Frozen calipers...again

H

heiser

New member
I'm at a loss with this caliper situation.

About a year ago I replaced my calipers with reman calipers from rockauto. They worked for a while, and I got 18+ mpg (calculated by hand). When everything is fine, my mpg gauge will read 19-20mpg+ (since it's a liar, but it's good to use as a reference).

In the past few months, my mpgs have dropped to like 14-15mpg (by hand). A couple times I went in and moved the caliper pistons back in manually, and that works for about a week, and then the pistons get stuck again.

Yesterday, I got warranty replacements from Rockauto, installed them, and reset my mpg gauge. It's reading at 15-17mpg (which means the real mpg 13-15mpg) with a mix of highway/city. When I reset the mpg gauge on the highway, it should read crazy numbers like 23+mpg, until it eventually starts to level out around 20mpg.


I installed them by:
- removing the brake line and the old caliper
- installing the new caliper and attaching brake line
- swapping brake pads and hardware over to new caliper.
- bleed all brakes


Are there any special tips you guys can give me that I might be doing wrong?

Is it possible that these reman calipers shipped to me frozen already?

I noticed that after doing the brake bleed, the brake pads were still pushed pretty close against the rotor. How much space should there be once the brakes are released?


parts:
Bosch BP976 QuietCast brake pads
Dura International BR31326 rotos
A-1 CARDONE 192766 caliper
A-1 CARDONE 192767
 
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It could be a number of things, Are the sliders lubricated? Did you replace all the brake fluid? Are the brake lines in good condition? Have you overheated the brakes? Are the front and rear brakes working?
 
smokeatrr said:
It could be a number of things, Are the sliders lubricated? Did you replace all the brake fluid? Are the brake lines in good condition? Have you overheated the brakes? Are the front and rear brakes working?
Click to expand...

Slider pins are lubricated with Napa Sil Glyde

I used 1qt + 12oz of brake fluid, so I think that replaced it all. (?)

Brake lines are good.

Not sure how to tell if the brakes are overheated.

I assume the front and rear brakes work. They stop the vehicle fine, but that's all I know.
 
heiser said:
Slider pins are lubricated with Napa Sil Glyde

I used 1qt + 12oz of brake fluid, so I think that replaced it all. (?)

Brake lines are good.

Not sure how to tell if the brakes are overheated.

I assume the front and rear brakes work. They stop the vehicle fine, but that's all I know.
Click to expand...

Are you able to jack up the front end and spin the tires by hand?
I wouldn't use the lie-o-meter as a sole reference.
 
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jfry008 said:
Are you able to jack up the front end and spin the tires by hand?
I wouldn't use the lie-o-meter as a sole reference.
Click to expand...

I'll try that later. And I use the meter as an estimate, because it's pretty consistent at being 1-2mpg over the actual mpg. But also I usually get ~80 miles per quarter tank on the gauge and I didn't get that either.
 
heiser said:
I'll try that later. And I use the meter as an estimate, because it's pretty consistent at being 1-2mpg over the actual mpg. But also I usually get ~80 miles per quarter tank on the gauge and I didn't get that either.
Click to expand...

purchasing calipers that are re manufactured maybe with distorted pistons as I have had. when you get these you remove the cal plug where the hose goes and before installing try to move that piston fully in then pull out... if it is really hard then its bad. [using your hand.

then you mount the cal in the holder but do not hook up the brake lines no pads see if the cal slides easy.

the cal pins require a silicone grease. if a petroleum grease is/was used it can swell up the rubber and cause binding.
 
catrains said:
purchasing calipers that are re manufactured maybe with distorted pistons as I have had. when you get these you remove the cal plug where the hose goes and before installing try to move that piston fully in then pull out... if it is really hard then its bad. [using your hand.

then you mount the cal in the holder but do not hook up the brake lines no pads see if the cal slides easy.

the cal pins require a silicone grease. if a petroleum grease is/was used it can swell up the rubber and cause binding.
Click to expand...

Great advice, thanks. Now that you mention it , I do remember that the outside of the Pistons weren't completely smooth or clean metal when I was first looking at that part. I'm sure that's not helping.
 
The replacements were DOA. Frozen from the start. RockAuto is going to return both sets and then I'll be joining in the "5th gen calipers" thread. Thanks everyone
 
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