Ticking Timebomb!?

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I was messing around under the hood today and noticed some calcium buildup on my brake ..thing.. I'm not sure what its called.

I think there might be a hairline fracture or something..but it might just be from water pooling in the crack. I scraped off most of the blue stuff, and ill hit it with some cleaner tomorrow, it looks like moisture underneath..I'm not sure if brake fluid would leave that same calcium buildup as water or what's going on.. looking for more input before I go having to bleed all my brake lines :/

http://i56.tinypic.com/6ifyoo.jpg

[Pu241]

ZZ,

Resize your pic to the required 600x480.

It is called a brake proportioning valve.

Seriously doubt it is calcium.
Where would elemental calcium come from?
Besides calcium metal will oxidize/burn when in contact with the humidity/water in the air.
If you still have a piece I have access to and XRF and can give you some idea of its chemical composition within reason.

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I was thinking maybe it was getting extremely hot for ..some reason?.. and water pooling on the top was evaporating leaving only the calcium..kinda like in a coffee pot. But I don't think the brake lines should ever get hot enough for that. I'll resize the pic, sec.

I don't want to put you out or anything, but if its not gonna cost u anything I could probably get a chunk of that blue stuff.


/e

I guess its taken a minute too long I don't have the option to edit my first post anymore. If you want to fix it just add a link to the pic instead of the img tags.. tinypic won't let me shrink it less than 680x480 anyway.

[Pu241]

I don't want to put you out or anything, but if its not gonna cost u anything I could probably get a chunk of that blue stuff.

I run the facilities, my lab manager will have the tech run the sample at my request. LOL
No charge.

My point was it isn't "calcium" as in the element metal.
It might be calcium carbonate or a meta silicate of calcium, or a carbonate, but where would such a material come from?
Most are not all that soluble in water.
So precipitation from an environmental source isn't likely.
Let alone how well defined and confined the material is in that location.

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Alright, good deal man, ill get back with you tomorrow about it, I've gotta do some work on the passenger side (new lca and moog bushings) and ill see if I can scrape off enough to make a good sample. There was a good chunk in the back I couldn't touch with my pocketknife. Who knows I might be able to see a crack if it exists once I hit it with brake cleaner.

I haven't noticed any loss of brake fluid, so if it is a leak its not very big, but I am not taking any chances on my brakes failing, especially now that I have kids in the car on occasion. It's happened before and was NOT fun.

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Update:

I couldn't get enough of that to make a good sample, the piece that was in the back must have rattled off because it was gone, and there wasn't much more than a few crumbs left on the top. I'm still bebating on what to do, I have a guy willing to sell me that piece, but I'm not looking foward to breaking another bleeder valve. Seems to happen at least once every time I bleed brakes. Nobodys been able to give me an answer as to what that is, someone mentioned it could be a leak dripping down from my windshield fluid but I haven't spotted any leaks from it. Not sure..ill probably just replace the thing next week regaurdless, I can't take any chances.

[Pu241]

ZZ,

I could us another analytical technique called TGA, which will tell me what it is Not.
Not as useful as XRF in this case, but given the circumstances it is what you got.
TGA also requires just milligrams of a material for sampling.

Also regarding bleeder valves.
The use of PB-Blaster is highly recommended.
Stray liberally, let sit 12-24 hrs, spray again.
Then the magic, slightly tap the wrench, socket handle, etc. in the clockwise direction with a hammer or what have you.
Just ever so slightly, before attempting to back-off the valve in the counter clockwise direction.
Haven't broken one in years now.

[link5186]

I may have a sample as well. Spotted this on our aspire a while ago (read years).

IMG_20110825_165408.jpg by link5186, on Flickr
Kinda has the texture of dried semi-ridgid silicone. I can scrape up some to sample as well. It's much more sky blue in color than this pic shows. Nothing's happened insofar as a failure.

[Pu241]

I'm thinking hydrolyzed hydraulic fluid catalyzed by moisture, metal oxides, and oxygen!
Just a guess though.

Link5186, drop as much of the material into a small plastic vial (pill container) or double/triple plastic bag it and send it my way in a padded envelop/small box, so we don't have an issue with the USPS service over a "white powdery material".
Even though it isn't white and is not a weapon.

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@pu241, i always use pb blaster, actually i usually use pb blaster, and this stuff called liquid wrench, in combination with a wire brush. The only thing i dont normally do is plan in advance and let it sit for a couple hours. 2 weeks ago i snapped the valve off a mazda 626 im fixing, which is costing me a new caliper =( wasted money. Ive recently picked up a habit of hitting every bolt/nut/thread i see with blaster anytime i take something apart, and im using antiseize these days.. hopefully it'll help.. i still need to break the driver side valve loose so ill do as you say and see what happens.

@links...interesting i wonder how many others have/had this same issue??!

[htchbck]

^^ I've seen in on junkyard cars before. Never really took the time to wonder what it was or why it was there, just knew I didn't really want to pull the proportioning valve off a car that had it. I'm curious though to know what it actually is