Need Serious Brake Help

OK guys and girls (Ami, I don't want to feel your wrath again :headshake ) I am having some brake issues, which I thought I could clear up, but they aren't any better. I was getting really mushy brakes, having problems with what I thought was the master cylinder, and having to pump my brakes up. So I changed the master cylinder and bled my brake lines, but it is not any better. I didn't do anything with the rears, however, since I know little to nothing about drum brakes, but could that have something to do with my problems? I'm not losing any fluid, and I have double checked all of the fittings to make sure they are not leaking, and I put in almost a quart of brand new fluid tonight as I bled the brakes. I did get a bunch of air out of one of the calipers, but bled it until there were no more bubbles. :crying: So now I am stuck :banghead: and I don't know what to do next... Anyone got any insight? Please :1zhelp:



:feedback:

Oh, and thanks in advance!!

you love me :smooch:

i dunno what to tell you...other than you should have downloaded (or at least saved the link) the helm's by now :shakehead :screwy:

here is the main brake index page: http://www.binghamtonlife.com/manual/2gsm/brakes.htm

the whole manual:
http://www.binghamtonlife.com/manual/manual.htm

Brakes are nothing to screw around with. If you cant figure it out, take it to some one who can ASAP.

If you getting a mushy peddle @ slow speeds it could be a bad check valve or booster, you know its not the master.

Yeah, I got that one, thanks. I also have a chiltons and a Haynes, and I've done everything right, as far as they say. The problem is that I don't know where the problem is. It seems like, if there are no airbubbles in my front lines, and if the fluid is not leaking out, the brakes should be firm, right? I guess not! Does Jer hav any ideas for me? Thanks!

I hadn't thought of the check valve. That would be getting off easy! Thanks for the input! And, yes, I will be taking it to someone who knows better if I can't get it working right.

Do you know if a problem in the rears will affect overall braking? It seems like they do so little that it wouldn't affect much...

Thanks!

The problem is that I don't know where the problem is.

:iceslolan

Why didn't you bleed the rears? Bleeding rears is same as front - crack open bleeder. Check out that site Ami posted for the Factory Repair manual or better yet buy one from www.helminc.com


http://www.binghamtonlife.com/manual/2gsm/images/91-19-12.jpg
http://www.binghamtonlife.com/manual/2gsm/images/91-19-16.jpg

Yes a problem in rear could effect overall braking

I didn't bleed the rears becuz I haven't touched the rears since I bought the car, but did put on new front pads a few months ago. I figured that if I hadn't done anything back there, there shoudn't be any air in the lines. Is that wrong? I have looked at that manual, and have my own, but maybe I'm just thinking thru it wrong. Thanks again.

money on you having air in the rear brake lines....when you replace the master you end up getting air into the brake system....if you dont bleed the system completly you get stuck with air...mushy peddle.....longer stopping distance...all around crappy brakes.

You MUST bleed ALL brakes, even if you only worked on one.
It's not that much more effort, so knock it out!
Flunky