After running my car somewhat hard and shutting her down I notice I am getting a harsh smell as if the front brakes are burning up. I checked the front wheels and nothing is locked up. The brake pads are like new and the car used to be stored outside so it could have made the smell and I never noticed. My son has told me he smells the same things sometimes. Is it common for some brake pads to stink after driving? The ones I have are Duralast from Autozone. Might I have a brake issue?
Front brakes on 1996 Buick Century stink
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You could be overheating them for their application. Even if your Duralast are the GOLD, they're still application specific friction...as the way GM designed them. You may also need a brake fluid flush!...or there is some brake(s) sticking when things get )))HOT(((
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If you used the brakes unusually hard for the first time on those pads, it could just be the solvents used in manufacturing boiling out. Just let them cool and they should be OK.
Or if you have a sticking caliper piston, it could be causing a brake to drag continuously. When you release the brake pedal with the car idling at a stop light, does it still creep forward, or is it being held in place? If the car doesn't creep forward, it could be a sticking piston.
Or if you have a sticking caliper piston, it could be causing a brake to drag continuously. When you release the brake pedal with the car idling at a stop light, does it still creep forward, or is it being held in place? If the car doesn't creep forward, it could be a sticking piston.
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Are the wheel centers too hot to touch? Can you feel heat radiating from the brake area? If so the brakes are dragging.
Maybe try not running your car so hard. It will only cost you more in repairs and/or tickets.
If the pads are new its not easy to determine if things are sticking unless you take everything apart. The caliper can stick (piston), the tabs on the pad can not move freely on the rail, the floating pins can be rusted and the flex brake line can be rusted almost closed inside and will not let much pressure back after the pedal is released.
If the pads are new its not easy to determine if things are sticking unless you take everything apart. The caliper can stick (piston), the tabs on the pad can not move freely on the rail, the floating pins can be rusted and the flex brake line can be rusted almost closed inside and will not let much pressure back after the pedal is released.
If one Caliper is hanging-up, (over heating),
try using one of those infrared thermometers.
Compare the temp. of the left and right calipers.
try using one of those infrared thermometers.
Compare the temp. of the left and right calipers.
I just replaced the brake lines and bled/flushed the system after the P/S wheel was dragging and not letting the car roll freely off a light. Once the lines were changed and system flushed there was/is no drag, the cars rolls freely and does not pull to one side vs the other during regular driving or when the brakes are applied. When I checked the pads and calipers during the line swap everything looked and worked fine. I had new pads on hand but my olds ones looked as new and were not worn uneven. Could the calipers be sticking just enough to cause my "stink" problem?
If one of the front caliper hoses was partially collapsed, that would cause the fluid to be trapped in the caliper and not let it release all the way. You can't always tell by looking on the outside of the hose, sometimes they look fine on the outside.
A buddy of mine put on some "lifetime warranty" pads on his late 90s GM car a few years ago and these pads always had a stink to them when he braked. Everything on his car worked fine and the stink left when he changed to a different brand of brake pads.
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If one of the front caliper hoses was partially collapsed, that would cause the fluid to be trapped in the caliper and not let it release all the way. You can't always tell by looking on the outside of the hose, sometimes they look fine on the outside.
I had the problem after Merchant's Tire and Auto put a 360 degree twist in one brake caliper hose, kinking it. Pressing the brakes would cause the other side to brake harder, releasing the brakes would cause the twisted side to drag. As a result the car would pitch hard to one side when braking and not so hard to the other side when releasing brakes. A wild ride and not what I was looking for in a brake job.
I have pictures.
If one of the front caliper hoses was partially collapsed, that would cause the fluid to be trapped in the caliper and not let it release all the way. You can't always tell by looking on the outside of the hose, sometimes they look fine on the outside.
I had the problem after Merchant's Tire and Auto put a 360 degree twist in one brake caliper hose, kinking it. Pressing the brakes would cause the other side to brake harder, releasing the brakes would cause the twisted side to drag. As a result the car would pitch hard to one side when braking and not so hard to the other side when releasing brakes. A wild ride and not what I was looking for in a brake job.
I have pictures.
How old are the calipers, are they original?
Right now, rock auto has wagner calipers for a 96 buick century On a closeout price.
These are loaded calipers with pads for;
TQM25006 front left $19.26
TQM25007 front right 23.79
Shipping to nc is $11.53
no core charge on either.
If your calipers are original, that is most likely your problem.
calipers with pads, for under $60 bucks!!!!
Since you have new brake lines id consider this.
WAGNER Part # TQM25006
WAGNER Part # TQM25007
These are loaded calipers with pads for;
TQM25006 front left $19.26
TQM25007 front right 23.79
Shipping to nc is $11.53
no core charge on either.
If your calipers are original, that is most likely your problem.
calipers with pads, for under $60 bucks!!!!
Since you have new brake lines id consider this.
WAGNER Part # TQM25006
WAGNER Part # TQM25007
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GM A-bodies (there are older exceptions) use the same brakes that GM put on the 'full size' (DeVille, LeSabre, Bonneville, Delta 88) front drives. Lots of good suggestions on what you need to do. There is something wrong with yours.
If the Century uses the same aluminum caliper as the Malibu/Gran Prix etc. the front pads look the same, but are NOT interchangeable. The inner pad has a very small peg on it, and if it ends up on the outboard side, it will cause the caliper to bind. I know, because I found out the hard way after 2 sets of brakes in a year. The ones I originally replaced could have been backwards too. It will fit fine, but brakes will do strange things, and work terribly if pads are reversed. On the one I did, it was trying to do all the braking with one pad, cooking the backside of the rotor. Smelled bad, and took a lot of pedal effort, and probably dragging too.
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