306 brake question

[supafrisk]

I've noticed with the 306 that if you jump in and drive off immediately, for the first couple of minutes the brake pedal goes rock solid and braking efficiency is severely diminished
After a couple of minutes though, the pedal returns to "normal"
I was wondering if an ingress of water (hygroscopic brake fluid) would cause the problem or whether it's something more serious
Also I've mentioned the clutch pedal is almost on the floor all of the time, there's only about 2 inches maximum movement, it's really stiff and I have to remember to dip the clutch all the way, otherwise it's impossible to engage gears, unlike the 406 which performs flying changes up in record time and down the box with no effort at all.
The dealer said it would need a new clutch in about 4 months but I'm not sure that that is the problem, someone else said that the cable had probably stretched and to change that first, however there is no thrust bearing noise, which was my first thought so if anyone else can pinpoint the problem it would help immensely.

[jasper5]

The brake problem could be down to a vacuum pump problem, blockage in the vacuum pipe, valve in the pipe faulty.

There could be a sticking brake somewhere of course. If you get the problem only when the car is loaded at the rear, look at the load valve at the back, they are very common for siezing up.

Water in the fluid doesn't give any symptoms, only problem you get with water in the fluid is brake failure when the fluid gets too hot and the water "boils".

The clutch sounds like a cable problem to me, or something broken in the pressure plate, but you would get difficult gearchanging if the springs in the pressure plate are broken.

[supafrisk]

The brake problem could be down to a vacuum pump problem, blockage in the vacuum pipe, valve in the pipe faulty.

There could be a sticking brake somewhere of course. If you get the problem only when the car is loaded at the rear, look at the load valve at the back, they are very common for siezing up.

Water in the fluid doesn't give any symptoms, only problem you get with water in the fluid is brake failure when the fluid gets too hot and the water "boils".

The clutch sounds like a cable problem to me, or something broken in the pressure plate, but you would get difficult gearchanging if the springs in the pressure plate are broken.

It could be the pressure springs, it is stiff to change, mainly for the first five minutes of driving (or more likely that I get accustomed to it!!).
I will change the cable first to see if that alleviates the problem.

[HDiAndy]

not a bad idea to change the cable regardless, they run very close to the exhaust on 306's and dry out in record time- i've never driven a 306 with a light clutch yet but it does make them more bearable. the trick thing to do at the moment is wrap the new cable in that sticky heat shield tape.

[Daveyravey]

Huh, don't talk to me about Peugeot clutch cables

I had a 309 years ago that had an appetite for cables, to the tune of 2 per month.
Thinking it was a pressure plate problem, i changed the whole clutch assy, but it never cured it strangely

Sold the car on soon after to some nice chap in Edinburgh

Your brake problem sounds like a servo leak to me