Smoke without fire
 

As the car had been idle for a fortnight I went for a little drive yesterday p.m. Included was a good workout on a nearby by-pass. When I slowed/stopped for traffic lights I noticed some smoke from the off-side front wheel-arch. Stopped at a lay-by, bonnet up, all seemed well other than a burning smell around the wheel -arch. Drive home uneventful.

Brakes or something else?

Could be a collapsed flexi pipe has caused the calliper to seize and push the piston against the disc thus stopping the piston to return.

That's what happened on mine. Fitted a new pipe and calliper and all was well again.

Sticking caliper maybe with it sitting.

Was the wheel hot?

Oldie.

Still burning when you got home or not ????

As Wullie said. Was the wheel or hub hot ??

Didn't check the wheels specifically. Will go for another trip and check soonest.

Don't touch the disc to see or feel, if it's hot!

Not that I did that, or anything. :o

99% sure it will be a sticky caliper, they tend to seize up if stood a while.

Spit on your finger then a very quick light dab is safe enough - if it sizzles the disc has got a tad too warm. :D

Stings a bit doesn't it? (Blister on my index finger took ages to heal...)

Measured the temperature near the calliper with a digital thermometer probe on front and back wheels. Fronts were warmer than the rear and offside front the hottest. Guess it's a sticking caliper.

How, if at all, do the front brakes differ from those of a Rover v6? Are the requisite bits commonly available?

When I had a similar problem, I got a pair from here

Excellent, quick service, and top quality parts.

One other thing, it could be the brake flexy pipe collapsing internally, so for the sake of a few quid, it might be worth changing these too.

Good luck! :}

Identical to a 190 at the front. Rears of course totally different.

Three journeys this weekend. Saturday morning 10 miles, taking my son swimming. Some spirited driving until burning odour and a bit of smoke. Some steering wheel judder. Off-side front very warm and strong brake-burning smell. Afternoon return journey not exceeding 50 mph no problem and brakes cool. Sunday afternoon, including some foot-down stuff on accelerator and brake, no problem. Maybe I need to use the car more frequently as well as getting the brakes checked.

Its quite normal a sticky caliper is helped by regular use.

It wont stop the underlying problem, which will be corrosion of the cylinder, or corrosion/dry slide pins.

Best whip it off, and see how free the slide pins are, grease em up liberally with the right grease, and see how she goes.

Having driven relatively frequently recently there is still an issue with the off-side front. Below 50 mph all seems well, or insufficiently severe as to generate excessive heat. Above 60 mph then over-heating brakes becomes evident. Attached is a picture of the off-side front disc. I assume a replacement is necessary. Caused by a dodgy calliper?

Any advice re. required bits? Discs from the TwoSixties, MG ZT 190 callipers from Rimmers? Any particular nuts, bolts, pipes etc. I should consider? Assume some bleeding of brakes is required. Now the imponderable question: basic DIY or Garage task? If DIY has anyone definitive advice as to where to position axle stands (clean answers only please).

The last two calipers I've had seize just needed stripping and cleaning out.

Wasn't a 260 though, just an old stone crusher. :D

You should never continue driving with a seized caliper thinking/hoping it will fix itself! Had you taken it off and cleaned/ replaced it right away it might have saved you new discs, caliper and new break fluid.

Discs get very hot and loose breaking power plus it will break other parts.

Front brakes are the same as the 190. Rear brakes are unique to the V8's.

Hope you get the issue sorted soon.

Cheers

Tony

New "260's" grooved and drilled discs; thank-you Tim, a pleasure to meet you. New pads, cleaned callipers and replacement flexi-pipes. Seems the pipes may have been the primary problem necessitating the other work. Used MJS in Littlehampton, recommended by Bob (of Banana and Bear fame). Transpires a prudent decision. They had some difficulty in obtaining the correct flexi-pipe for one side. The factors had two pipes with the same part number and repeatedly sent the wrong one. I used my time more satisfactorily. Drove home in a spirited manner and the brakes remained cool. Suppose it might be worthwhile having the rear pipes checked in the near future. The car had been idle for some time before I bought. What will be the next surprise I wonder?