122 Diagnosis

[viperv]

I'm helping a freind with a 1966 122. She got it back from the repair shop where they rebuilt the carbs after the car had been sitting for a year or two. Here is a list of all they said is still wrong with it:
LR Brake Dragging
Rear Diff Pinion Seal Leaking
LR Rebound Strap Broken
Tailshaft Seal Leaking
Valve Cover Gasket Leaking

The brake issues are first, because I really need to drive it. I've read the threads on the brakes, and I guess I better go ahead and order a puller now. It feels like the front brakes might be sticking as well. The peddle is really stiff and doesn't feel like its doing anything. Is it possible to loosen loosen things up or am I looking at replacing a bunch of parts. Thanks for any help.

[Derek UK]

Shouldn't be too much work there, hopefully. I hope the engine is running well now,
LR Brake Dragging - If the car has been parked up with the hand brake on it's not uncommon for the the brakes to stick "on". Before you order the puller, worth having but you might not need it yet, remove wheel and check that the brake cable has a bit of slack and isn't rusted up. Give the drum a few bangs with a copper mallet to see if the shoes move away from the drum. Check the adjuster at the bottom of the back plate. Often seized so may need a few doses of PB Blaster. Use a proper brake spanner to fit the square end. If all this fails you'll need a puller. You might be able to find someone close to you via Brickboard who will loan you one. The proper Volvo one is best.
Rear Diff Pinion Seal Leaking - A small leak/weep fairly normal . If it's not throwing oil about you might choose to just keep an eye on it. Replacing the seal not difficult but retorquing the nut back up to 200-220 ft/lbs not so easy, but vital.
LR Rebound Strap Broken - Available from IPD.
Tailshaft Seal Leaking - Gearbox tailshaft? As with the axle seal but easier job with no nut to worry about. Both of these seals might have dried out a bit with the car sitting idle and may soften up a bit with use and leak less, or maybe not! New oil in GB and axle a good idea.
Valve Cover Gasket Leaking - Replace. Check that cover is flat where the gasket fits. Screws get overtightened and that distorts the metal around the hole. A block of wood and a few taps with a hammer will sort it. With everything flat and clean there is no need for sealant but smear of grease isn't a bad idea.
Amazon front brakes notorious for seizing up when parked for a while. Pistons seize in the calipers. Pads should move back easily when a levered away from the discs. If the discs aren't shiney both sides or the pads are wearing unevenly, it's likely that one or more of the three pistons are seized or sticking. A rebuild with new seals and pistons to replace the rusty ones as needed might be necessary. Many Amazons are running round with a piston or two not working as it should, leading to comments about poor brakes. Good calipers with appropriate pads are good enough to race with, so they can't be that bad.
If you have a hard pedal and the car has a servo, it's likely failed. Bypass or replace but the lady owner might prefer the lighter pedal with a servo. Flat fronted Girling servo rebuilds not always successful but Lockheed/Adelphi(?) ones generally available. Unfortunately it's not easy to fit these neatly and keep good access to the distributor side of the engine. Steering gear and MC's being this side on LHD cars don't make it any easier.
Good luck.

[viperv]

I'm going to try and keep it simple at first. See if I can free up that stuck drum and change some fluids. I hope to get it drivable and then tackle any issues that come up. I'll post some pics and some updates. I appreciate the help.

[48pop]

I had a stuck back brake at the last MOT, pulled the hub, freed the adjuster and carefully used hydraulic pressure to push the cylinder
out and a large lever to get it back in again.....10 mins working it back and forth had it running freely

Workin fine now

[viperv]

Got the rear wheels to spin freely. I'm not convinced that the brakes are working 100% but the parking brake is working good. Took off one front caliper and it looked horrible. I couldn't get calipers to compress and the rubber boot was completely torn. It does not appear to be leaking, but its definitely not working properly. Should I try and mess with it or just order a reconditioned set? I need to keep it cheap. Thanks.

[Derek UK]

Did you manage to get the rear hubs off? You won't really know what's going on in there if you don't. It may be good news but the brake cylinders often start to leak after a week or three if the car has been sitting a while.

You can certainly have a go at the calipers and a cheap job may save you money but it may not save your life. A properly reconditioned pair shouldn't be too expensive. Cheaper than new discs for example so I hope you don't need those as well.

[viperv]

Can't find any reasonably priced calipers so I'm going to try and rebuild them. I'll try and get them moving first but I've definitely got to replace the rubber boots. I'll probably have to revisit the rear brakes later as well.

[Derek UK]

Are you on Brickboard?
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?model=120-130
You might find a local source for calipers there.
Work safe!

[viperv]

No luck with the rebuild the pistons are seized up good. The left side is not as bad but I'm not sure if replacing one side is a good idea. I can't find replacement calipers anywhere. I've tried 20 different suppliers. I can send them and get them rebuilt which is looking like the only option. Is there a newer model volvo with calipers that fit the 122? Gotta figure out a solution because I'm sick of riding my bike.

[viperv]

New Calipers are on the way. Going to focus on getting the drums straight while I'm waiting.