ianmg said:

For clarification, when I say the pedal is soft/spongy.... it also sinks all the way to the floor before any kind of wheel lock up or skid.

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This sounds like rear brakes to me.

OP I don't know if you've checked them but I'd take GrumpyGel's advice re the rear brakes. I had a similar issue to this on my GS whilst doing 70 round the M25. It was definitely squeaky bum time. I got some braking back by pumping the pedal a lot so limped home at like 20 mph. Turned out it was the retaining pin on one of the rear drums that Grumpy Gel refers to. One of the shoes had slipped sideways slightly and off the little pushy lever so wasn't travelling all the way to the drum. Replaced the pin (and the rest of them just in case) and all went back to normal.

I’m going to have a play with the drums and shoes and go from there.
Failing that.... bonfire!!

ianmg said:

I’m going to have a play with the drums and shoes and go from there.
Failing that.... bonfire!!

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In my experience the first rule of diagnosing a strange issue is, assume anyone who touched it before you cocked something up.
The L series brakes are poor anyway but shouldn't be soft.

Good luck with it.

Alibro said:

In my experience the first rule of diagnosing a strange issue is, assume anyone who touched it before you cocked something up.
The L series brakes are poor anyway but shouldn't be soft.

Good luck with it.

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Well that logic follows every other thing I’ve had to do to it in the last two years!

ianmg said:

Mine doesn’t have abs so it’s not that.

As for bleeding methods. I’ve used gunson eziebleed, a vacuum bleeder and the two man method.
I’m 100% confidet that there’s no air in the system as when the front flexihose is clamped, a rock solid (as in jumping on the floor solid!!) pedal is achieved.

Locking off the front flexi says to me that it’s not the rear wheel cylinder but I’m not sure what else to try!

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Is that with or without engine running? pumping pedal up when not running gives false firm pedal, as only with servoi assistance will you get spongy pedal unless massive air lock or hole in a pipe, if no tried it lock off front caliper and retry with engine running,

if your rear brake investigation comes to nowt undo caliper and swing up wards and zip tie it to spring with nipple pointing upwards, chock the brake pedal with something agaisnt the seat and leave over night allowing any air to rise to top so any remaingi air should rise towards nipple then bleed it that way just in case

Failing that i have seen once and it is rare but not unheard off, where the seals in the master had folded over themselves inside the cyclinder when being bled via the 2 man way pumping the pedal, fluid was coming through nipples all round but no decent could be achieved that was on a '97 escort