Brake FADE and an Interesting Story....

782 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Steve Jarvis, Nov 15, 2001

SupraLizard

Discussion Starter · Nov 15, 2001

Here is another in my series of questions and a really cool thing along with it....

First of all last night I was booting up and down a street in an industrial area here, playing around with the boost settings, i realizd after the 6th or 7th run, i started to lose braking power... on the 8th run down the street, with the pedal almost to the floor, i could not lock up the brakes NO matter what, and i could only slow down gradually...... I stopped the car got out, and I see smoke coming from ALL four wheels..... I know this is normal since once you stop the brake pad dust left on the rotors and calipers, frys off.....

BUT my question is how to fix this.... i have Stillen Matrix pads, PowerSlot rotors, NO SS brake lines, and NO Dot4 fluid (just stock toyota fluid, for the last 3 years). My feelings is that I need to change the fluid, since it is probably boiling, just wanted a second opinion. Thanks.

NOW THE INTERESTING PART..... My buddy was with me who has an '95 Acura Legend 6Spd. We wanted to see if he also gets the same fade, so he went for a few runs with hard braking.... After his 4 or 5th run when he was braking right in fron of me, i realized both his front rotors WERE GLOWING BRIGHT RED

. And the funny thing is they kept glowing brightly for at least 1 - 2 minutes, it was the collest thing i have seen in a while.

-Bartel

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supra400hptt

· #2 · Nov 15, 2001

Stillen pads suck for that kind of braking. Ok for normal driving but mine fade bad under hard stopping. Probably wasn't the fluid boiling as much as the pads fading. There are two types of fade. When the fluid boils, pedal goes to the floor. When the pads fad, pedal still pretty firm but no braking power. When the pads get too hot they give off a gas and the gas prevents the pads from gripping the rotor. Drilling and slotting help vent the gasses from pad fade but may still not be enough for the stillen pads.

Abusing the rotors on the Acura like that will cause them to warp. You can see the glowing on race cars at night but they usually have carbon rotors which can take it or get new rotors after the race.

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Steve Jarvis

· #3 · Nov 15, 2001

Drain all the fluid out of your resovoir and replace it with Motul 600. Then return to stock pads. Your brake problems will go away. More than likely your fluid boiled given that you said your pedal went to the floor. I have done at least 3 roadcourses with my old Supra with stock Toyota brake pads. You will be suprised at the capabilities of the stock braking system with good fluid.

Later, Steve

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SupraLizard

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 15, 2001

Thanks Guys,

I am going to get my hands on this Motul 600 stuff.....Steve do you recommend changing the pads back to stock? Will they be fine with the slotted rotors?

Thanks,

-Bartel

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Steve Jarvis

· #5 · Nov 15, 2001

I would try it wih the pads you have first. If that doesn't do it switch back to stock. The stock pads will work fine with the slotted rotors.

Later, Steve

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RSA Supra

· #6 · Nov 15, 2001

Stillen pads blow a big fat one on a Supra (I know, I have them) and Power Slot rotors are probably worse than stock rotors becuase the do not have curved viens the vent the rotors. Their straight viens are much less efficient.

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· #7 · Nov 15, 2001

speaking of the braking system.. I know this topic has been talked about before.. but quick question...

It seems that the consensous is that to us the stock pads w/brembo rotors and motol 600 fluid..

what do you guys think of some goodridge steel braided brake lines... Im sure that can only help...

also.. what if we just put in new stock pads, resurface the stock rotors, lines, and fuild.. how will that be... ??

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Steve Jarvis

· #8 · Nov 15, 2001

Those are the brake lines I run, and they seem to work great. The stock rotors are also fine for the track. The cross-drilled rotors look good though.

Later, Steve

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