Technical Car/Motor Issues > BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions?
Thread Author: legacylad Replies: 13
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 20:08 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - legacylad
I set off today and after only a mile a 'judder' developed through the steering wheel, becoming progressively worse. I suspected a puncture, but all seemed ok when I stopped, so I returned home and found the front NS wheel emitting as much heat as a small furnace. And a strong smell of burning.
Presumably a sticking brake caliper.
Being a technical ignoramus, what damage can have been caused please?
My normal indie, whom I trust implicitly, is 30 miles away, and I don't want to risk the journey, so the car is booked in with another local indie this week.
Hopefully a straight forward job to release the sticking caliper...it happened previously for a short time, but I just didn't twig and it must have released itself.
Thanks for any advice.
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 20:14 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Zero
Possibly worn / glazed / cracked the pad, such that it may need replacing (and hence both sides)

May need to have the brake fluid changed.

It could of course not be the pad sticking, could be a wheel bearing.

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New Mon 28 Feb 11 20:35 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - legacylad
Zero, thanks for your reply.
I drove 3 miles to check up on my old Mum tonight and all seemed fine.No evidence of heat coming from the FNS wheel as before. If it were a wheel bearing, would I not have a permanent problem?
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 20:36 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Zero
Yeah probably, and they take longer than a few miles to get really hot.

Pad is favourite.
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 20:44 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - corax
These are prone to sticking front calipers. Should be a simple job for an indie to inspect the pads, and maybe pop out the pistons on the caliper to remove any grime. My offside front caliper is not working so well at the moment - probably made worse due to all the winter crud on the roads recently.

Thought you had an E46? Not sure if the caliper type is the same on these.
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 21:21 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - legacylad
Thanks Zero and corax for your replies...
no idea if it is an E36, E46 or M62!
All I know is its an '04 330Ci convertible.
And its lovely.
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New Mon 28 Feb 11 21:25 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - -
It's an E46, and yes one of the nicest cars of recent years.

Now if only someone would wash all that salt out from underneath, and keep their brakes cleaned and lubed..:-)
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Mon 28 Feb 11 at 21:25
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New Tue 1 Mar 11 14:46 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Fenlander
>>>I returned home and found the front NS wheel emitting as much heat as a small furnace. And a strong smell of burning.

From my experience of a pad that's been heated this badly there is every chance the bond between friction material and metal backing will have been compromised... I'd change the pads regardless of visual condition.
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New Tue 1 Mar 11 15:49 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - legacylad
ouch gb
Actually I do wash all the salt out from under the arches, and bodywork where my pressure washer lance reaches, paying particular attention to the alloys and removing brake dust whenever possible.

Keeping the brakes cleaned & lubed is another matter which I shall look into.
Regards
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New Tue 5 Apr 11 16:03 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Old Navy
>> Actually I do wash all the salt out from under the arches, and bodywork where
>> my pressure washer lance reaches, paying particular attention to the alloys and removing brake dust
>> whenever possible.
>>

Shove the garden sprinkler under it.
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New Tue 1 Mar 11 17:47 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Skoda
>> E46 or M62

E46 with a v8 M62 engine... is 3 litres not enough for you LL ? :-)

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New Tue 1 Mar 11 20:03 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - Falkirk Bairn
Brake caliper issue last week on Mazda Xedos - cost £227 for new caliper, 2 x new disks and new pads - parts were £130, Labour £57, all +VAT

Car is now fine again but this has added 50% to my repair bills over 11 years - was £500 until now now £730.
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New Tue 1 Mar 11 21:23 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - corax
>> Car is now fine again but this has added 50% to my repair bills over
>> 11 years - was £500 until now now £730.

Oh what terrible value - you should pass that information onto some Mazda diesel owners :)
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New Tue 8 Mar 11 22:29 
 BMW 3-Series E36 conv - 04 3.0 Sticking brake caliper. Repercussions? - legacylad
This slight issue has now been resolved to my satisfation.
Local indie (whom I do not normally use) 'unstuck' the caliper and charged me 1.25 hours labour for the privilege, then wanted £94 for an 'exchange' caliper+ fitting charge. I declined.
My local factor supplied me one for £53, and I paid my usual small indie £20 to fit it, check discs & pads all A ok, check & top up brake fluid and confirm everything in order underneath. Whilst I looked on.
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