brake servo

[Jimpy]

Hello folks, this is my first thread on this site,so appologies for any mistakes!
I have a 1984 1.3 hle maestro which was bequethed to me by my late grandfather, the car had spent most of its life in a garage!, and after my father performed some basic checks it was decided to try a mot test on it.
All went very well considering the time it had spent off the road,it failed on the brake servo or to put it more precisly,the lack of servo assistance,
Braking effort is o.k. just the problem with the servo,any ideas?

[E_T_V]

Firstly welcome.

Secondly look after that HLE as they are quite rare now!

Thirdly, the first things to check is the hose from the brake servo to the inlet manifold (a black plastic one). Make sure this is intact and not split etc.
If it is intact give the car a good flat out run up a hill when it is warm as it seems that some of the very old cars seem to have sticky servos which take a while to make themselves work. (e.g. ours won't work until you've been up the hill outside my house or floored the throttle several times.

If this doesn't help then it could be that the servo has died. it is possible to get seal kits for them but it is usually easier to replace the whole unit (still available new from a place called ledbury, do a forum search for details on them), or replace it from one from a scrap car.

Let us know how you get on with the first couple of things

[F690OTF(RIP)]

I didn't know the servo assistance was an MoT requirement. Is it one of those cases of "If fitted, it must be working", like reversing lights and other such things?

[tony]

have you got any pics of your car ? and/ or any more details?
:)

[e692wtt]

I didn't know the servo assistance was an MoT requirement. Is it one of those cases of "If fitted, it must be working", like reversing lights and other such things?

To test the servo, the tester 'exhausts' the vacuum with the engine off, by pressing the brake pedal several times, so it goes 'hard' (ie no servo assistance). Then, keeping his foot on the brake pedal he starts the engine, and if the servo is working correctly the pedal will 'give' and sink about an inch (it seems a lot longer!). Try it when you next get in your car, as described, and you will see what I mean. And yes, if fitted, it must be working.

Reversing lights aren't testable, by the way, and neither is the nearside rear fog light (if two rear fogs are fitted - if just one rear fog is fitted then it must work), nor the bidet (rear wash wipe :laugh: ).

But Hazard Lights are 'testable when fitted' although this will only apply to cars older then ours.

It's a funny thing, the MoT...

[Jimpy]

Firstly many thanks ETV Peter and Tony for your warm welcome and very prompt replies.My Dad has decided that the brake master cylinder needs a rebuild,so at the moment he is renewing the cylinder seals, so I will let you know how things turn out when he is finished.