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[New POD]

Car is a 3.2 MV6 Auto Y Reg (Y474UGW) with 182K on the clock.

The failure is a loss of fluid, probably caused by cooking of pads due to it being seized.
The first I knew I had a problem was that the braked felt a little spongy coming through the Derbyshire dales, but I pulled into a petrol station in Buxton, to find smoke coming off the drivers side rear.
Took wheel off to find that there was fluid everywhere.

Now, there's now not much pad left, but the disk looks to have survived, but I am a little confused.

Should the 3.2 MV6 saloon have Solid or Vented rear discs ? It has solid ones now. But maybe it has the wrong ones?

If so how can I check that the caliper is designed for solid or vented - I was thinking that maybe someone swapped the calipers in the past, if not, then it has the wrong discs 

I bet there's a whole load of posts about this sort of thing, but I'm posting before I borrow a car to go to work, so no time to search. I need to decide which seal kit I order, or whether to buy a remanufactured caliper ?

[VXL V6]

3.2 should have vented discs on the rear, if not and the calipers haven't been changed as well then the pistons can travel too far.

[New POD]

So when I go and look, how can I tell which caliper is fitted? It should be as simple as measuring the width of the gap between the 2 inside faces shouldn't it ?

If the pads are very worn, due to some seizing that would explain the fluid loss, but not the obvious overheating (due to something sticking I assume. 

[biggriffin]

You cannot fit non vented calipers on vented disc's.

If it has vented disc's on the back, and is losing fluid, I would assume the seal is gone.

If it has solid rear discs, then the piston has popped out, and you will need new discs (vented).

[New POD]

Right ho. I've been out and had a good look. DEFINATELY the Calipers are designed for a vented disc (but it has solid discs and the pad once on the outer piston side has got jammed between disc and caliper, causing the heat, and cooking. and the piston has come out past the seals.


The opposing piston is fine as they designed it so that half the caliper is the same as the solid set up.


It might be that I can get away without new seals. There is a 42 on the caliper which I think refers to the piston diameter?

Having pushed piston back in and put a spacer in, and operated the brakes, it does not seem to leak.

Maybe I should fit new seals.

Anyway I now need to source vented discs and pads and pins and maybe a seal kit.

(and brake cleaner)

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, has happened before when solid disks have been incorrectly fitted. Good job you noticed it before the brakes failed completely.

Pins and spring clips for the wider vented calipers are almost impossible to find now, and 99% of the time, if you purchase them, what will actually be supplied are the shorter pins for the unvented caliper. I would try to re-use the pins you have.

[New POD]

Indeed. Lookers Vauxhall liverpool want me to come in and pay before they'll order the discs. and they say pads, pins and seals not stocked anywhere in europe. 

I have therefore ordered Pads and discs off Euro car Parts to arrive NEXT thursday (Not stocked in store) and a pin kit and 42 mm seal kit off BIGGRED. I know the pin kit will be too short but They list it as Right for my car so worth the risk?

[New POD]

Yep, has happened before when solid disks have been incorrectly fitted. Good job you noticed it before the brakes failed completely.

Yeah, just before I drove over the hills past the Cat and Fiddle.  I got home at stupid o clock as RAC are not erm quick. 2.5 hours to arrive.

[tunnie]

Indeed. Lookers Vauxhall liverpool want me to come in and pay before they'll order the discs. and they say pads, pins and seals not stocked anywhere in europe. 

I have therefore ordered Pads and discs off Euro car Parts to arrive NEXT thursday (Not stocked in store) and a pin kit and 42 mm seal kit off BIGGRED. I know the pin kit will be too short but They list it as Right for my car so worth the risk?

Sure they are vented? Had issues before with ECP giving solid discs for rears.

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, has happened before when solid disks have been incorrectly fitted. Good job you noticed it before the brakes failed completely.

Yeah, just before I drove over the hills past the Cat and Fiddle.  I got home at stupid o clock as RAC are not erm quick. 2.5 hours to arrive.

Not the ideal road to suffer a brake failure. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Yep, has happened before when solid disks have been incorrectly fitted. Good job you noticed it before the brakes failed completely.

Pins and spring clips for the wider vented calipers are almost impossible to find now, and 99% of the time, if you purchase them, what will actually be supplied are the shorter pins for the unvented caliper. I would try to re-use the pins you have.

I have to disagree.

If I were a betting man, the person who stupidly fitted the solid discs could easily have fitted a solid spring kit, exacerbating the issue.

You have a simple choice to make...

1. Buy vented discs and the individual pins and springs (VX only and about £45 for both sides).

2. Keep your solid discs and buy refurbished solid calipers (vented not available) and buy a new solid pin kit for around £5.

Your choice, but using the car in its current state is criminally stupid, not to mention dangerous.

[New POD]

Vauxhall dealer says pins no longer available at all in Europe EVER.

[Kevin Wood]

.. but the solid pins wouldn't be long enough to fit the caliper anyway, so the long pins were probably re-used last time.

Depends what's actually fitted to the car, which we don't know. The car is supposed to have vented disks, however, so downgrading it to solid disks is something I'd personally avoid. Although we know it would work, it would certainly be a modification that you'd have to declare to your insurers.

[omegod]

Podster, I hope you used the ECP 37% off code HOLIDAY37 when you ordered ? if not cancel and reorder

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

If you happen to have a receipt from a garage for fitting the rear brakes, contact a solicitor.