seized caliper or clogged brake line?

[m3f_dante1342]

I've searched through the previous posts and it sounds like my caliper may be seized up. This past week I started getting the super high pitched squeal from the front left wheel, it doesn't pull however when driving or braking. I removed the tire and tried to turn rotor with no luck however the right side turns pretty easily. Also, the rotor seemed much hotter than it's passenger side counterpart. After opening the bleed valve and letting the pressure out the rotor turned easily. I started the car pressed the brakes a few times and bam it's not turning again. My question is that since it's not completely locking the brakes, is it a caliper issue or a clogged brake line?



Any help would be greatly appreciated!



Chris

1998 M3 Coupe

[m3f_badgtho]

i've never seen a clogged brake line on this car (or any car for that matter)



its a seized caliper.

[m3f_Richardsperry]

Seeing as how when you opened the valve and release pressure the rotor turned, I'm thinking it's the line.



If fluid comes out when the bleed valve is open and the peddle is pressed, it's not the line. Pretty simple test.



You could always pull the caliper off and see if it's stuck. You should be able to push the piston back into the housing pretty easily (using a C clamp) without opening the bleed valve.

[m3f_Richardsperry]

I had a collapsed line on my race car. Very frightening. Severe pull to the left. Violent and scary. Chased it for an afternoon, caliper, master cylinder, and after nothing else worked, changed the line. It does happen. I turned out to be the line on the opposite side as the direction of pull. It pulled left, and it was the right front line. In other words, only the left front brake was working.

[m3f_Andrew9682]

Sounds like a collapsed brake line to me to, if the caliper was froozen then opening the bleeder valve wouldn't make a difference.

[m3f_zaxonortes_b8d2f40362]

And a siezed caliper tends to shake the car at high speeds, more with more speed (due to the pad being pressed against the rotor all of the time).

[m3f_badgtho]

if the line was collapsed thats a different story. if its clogged then opening the bleeder would have no effect.



a collapsed line can be felt with your fingers.

[m3f_baltimoreM3]

either way it would be a great time to install stainless steel brake lines. Best bargain I found was on Bimmerworld.com.

[m3f_GAM3 OVR]

Sorry to ressurect from the dead, but the same thing is happening to me AGAIN, dealer replaced the whole left front caliper both disks and pads and the squealing has came back. I also know that my car has SS lines installed.. What is going on with this?? The dealer told me that the caliper locked up the previous time when I brought my car in; causing the rotor to become scored..

[m3f_WRXEATR]

stock brake lines are already braided.

[m3f_GAM3 OVR_951995a9bb]

stock brake lines are already braided.



for zcp's or all e46 M's?

[m3f_WRXEATR_c6f1d80be6]

for our e36's. Its braided steel covered in a rubber sleeve.

[m3f_Roland H_da3d16ded4]

If it doesn't pull when driving or braking.... It could possibly be the guide bushings.


I rebuilt all four of my calipers, put on new pads and rotors, and they started squeeling terribly after bed-in. I couldn't figure it out until looked and saw that the pad was only touching the outside edges of the rotor... Just ordered some solid guide bushings from TMS, if that doesn't do the trick, I'm getting a BBK, but I doubt that these won't fix my issue.

[m3f_WRXEATR_c6f1d80be6]

... Just ordered some solid guide bushings from TMS, if that doesn't do the trick, I'm getting a BBK, but I doubt that these won't fix my issue.



+1.



These we a good investment for me as well.

[m3f_GAM3 OVR_951995a9bb]

When I installed my coil-overs, i.e. took out the factory suspension to put in my PSS10's I may have stressed the brake lines a bit because the lines where the only thing that was really supporting the control arm. If that was the case, couldn't a bleeding or flush solve the problem?