various probems

[fattyboomboom]

Hi I'm new to both the forum and the Galaxy.
I've just bought a x reg 1.9 td 115ps Galaxy and have a few problems.
The car has been sat in a workshop for nearly three years before I bought it.
So I had it fully serviced, cambelt and aux belts changed as well as the brake pipes running from the front to back of the car as those were corroded.
It was ok for a few days now the problems have begun.
Firstly the brakes and clutch seem to have just given up. The front to rear pipes were replaced by a M.O.T garage and it drove fine. I then replaced the battery, as it was dying over a couple of days, up to then I had brakes and clutch. After the battery change it seemed ok then suddenly I only had soft brake pedal and could only change in to gear by matching engine revs.
It seems like a master cylinder problem to me, as when i turn the engine on and press the pedal it feels like I'm bleeding the brakes, the pedal just keeps going down but i have no visible leaks. I only mention he battery change in case something could of been messed up electronically, as it was the only change after the brakes were sorted and before the problem started.
My question is how hard is it to change the master cylinder?
Next and it's only a minor problem some heavy handed oaf (not me I add) has snapped the hinge brackets off the glove box surround, so the light keeps coming on and the lid falls off all the time. Is there a way to bodge the hinge brackets as i don't fancy removing the lower half of the dash to replace them.
Finally how do i remove all the trims in the back as I'm trying to fit a parcel shelf and fitting kit.
Thanks in advance and sorry if this is the wrong way of posting the problems.
Mark or fester either way I'll answer

[Chrispb]

To access the master cylinder you need to remove the air filter box, you also need to remove the fluid reservoir first before removing cylinder
Pic of cylinder with airbox removed.

[fattyboomboom]

oh joy fat fingers and arms are going to make this a fun job lol.
I've had a tip from a race mechanic who recommended i bleed the brakes backwards using a pressurized system via the bleed nipple as this is how he does all his motors for the track. apparently it clears all air blocks 1st go. does this sound credible

[SilverBeast]

I don't think you should bleed them backwards as having looked at this and other Forums, I believe it can damage the ABS pump (valve? module?).  For this reason when changing pads the bleed nipple should be opened when pushing the slave cylinders back in so you don't force brake fluid back through the ABS thingy.
No doubt chrisb or Mirez will be along soon to clarify or correct

It would be worth looking for a TIS CD (I  understand there are some on ebay) as it explains how to do just about everything, once you get your head round how it works.

[gregers]

before you go down this route,ask fords if it has missed any recalls,

[fattyboomboom]

Thanks I'll look into both those ideas.

[Mirez]

As above, don't bleed them backwards! There is a strong chance you'll flip the seals in the ABS block and that's game over then, you can get the opposite of this which is a vacuum unit applied to the nipple (giggle) this sucks the fluid through and is a much safer way of doing it if you don't like the conventional way.

[fattyboomboom]

Just checked the pads and disks not looking good at all, so now have ordered a master cylinder pads and disks all round grand total of Ã,£138.50 should arrive Wednesday dam those lazy posties not working bank holidays.

on to next job bodging those hinge brackets on the glovebox. any suggestions

[gregers]

thinking about it,you should be able to check FORD ETIS for any missed recall work on your car,
reason why i suggested it was when i bought my old mk1 from a dealer i went to fords,and they ended up changing the master cylinder plus other stuff,FREE.as it had missed some recalls.

[fattyboomboom]

how do i find out if it has as the dealer around here just laughed and said of course not without even looking on any computer

[Mirez]

http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do

Put your details in and then load the page - you should see a green box on the left side that says "No outstanding campaign messages" in which case all recalls are done, if its red then there will be info in the box about whats still to be done.

[fattyboomboom]

thanks mirez unfortunatly it's all green so looks like i'm getting dirty and skint lol

[gregers]

aw well twas worth a try m8.

[fattyboomboom]

it's all worth trying if it means free and clean. as my dad always told me if a jobs worth doing well, well it's worth someone else to doing it.
got a inner cv joint to do as well think i have a dirty weekend ahead. anyone know if there is a stretch fit cv boot for inner joints as i can only seem to find the outer ones

[Mirez]

Nope, its a funny shaped boot the inner one - known as the flower-pot and you'll see why when you take the boot off

[fattyboomboom]

well done the inner cv boot today due to time constrants it had to be today so got soaked in the rain . i can see why it's called the flower pot. the local motor spares bloke said "just cut off the shaped part of the old boot and put a strecth fit one onto that bit it'll be fine". I thought no i'll be good and do it right bloody glad i did there was the original shaped bit then 2 (yes thats right 2) round boot ends cable tied to that.so stripped them all off and done the job properly. someone had fubard the one of the bolts around the joint but will replace that once i can be bothered. it all tightened up ok just looks bodged due to the allen key shaped hole in the head to be able to undo and retighten it.

disks and pads arrived today but can't be ar**d to do them in the rain plus i have the master cylinder turning up hopefully tomorrow so plan is do that first and when i do the pads and disks i'll bleed it all then and the clutch bleed at the same time hopefully it is just air in the clutch not that cylinder as well.

[Mirez]

Good work! I hate finding bodge jobs, either do it right or not at all... grrr!

[fattyboomboom]

with regards bleeding the master cylinder and brakes is it neccesary to have the engine running for abs or can i do it just using the easybleed kit without the engine.
also how do you remove the res off the m/c does it just pull up i have never done one yet and have the finnesse off a yeti in  straight jacket so don't want to break the res

[Mirez]

No you can bleed the system without the engine running, as long as no air enters the system then you shouldn't need to do anything with the ABS.

Pass on the reservoir though, never removed one from a Gal.

[Chrispb]

The reservoir is pushed into 2 grommets as on most vehicles
There's 2 lugs on the side of reservoir see photo.
Use a rocking motion side to side and pull upwards.

Caution bleed out the fluid to empty the reservoir before removal, you don't want to be splashing or dripping fluid over paintwork

Notice the feed tube to the clutch master cylinder is blanked of as this is the auto box model

[fattyboomboom]

argggghhhhhhhhh 2 steps forward 12 miles back.
pads and disks all installed after having to buy yet another brake rewind tool. everything was going so well nice weather hot tea and biscuits on tap.
took the old master off it feels like the seals had flipped as the port that pumped out when the plunger is pushed was the other way around on the new one.
so new one put in no pushing excessively it just flopped into the hole bolted up lovely pipes connected and tightened a treat. res clipped back on like a well fitting glove.
bleed the buggery out of it but could not get a pedal. just get a half pedal leave it 10 secs and it had no pedal at all. stranger still i could have a clutch or a half pedal but not both and it didn't like a rev either. give it a rev and say good bye to what ever little pedal i managed to get.
so stripped it back down and pulled out the master cylinder and the plunger was bent and cracked.
looked into the servo and found white plastic,round rubber and half a piston. found the other half of the piston rod in the old plunger.
so now need a new servo and yet another master cylinder.
moral of the story bloody well double check for broken bits before putting new parts.


now next question is how do i remove the servo without breaking anything else.
told you i have the finesse of a yeti in a straight jacket well today it also had a ball and chain was wear 3 wheeled roller skates whilst being spun blindfolded on a lopsided merry-go-round