Saturn L Series Sedans & Wagons L100, L200, L300, LW200, and LW300

2002 saturn L100 brake problems

Old Mar 2, 2020 | 04:03 AM
  #1  
Frank Merg's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 2
Default 2002 saturn L100 brake problems

hello folks i am a retired person (Translation old f#rt) on a very limited income
i have a 2002 L100 2.2L and the breaks are driving me crazy
i had to replace the brake lines going to the rear being one ruptured

then the rear left brake cylinder went bad (the piston was completely out of it)
i replaced it and in just a few days it went bad
i replaced it 3 times and it keep blowing the last time i replaced it i replaced the springs and pads with it
now i have that line capped so i can drive it
now one of the front brakes as a twisted caliper mounting bracket
someone said that it maybe a faulty proportional valve sending too much pressure to one wheel
did an internet search and could not find any mention of that
however i have been told that some cars use the ABS control to regulate break pressure
does anyone know if a 2002 L100 has a proportional value or if it is handled by the abs unit?
  • please treat this as a desperate plea Because it is
 
Old Mar 2, 2020 | 08:30 AM
  #2  
Rubehayseed's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,564
From: Anniston, AL
Default

Sorry that I can't help you, but I have heard that there are adjustable proportioning valves out there that people use on hot rods. I have no idea how the hell they adjust them, but maybe DD or Bones will, if they read this. I don't even know if your car has ABS on it or not. If so, I suspect you'd see the ABS module mounted on the brake lines near the master cylinder. Can you post a photo of the firewall and master cylinder area?
 
Old Mar 2, 2020 | 09:46 AM
  #3  
Frank Merg's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 2
Default

Originally Posted by Rubehayseed
Sorry that I can't help you, but I have heard that there are adjustable proportioning valves out there that people use on hot rods. I have no idea how the hell they adjust them, but maybe DD or Bones will, if they read this. I don't even know if your car has ABS on it or not. If so, I suspect you'd see the ABS module mounted on the brake lines near the master cylinder. Can you post a photo of the firewall and master cylinder area?
It dose have the abs module with traction control
 
Old Mar 3, 2020 | 07:41 AM
  #4  
Rubehayseed's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,564
From: Anniston, AL
Default

Okay, I'm not that familiar with the modern ABS systems. I'm an old fart that's used to working on drum brakes and disc pads on the front of the car. The whole ABS thing just pisses me off because that's just another computer controlled something to go wrong with a car nowadays. I miss the emergency brakes on the drive shafts like I had on my 48 Plymouth in the days of my youth.
 
Old Mar 3, 2020 | 07:47 AM
  #5  
lrbraner's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 121
Default

I dont believe it has a proportional valve per se.
The ABS unit takes care of that.
I find it hard to understand how the piston can come out of the wheel
cylinder if the brake shoes are correctly adjusted.
 
Old Mar 3, 2020 | 09:31 PM
  #6  
derf's Avatar
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,410
From: Slightly off center
Default

Are you putting pressure on the brake cylinder before the springs and shoes are all in place and the drum back on?

I don't believe the average the caliper mounting bracket can be physically twisted. They are likely cast and functionally would be most resistant 2 distortion perpendicular to the length of the piece.

The only way I see a caliper mounting bracket bending is as a result of an accident. It's going to throw the alignment of the pads to the rotor off and then who knows what braking pressure is going where?

I would not expect adjustment of a proportioning valve even if there was one would make any sense as you don't know which way you're trying to adjust what. The solution is to fix the existing issues as opposed to determining temporary workarounds. Unfortunately, that costs money or bartering with a good friend who knows cars.

Could you please post a picture of the twisted caliper bracket?

​​​​​​
 

Last edited by derf; Apr 26, 2026 at 10:19 AM.
Old Mar 4, 2020 | 07:15 AM
  #7  
Rubehayseed's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,564
From: Anniston, AL
Default

Are you sure you got all of the springs back in the right place on the rear drum brakes? Watch this video by richpin
and make sure you have it put back together correctly. If you left out the self adjuster or didn't get the shoes properly seated in the notch of the wheel cylinders, you'll have problems.
 

Last edited by Rubehayseed; Mar 4, 2020 at 07:20 AM.
Old Jan 18, 2025 | 03:42 PM
  #8  
havai's Avatar
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 2
Default Nice, but not helpful with 2002 L-series, etc.

as others hopefully noticed, that otherwise well done richpin video re. rear brake drum jobs emphatically does not apply to the 2002 L100 (and other related L series brakes > 2000.... ) critical differences, involving especially the adjuster, the trailing brake shoe (and positioning of the parking brake arm).... the 2002 job is an utter nightmare, as I gather others here have recently been posting.
 
Old Jan 18, 2025 | 03:56 PM
  #9  
02 LW300's Avatar
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 3,307
From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Default

Please don’t reply to four+ year old threads. They are here for information only.
Thanks
Andy
 
Old Mar 5, 2026 | 02:17 PM
  #10  
Thankumuch's Avatar
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2025
Posts: 17
Default

I know this comment is late, but possibly helpful to someone. When I did my brakes all around, the rears fooled me the first time. The spring that holds the tensioner arm onto the brake adjuster (click wheel) has to be twisted/attached so it applies forward pressure to the adjuster bar riding on the cogged wheel. First time I put it together it was not leaning into the cogged wheel, thus unable to hold adjustment. Simply rotating the spring properly applied the force needed onto the adjustment wheel. Very easy to overlook.
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:24 PM.