calipers stuck?

[rodrigo]

Hi.
I finally got my car registered yesterday afternoon, and drove it around all evening and night going slow, fast, turning, braking...trying to get a feel for how the car is. I've had it for a month and haven't been but around the block to keep it from sitting in the driveway. The rotors show lots of corrosion on the outer perimeter and scratch marks ont he brake surface.

The brakes had always been bad by today's standards...I'd step on the pedal and it would feel like wood and it would slow down, but take a while to stop completely...almost like there had to be an unsusual amount of pressure on the pedal to stop the car. Pedal travel was very short, but I've never had an E30 so I didn't pay much attention to it.

So last night during my 'test' drive I went through a few stop signs...stopping slowly as I had come to expect, then during the last few I really jammed on the brake pedal...on the last attempt at stopping abruptly, I heard and felt a 'POP'. All of a sudden my brake pedal had a travel distance and I'm stopping much much better.

I was thinking of rebuilding or replacing the calipers as I was doubtful of their braking ability, I think now I may just end up rebuilding them and paint them black (so they look clean).

My question is: Is this thing that happened...the 'POP'...something enyone else has experienced before? If the piston was stuck to the caliper body wouldn't there be a fluid leak now? You guys think a rebuild would suffice?



Please feel free to express your opinions.

THanks! :)

[PiercedE30]

Sounds like one of the calipers was sticking and due to the huge pressures that you imposed on it from that stop, and from actually using it, caused it to unstick.