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On 10 Jul 2001, at 12:36, Jacob Schroeder wrote: > > Check your brake caliper and make sure it is > >retracting and releasing the pads. Mine was not and the pads were > >still pressing against the rotor which cause the heat which caused > >the melting of the grease. > Good idea, I am really anxious to get back and check that out, > especially since you and Jim both suggested that a stuck piston could > be the culprit, but like i posted a little bit ago, what causes > pistons to get stuck, is it just dirt, or age, or can something > besides the caliper be causing the piston to get stuck? Pistons stick in calipers because the caliper bores rust and the rust swells and freezes the piston in place. The rust occurs in spite of the rubber boot that is there to keep the weather out. It is part due to the fact that you just can't keep all the weather out and part due to the fact that standard brake fluid is quite a good rust promoter in the presence of a little water and air. There will always be a tiny bit of seepage around the fluid seal in the caliper and this seepage will cause rusting. Silicone brake fluid is the cure for this. I have a FAQ on this if you are interested. OTOH, it could also be a bad brake hose which has become a one- way check valve, not allowing fluid to return out of the caliper. This used to be much less common, but today these cars are all so old that it's becoming pretty likely, unless they have already been replaced. - Jim Adney jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711-3054 USA ------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe? mailto:type3-request@vwtype3.org, Subject: unsubscribe