Selling 2003 Landrover Discovery....
Camel Trophy
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,885
Likes: 955
From: Charlotte
The booster on my 04 was almost eaten through with rust.
The MC(which the po had replaced), was leaking and brake fluid ate the paint.
With the leak fixed the bottom and front of the booster were badly rusted.
I got a new booster, and replaced it.
The old one wouldn't have taken much effort to push a hole through, and another winter would have done it in.
As metal was eaten away.
The MC(which the po had replaced), was leaking and brake fluid ate the paint.
With the leak fixed the bottom and front of the booster were badly rusted.
I got a new booster, and replaced it.
The old one wouldn't have taken much effort to push a hole through, and another winter would have done it in.
As metal was eaten away.
Three Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 86
Likes: 10
I am up for the challenge. Forgetting how bad the leak. When I get into the car after a couple day not driving (and its really cold outside) the steering wheel feels completely locked. It take 5/10mins for it to loosen up once I fill it with fluid. Is this what it is? Can you tell me what I need and how to do it? I also think I should get a underwash, when the shop had it up doing and oil change the bottom was soaked leaking all over!
TReK
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,387
Likes: 488
There's a big difference between surface rust and corrosion that could cause the brake servo or any other part to fail. Sixpack577 says the brake servo on his truck was almost eaten through. I'm not going to argue with what he reports - he was there and I was not - but it seems his experience is an outlier. Regardless of that, it's true that replacing the brake servo is not difficult. Brake boosters rarely fail so they are inexpensive used.
The paint on the bottom center of the hole behind the MC, and at the bottom of the booster had bubbled, and was full of rust underneath.
The metal was rotted thin, and springy and crunchy if you pressed your finger on it.
Enough to the point that bumps and vibration would've eventually caused a hairline crack or pin hole, and likely in the near future, it didn't look like it had another winter left in it.
Not a gaping hole either, but just enough to cause a vacuum leak.
I changed it for piece of mind.
I'm not saying it's common, but it happens.
According to CarFax, my D2 spent 4 winters in the north east, so that along with a leaking MC to eat the paint off first.
The rust on the master cylinder is just surface rust, far from being significant at this point. If the mastercylinder was going to be rebuilt instead of replaced it could easily be addressed with a little sandpaper or rust remover and paint.
As to the leak, power steering fluid has a fairly high detergent content, it might have done a reasonably good job at that leak rate of essentially washing the area off. I would suggest starting sticking your phone down in the leak area and taking some flash photos so we can see how serious a degreasing it needs. Then it will likely be easiest to start with aerosol brake cleaner to spray off the affected components so we can see the leak source.
Good luck.
As to the leak, power steering fluid has a fairly high detergent content, it might have done a reasonably good job at that leak rate of essentially washing the area off. I would suggest starting sticking your phone down in the leak area and taking some flash photos so we can see how serious a degreasing it needs. Then it will likely be easiest to start with aerosol brake cleaner to spray off the affected components so we can see the leak source.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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Three Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: NYC
Hi sorry for the lack of response. Been filling the power steering fluid up and moving the car from alternate side of the street parking now for 2-weeks. Need to make a decision on what to do. Any NYers, Long Island or NJ forum members here who can recommend an inexpensive shop to figure out how bad the leak is and if it's worth fixing? I need to make a decision whether to donate the car, sell or fix it.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Camel Trophy
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 3,560
Likes: 834
From: Staten Island, NY
if the weather warms up enough to be able to work on it outside, i could meet you somewhere and take care of replacing the booster and/or master cylinder with spares from my parts truck. i have a brake bleeder system that i will be testing on my own truck within the next few days tat should complete the whole repair.
i'd be able to take a look at the power steering leak at the same time to see if i can work out where the problem lies. after identifying that, the course of action might be clearer.
i'd be able to take a look at the power steering leak at the same time to see if i can work out where the problem lies. after identifying that, the course of action might be clearer.
if the weather warms up enough to be able to work on it outside, i could meet you somewhere and take care of replacing the booster and/or master cylinder with spares from my parts truck. i have a brake bleeder system that i will be testing on my own truck within the next few days tat should complete the whole repair.
i'd be able to take a look at the power steering leak at the same time to see if i can work out where the problem lies. after identifying that, the course of action might be clearer.
i'd be able to take a look at the power steering leak at the same time to see if i can work out where the problem lies. after identifying that, the course of action might be clearer.
