Should I bleed brakes? Does it help?

I bought my 1992 Civic LX in december with 76,000 miles and the car runs new but fluids in the car were really bad. Since then I changed the Engine oil (4 times), transmission fluid (it was banging to hell before I changed it), added a lil more power steering fluid, drained flushed and refilled the cooling system and am now wondering about the brakes. I bought a big bottle of brake fluid and i'm wondering if its even worth bleeding the brakes. Im wondering if it would improve stopping or make it more sensitive.... does the brake fluid ever have to be changed? Thanks guys! :alien:

Originally posted by sageuvagony
I bought my 1992 Civic LX in december with 76,000 miles and the car runs new but fluids in the car were really bad. Since then I changed the Engine oil (4 times), transmission fluid (it was banging to hell before I changed it), added a lil more power steering fluid, drained flushed and refilled the cooling system and am now wondering about the brakes. I bought a big bottle of brake fluid and i'm wondering if its even worth bleeding the brakes. Im wondering if it would improve stopping or make it more sensitive.... does the brake fluid ever have to be changed? Thanks guys! :alien:

If the brakes feel mushy then yes bleeding the brakes helps. I change my brake fluid every year or so, but I also autocross about 20-30 times a year.

it says in the haynes manual to drain and refill your brakes once every year.

so im guessing my brake fluid was barely ever changed... or never... bad thing? Would there be any noticible difference if I changed it? Also I have to push the brake all the way in at a red light. Sometimes the car will start moving without me noticing. I really have to hold on to the brake.. :(

? :confused:

yeah definentley try greenchai your brakes and if you think your fluid has not been changed in a while you might want to try doing that too!:

don't bleed the brakes unless you've already broken the system. If you're getting a shitty brake pedal, try adjusting (not to be confused with bleeding) your rears (if you have drums). take a look at your pads and your rotors. Check out the master cylinder, as well as the booster (but boosters rarely go on civics).

there is never anything wrong with bleeding the brakes as long as you do it right... brake fluid sucks up water very easily and when this happens the fluid will actually boil under hard braking when the brakes get hot. it does sound like you have more problems than just needing to flush your brakes though if you have to hold the pedal down all the way when stopped and the car still tries to move?? BAD, not good at all. check for leaks... make sure your front pads/rear drum linings are not worn out, make sure you have enough fluid in the first place.

as far as flushing goes... it is not that hard to do but takes 2 people unless you have special speed bleeders on your car which is pretty much only a race car thing so here is how it works for the average street car... you need to start by making sure that you have plenty of fluid in the car then start at the brake that is closest and work your way to each brake that is farther and farther away. check fluid level frequently and make sure you have enough, you will use it fairly quickly as you bleed the brakes and if you do not keep topping it off you will run out, when this happens you start the whole process over. it sucks. so while someone in the car holds the brake down you loosen the bleeder then tighten it back up, the person lets up on the brake and presses it back down, you loosen the bleeder then tighten it back down, repeat, repeat, repeat. CHECK FLUID LEVEL! you know you have gotten all of the old fluid out when you can see new fluid coming out of the bleeder

I almost forgot an important detail... you want to have a hose on the tip of the bleeder that runs into a cup of brake fluid, having a clear hose helps so you can see when the new clean fluid starts coming out.

as always my answer has been long and drawn out but if you read carefully this should help you