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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - weeping banjo joints

The saga continues - The "new" calipers simply would not seal at the bleed nipple so these are going back to the supplier.

I had the old calipers remanufactured by Bigg Red in Worcester. Four day turnaround for painted finish. I would have had them plated but this takes a few weeks and I don't have the time.

These look great, are pre-filled with fluid, have long bleed nipples fitted and grease around the pistons. Spot on. N/S on, bled and all is good. O/S just will not seal on the banjo copper washers. Again, I try to only nip them up "just so" but this wasn't enough. Tweak a little more and still weeping. This has used up all my new washers now so another delay while I source some more.

These brakes are getting a bit boring and I need the workshop for something else.

Again, any wise thoughts on getting this to seal?
Clive Berry

Clive, have you tried annealing the copper washers? Heat them up to cherry red and let them cool. It softens the copper and you may then get a better seal when you tigten them up.

I also wonder if the banjo is correctly formed. I have seen some where the machined faces are so far cut down that the fatter "stem" bit of the banjo comes into contact with part of the caliper, preventing it from lying flat against the sealing washer when tightened.
GuyW

Aaaaaaarrrrgh!!!
Unbelievable, there is a "ding"across the banjo mating face on the calliper so the copper washer will not fully seal.
FFS, all I want to do is get the damned car on its' wheels and off the ramp.
How can swapping calipers turn into saga like this?

This is supposed to be a relaxing pastime - my ar*e.
Clive Berry

Don't fret Clive, think how much compensating Good Luck you are accumulating !
GuyW

Time to get the emery tape out! Been there too.
Tarquin

So Bigg Red sorted the caliper out as soon as it arrived with them. They kept it on pressure test for some hours before calling me to say it was ready. The fastest way to get it back on the car was to collect as they are only 20 miles away. They refunded my return postage and threw in new banjo bolts and washers. Now that is service.

It was back on the car within hours and...... still cannot get a firm pedal. Another round of tweaking nipples and finally the leaks stopped.

I have now given up, it's off to my local garage for a once over, brake bleed and MOT. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes will see something obvious that I have missed or maybe, just maybe, if it is now leak free it will bleed up correctly.

This episode has vacuumed time allocated to other projects and made me really peeved with the car. If it doesn't behave it will be stuck in a dark corner and forgotten.
Clive Berry

I just have to say that the title of this thread sounds like the title of a bad country & western song!
Stan Kowznofski

Certainly a new term of cursing or frustration.

I know how you feel Clive and I don't enjoy working on the car at all, at least you thought it was enjoyment before this.

A fresh pair of un-frustrated eyes is a good idea, perhaps also some non-owner treatment will solve it.

I'm all in favour of the slow, very slow or extremely slow methods of flushing and bleeding the brakes (and clutch), it's not very macho, competitive or much to boast about but sometimes it can be quicker overall. It does require the time and patience of one person but can include as much tea (and pee breaks) as required, a selection of prog-rock albums might help some or Radio 4 or 4 Extra for others, plays and omnibuses - long formats required.

Let us know the solution.

Nigel Atkins

Deeply annoying but nice to hear of a supplier that will stand behind their work. I had problems last year after fitting new calipers, eventually got them good enough for MOT but pedal still didn't feel quite comfortable first press. After a few weeks of driving I bled them again and finally got the last elusive bubble out.

Not relevant to you but just because I thought it was cool - my son and I did a tour of the BMW not-a-proper-Mini factory last year, on the assembly line they fit all the brakes and then have a machine that vacuums out the air, holds for a few seconds to test for tightness and then squirts the fluid in, all in one go. No bleeding required, marvellous.
AdrianR

The garage sorted the brakes and carried out a "not MOT".
They were underwhelmed by some of the welding underneath, not surprisingly as it is terrible! Even my welding is better. However, it is solid.
Time has caught up and there are other projects higher up the priority list over the next month or so. So, little blue midget will stay in the garage until Mid February. Then I'll look at undoing the PO's mess and putting it on the road.
Clive Berry

This thread was discussed between 14/11/2018 and 03/12/2018

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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