306 hissing from dashboard and losing brake fliud

[miniman]

Hi folks,
The wifes 306 has started hissing from the servo, AND losing brake fluid when the pedal is pumped. Any ideas? Will a fluid leak cause the servo to hiss, or is this just co-incidental?
The 306 has a servo with a vacuum on either side, so its not the diaphragm, but the valving in the servo that may be causing the leak.
Why do both our Pugs break at the same time?? What an arse

Any ideas before I take the servo out and strip it for inspection?

[mjb]

Sounds like you'll need Samuel L Jackson in to take care of the snakes...

Either that or I guess you might have a buggered servo/master cylinder? Shouldn't be too pricey or difficult to replace the lot from a breakers yard

[no2lurch]

cant really help i'm affraid but just want to warn you - if you dont already know - brake fluid is probably the best ever paint stripper, and is veryflamable. a good friend lost his car due to fire caused by brake fluid being the fuel.

[Harshan]

It can be diaphragm if hissing sound comes only when the pedal is pressed, means one chamber opens to outside air pressure. But if it's there throughout, I would check the valve and the feed line from the intake manifold. For loosing brake fluid, it's the washers in the master pump, I'm afraid. Further, this oil can seep into the vacuum and then eventually (when filled to a certain level) can be sucked into the engine and burnt. Exactly the same thing happened in my D8 the sooner I bought it and I have been wondering what was that thick blue smoke cloud puffs out from my exhaust when I floor the pedal in a hurry. Replaced the booster/vacuum unit and master pump and issue solved.