Leaking rear brake -- question

[DSpieg]

Howdy folks -- my GTV6 is leaking brake fluid from the left rear caliper and, thinking back to my Alfetta days, I recall that if the pad gap adjustment screw is backed out too far, fluid will leak (as, for example, when changing brake pads). I'm hoping the solution is as simple as screwing in the adjuster a bit, but thought I'd solicit your collective wisdom first.

Thanks!
Dave Spiegelthal
Centreville, VA

'87 Milano
'85 GTV6
'77 Fiat X1/9
'71 Fiat 850 Spider

[Grant]

My pad adjuster screw backed out on me one time on my Verde and leaked lots of fluid. I tightened it back to where it should have been adn the leaking stopped. This is kind of scary, so I decided to rebuild both calipers while I had my transmission out in the hopes that my rear brakes won't randomly start leaking if the adjuster screws are USED.

[DSpieg]

Thanks, Grant! I'm not a big fan of critical hardware backing out on its own, but I do hope that's the case this time. Now that I know it has happened to someone else I'm motivated to crawl under the car and try to screw in the adjuster and see if it stops leaking, before taking more drastic measures. Perhaps I'll stake the adjuster screw or Loctite the threads....

[Grant]

The problem is, you're supposed to adjust the pads every now and then. I haven't been, and my pedal "dead-zone" increased more and more, until there was a lot of play in the pedal beofre the brakes worked (or that's what it seemed like.)

Complicated, these rear brakes are.

[Gubi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grant Complicated, these rear brakes are.

[Grant]

Great force, Tom has.

[DSpieg]

Good advice from all of you, get I.

I'll try the simple adjustment trick first, but as the brakes in general and handbrake adjustment felt fine just prior to the beginning of leakage last week, I suspect I won't get off so easy and will have to rebuild the caliper in the end.

See, we shall!

[rjv125]

Hey guys,
I was searching through some old posts and came across this one that kinda pertains to the problem I am having with my driver's side rear brake caliper. I went to adjust the inner pad, the easier one, and when I went to turn the adjustment screw, the pad did not move inward or outward. I had someone press the brake pedal and the pad does move then, but not with the adjustment screw. Also, the inner pad does not move with the emergency brake pulled. Are these two things related? Is something stuck that can be freed up? Nothing is leaking, and the calipers are well bled. Any ideas? Thanks.

[romroc]

What is the rear pad clearance measurement? So, now it appears that the rear brakes are not self adjusting? [I'm referring of course to GTV-6/Milano rear brakes.

[NMMilano]

I think its 0.4mm but its in the manual. The brakes are not self adjusting, thats what the adjusters are for. The inner pad adjuster is gear driven and it takes alot of turns to see piston movement

[Graham D]

#10:

Quote:

I think its 0.4mm but its in the manual

[romroc]

I'm now told by Tom at IAP that the rear brake clearance is 4-6 thousands. That's in inch scale.

[NMMilano]

Yep I was wrong, 4-6 thousands is correct. Pat Bradens book says .004 inches, .102mm. Thats what Im using.

[Craig]

Twice (sorry), the rear brakes are self adjusting, however from what others have said I believe that the adjustment is too coarse and that any self respecting Alfa owner would manually adjust the brakes long before they are worn enough for the self adjuster to work.

[NMMilano]

Ok I open to learning something. But please tell me how the self adjust worlks. I've just rebuilt both calipers and dont see how the "self adjustment" would work mechanically.
Both piston are fixed to the adjusters, please explain.