal is only a DUST shield, if a caliper is leaking fluid it is the inner seal that gone, the dust covers are naff all to do with fluid
  7. Infrequent Poster Joined: Aug 2011 Gwynedd Posts: 184 Saxo VTS | Defender 90 | Kawasaki ZX6R
    #7
    As said the main fluid seal is actually in behind the dust seal around the piston, you won't be able to see it without popping the piston out. You can get caliper rebuild kits that come with a new piston and all the sliders and seals you need, but a quick look on ebay only finds genuine kits which are not much cheaper than a whole new/recon caliper!

    So for the few quid involved and the extra bling of a new caliper you might as well get one of those unless you can find the seal/repair kit cheaper than I can!
  8. Infrequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 newport Posts: 173 Bmw M3, off-road vitara Mini Cooper s
    #8
    sounds like the seal is gone mate just check that there is no shit in the piston look for any signs of rust this will indicate if the seal is gone, if its giving you that much trouble change the callipers