Hi,
just out driving and found out rather scarily that my brakes aren’t working !
Managed to get to safety and checked brake fluid reservoir, which appears empty. Is it just a matter of topping it up ? Or is it more involved, bleeding etc ? Thanks , darryl

Where's it gone though Darryl? You might get away with a top-up...worth a try. But if it ends up needing to be bled I would first look for obvious leaks. The easiest and first check would be the flexible pipe from the reservoir to the master. On my car the spigot where the flexible attached had a split which wasn't obvious and had to be replaced.

I was going to check that when it dries outside, thanks

Wheel cylinders are another weak point. You may see it if you can get around the back of the wheel, as it will seep out the bottom of the drum onto the inside of the wheel.
Tony

Brake fluid does not 'just disappear!---it leaks. If you have lost a whole reservoir of brake fluid, it might leave an indication of where it is leaking from. Another fairly common source of a leak is the brake master-cylinder---look down at the brake pedal where the operating rod inters the master-cylinder (look down at the pedal-box in front of the pedals). I have suffered a leak from here, as have other Forum members. Changing the master-cylinder is a fairly easy, straight forward job.

Could I ask if there is a particular brake fluid I should be using ?

Hi check the brake hoses for leaks if not them take the brake drums off and see if there are leaks in there. Is the master cylinder is leaking.

dk500 said:

Could I ask if there is a particular brake fluid I should be using ?

Click to expand...

I use DOT 4 brake fluid which appears to be available everywhere and to be suited to most cars.

Managed to find the offending brake cylinder, rear passenger side. I will order a new one. Any tips on replacement and what to use to clean all fluid and gunk away.
Thanks

Brake cleaner should it fairly clean
However if the brake lininga have any ammont of fluid on them they will likely need replacing as there it is very hard to throughly clean them

The inside of the drug got a pretty good drenching so should get new linings, thanks

If you have standard '500' brakes may I suggest that, with relation to the various 'pedal-travel' problems people have suffered/reported, that you get a set of new shoes from MBG who have had them made specially for the 500s, with good thick (high quality) linings on the shoes. Also, if at all possible, retain the ORIGINAL brake-shoe springs---the new ones are slightly too short, which makes them pull back against the 'self-adjusters' too hard.

Dare I go against advice given so far ?
Brake linings temporarily contaminated with fluid don't need to be replaced IMO.
I've had it happen, cleaned them, and passed tech test where each brake must perform within tolerance of the other on same axle.
Clean lining & drum with brake cleaner, deglaze the surfaces of both with abrasive such as 3M, it worked for me.

I used to boil them in a pan of water when axle oil invariably leaked on the linings of my pre-war car...but they were quite rare and expensive.

Right, same goes for clutch linings sometimes contaminated by gear /engine oil.
Ferodo doesn't seem to absorb oil much. We become finicky.

This is a great site ! Thank you, I actually have been waiting to replace bearings in rear wheels so this must be a sign to get on with it