| Author | Message | ||
     Charles Meo Yet to post message Username: chuckm Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2005 |
Guys, I'm a new owner of an old Shadow 1, which I rather impulsively bought at auction late last year. It seems to have developed some sort of fault in that the right hand brake warning light is on. How can I diagnose what is ailing it, and what should I get my mechanic to look into? From what I've read so far, two things are obvious: 1. That I should get the manuals--in progress. 2. That there are a number of possible causes, some of the them very serious. Any pointers would be much appreciated, as I love the car and intend to keep it. | ||
| Robert Wort Prolific User Username: robert_wort Post Number: 91 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Charles, Hopefully Bill Coburn will see your question and give you a suitable answer but if you sift through the threads in the technical area, you may find some useful suggestions. If you click on the user list (some patience needed here as it requires your user name and password each time you go to a different column), you can get to Bill's details and contact him directly by following the prompts. Treat any warning lights very seriously and I would strongly advise that you don't drive your car until the problem is rectified as you may lose your brakes or cause serious damage to the vehicle. I would recommend that you seek the services of a recognised RR/B service centre if you are within a reasonable distance to one or give them a telephone call and describe the problem to them. Most RR/B specialists are very helpful. If you live in Victoria, Bob Chapman is the man. He is very professional and extremely helpful in these matters. Hope it's not too serious. Cheers, Rob. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 390 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Charles and welcome to our forum, Robert is correct however I would allow yourself several hours to do a search of our site using the "UTILITIES -Search" function on the LHS of the screen. Use the keywords "hydraulic", "pressure switches" and "pump down" so all will be revealed. I would NOT drive the car until you have verified that BOTH pressure switches and warning lights are functioning correctly followed by a brake pump down test to determine if the accumulators are functional. If in doubt and you are not able/willing to do this work yourself; have the car trailered to a R-R specialist. The workshop manuals are the best investment you can make if you intend keeping the car. As a matter of interest, do you know anything about the past history of the car especially whether it is a local delivered car or an import? | ||
| Charles Meo New User Username: chuckm Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2005 |
I don't know anything about the vehicle's provenance unfortunately. I do know it was being sold by the State Trustees as a deceased estate, and it once lived in Brighton somewhere... The VIN is R006580 and engine number is 1961, and the old rego was ATG054; perhaps someone recognises this vehicle? If so, any details you may have would be most welcome. The car is now with Mike Roddy who works on my Jag; I will pass on Bob Chapman's details to him but they have a guy who knows RR there. I did perform a pump down test before I took it down there, which it obviously passed or I would have had to get a flattop :-) Perhaps this was not a wise purchase, but I've wanted one of these things (this specific year and marque too) since I was 25...ah, you know how it is!!! It was just there, what else could I do? Charles | ||
| Bill Coburn Grand Master Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 335 Registered: 4-2003 |
Charles/ Can we try the chassis number which is stamped on a plate on the left hand side of the engine compartment on the bulkhead near the wiper motor. The number will be SRH XXXX. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 301 Registered: 9-2004 |
Two things spring to mind. First if the car had not been used for a long period of time and the driven,it could be possible for a build up of debrie in one of the inlet filters to a hydralic pump,these are situated within the brake reservoir. 2nd the pump push rod could be broken through many causes. more if needed but do check out the fluid flow rate from the pumps that is the centre top pump pipe connection. Make a dummy pipe take off to test. Careful with the fluid it destroys the paint. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 400 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Charles, Did a quick check of Vic club cars but could not find this regn number - as Bill said we need the chassis number to go further. | ||
| Charles Meo New User Username: chuckm Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2005 |
To the best of my recollection the srh number was the same as the engine number--1961. If that doesn't seem right, I'll have to phone for it tomorrow as the car's not here right now. And thanks to everyone taking an interest! It is highly likely that there is debris in the system, as I noted to my horror that that the reservoir inspection windows were BLACK with crud. Chances are my driving it a bit has started moving this stuff around and it's clogged something. But we will see what flushing and cleaning the system might achieve, along with some new hoses etc. Judging by the general condition of the vehicle, I'd say it's done about 120,000 rather than 220,000 miles, and it's very straight, so perhaps nothing is seriously broken. Hope springs eternal, eh? | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 405 Registered: 4-2003 |
Have no listing for SRH1961 going back to 2001 - if anyone has older copies of "Chassis Plate" they could check; please do so. | ||
| John Aravanis Unregistered guest Posted From: 213.5.29.127 |
Taking advantage of the topic, should the brake light stay off (assuming everything is operating properly) even after 3-4 weeks of the car being out of operation? When I turn on the ignition-after the above mentioned time period- the pressure lamp stays off. If I pump the pedal it will go on after 20-25 pumps. Could this also mean a defective pressure switch that does not sense small pressure variations? I know my front system lamp will go on after a few hours of "rest", but I also know that I have a problem with the(front) accumulator because the engine has to work at fast idle for 3-4 minutes if I don't want the light to go on after a few pushes on the pedal. It's just strange that my SRH8685 can have such a "perfect, no pressure loss" rear brake system even after many days of rest. After the last HOT Greek summer and the temp. gauge with its own mind I removed the thermostat and I have not re-installed it. Is it very important to have the thermostat on the car during the winter? Ambient temperatures this time of the year are 3-12 celcius. Regards, John | ||
| Bill Coburn Grand Master Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 339 Registered: 4-2003 |
John Sounds like a crook pressure switch. certainly your number one accumulator is kaput. The switches can crud up and contact is not made internally hence no light. The best thing is to go to someone who sells pressure gauges and associated bits and get them to make you up a tester. All it needs is a gauge 0 - 4000 psi fitted with a length of copper brake line and a nipple to screw into the accumulator valve. All up less that fifty dollars in Australia. Then follow the instructions. The brake line needs to be copper as you invariably have to bend it to get around the various impedimentia!! Do not run the car with out a thermostat! | ||
| Charles Meo New User Username: chuckm Post Number: 4 Registered: 1-2005 |
Happy Ending! Mike Roddy and his team cleaned and flushed the hydraulic reservoir and system. There was apparently sludge in the reservoir, and three of the corroded hydraulic lines broke when they started working on them, and were replaced. Brake function is now excellent, and no more warning light. I think in many, many ways I've been very lucky. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 312 Registered: 9-2004 |
Great news and i hope the flexable hydralic hoses are the ones that broke and have ALL been replaced on the car. They can cause all sorts of probs if old. Can we have the year of the car and the body no. the chassis no is not correct possibly. | ||
| Charles Meo New User Username: chuckm Post Number: 5 Registered: 1-2005 |
SRH number is 1961, same as the engine. Not sure about replacing all the flexible lines, as they mostly seem to be in OK nick. The three that broke due to corrosion were metal, and the rest have been inspected, also seem OK. No further fluid leaks evident, except in the power steering but that's another story! No doubt there will be plenty more to do over the next little while. I am ordering a manual on CD from the US next week, unless someone knows a local source? | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 313 Registered: 9-2004 |
Charles,that sure is an early shadow not many of them around. The hoses can look ok from the outside but the inner part can self destruct with age and is confirmed on yours by the black debrie in the reservoir,they can collapse and hold the brake on after application with horrible results. Just a thought. | ||
| John Aravanis Unregistered guest Posted From: 213.5.34.168 |
Don't mean to repeat myself, but a local Citroen dealer has been kind enough to check my forward brake system for a warning lamp that has gone its own way. His claims that he will check the nitrogen pressure in the accumulator and replenish it if needed. Can this be done on site or will I get myself in deeper trouble? He also mentioned that the warning light might be coming on due to air in the system, during a partial brake system rebuild 1200 kilometers ago and that a simple bleed of the accumulator (and rest of the system) will cure the problem. The accumulators were not checked back then. (Message approved by admin) | ||
| Charlie Jagneaux Unregistered guest Posted From: 68.212.58.107 |
I recently bought a 1970 Shadow from an estate (the car had not been driven since 1980 shown from the last inspection sticker dated 1980. After overhauling the hyraulic pumps, cleaning out the reservoir and repairing corroded lines the system would not work properly (warning lights etc.). I discovered a front brake hose to the caliper was clogged or so I thought. It turned out that the hose had collaped internally and though it looked OK from the outside not a drop of fluid flowed thru it. I ended up changing all 16 yes SIXTEEN hoses because most were collapsed or closed. One of the hoses practically fell apart when I handled it altought the outside looked fine. It wasn't one that flexed much since it was in the rear on the leveling system. I would reccomend changing the hoses on an older car total cost minus labor (mine) was approx. $450 US from SC Parts West in Newark New Jersey (genuine Crewe Parts). A Rolls dealer who will remain anonomous quoted $165 US each hose which scared me quite a bit at first. I would also recommend looking around on the Net for parts if you do your own work unless you have a good mechanic or dealer you trust who has his own supply source. I am fortunate (or is it unfortunate) to be able to do my own wrench turning. I hope this question is appropriate here so here goes. Has anyone considered electric hydraulic pumps such as those used in America on the "low rider" cars that hop around and raise and lower front and rear? It seems these pumps should be robust enough and could be adapted to older RR systems. They use accumulators also. In fact the RR set up would not tax them as much as on these applications. A simplified system like this might keep the Shadows on the road longer once regular pumps become more scarce than they already are. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Guy Boldon Yet to post message Username: guy_boldon Post Number: 1 Registered: 5-2006 |
Shadow 11 SRH 17774 Severely Rough Idling. Racently changed all wires and plugs in ignition system. Now using NGK BP5RES. The problem persists. Can anyone suggest a sequence of activities or anything which will eliminate this frustration?? Thanks. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 573 Registered: 9-2004 |
Guy just seen your posting. Best to get the car and scope it could be the distributor module breaking down,in the dark a litle with out more info ie does the car missfire under load,up a hill from cold or hot. |
