Braking Problem

[d1nonlyjv43]

1991 Honda Crx, I have a Issue with my brakes. When you step on them they go to the floor and you only get a little pressure when its to the floor I mean you can basicly stand on it. Anyways I'm trying to figure out why its like that. I brought a new master cylender for it but havent installed it yet trying to get feedback first. I f you have any ideas get at me

[CRXperiment]

Is your booster hooked up?
Are you losing fluid?
Have you tried a brake bleed with new fluid?
Try those first but since you said you already bought a new MC you might as well throw it on I guess.

[thedeadcivic]

i had the same problem untill i replaced my master cylinder and bled the front brakes. i would just go ahead and replace the master cylinder... unless you find a leak in your brake line somewhere....

[CRXperiment]

Originally Posted by thedeadcivic

i had the same problem untill i replaced my master cylinder and bled the front brakes.

Just curious, did you only bleed the front brakes? In that case, you bleed them improperly as you have to bleed all 4 lines starting from the farthest one to the MC. If i were you, i'd maybe bleed them again properly just do be sure. I think individual bleeding works on old dumbestics, not on Hondas.

[d1nonlyjv43]

Yes i am losing fluid I just checked it looks kind of wet, where the mc hooks up to the booster and i mean when you press on the brake like pumping it you can see air bubles forming inside the resivor so im thinkin that the booster is fine right?

[Tony]

I would disagree with you there CRXeperiment, Ive bled the brakes on both my EG's by myself without any fancy tools. I just pop the bleeder open, pump the brakes until i see a nice amount of fluid shooting out, then close the bleeder. I have had no issue with air in the lines using this method, and I raced one a full season without a problem.


Now I'm not telling everyone to start bleeding their brakes this way, it works, but if you have time and a friend or the speed bleeders, bleed them correctly. Ive just never had the time(or just haven't felt like doing it) to bleed mine properly and Ive found this method works fine.....Now my brake booster did go out at the end of the season on my race car, or is starting to go out on it, and I don't know if my method was the cause of it, but the brakes still work.

[johnb16a2]

Originally Posted by d1nonlyjv43

Yes i am losing fluid I just checked it looks kind of wet, where the mc hooks up to the booster and i mean when you press on the brake like pumping it you can see air bubles forming inside the resivor so im thinkin that the booster is fine right?

Probably not, sounds like the master cylinder is leaking internally and probably into the brake booster as well (very bad). If you really want, you can try bleeding the brakes but I'd just replace the master cylinder. Please make sure you follow the directions and bench bleed the cylinder first. GL

[viper-blue]

Originally Posted by Tony

I would disagree with you there CRXeperiment, Ive bled the brakes on both my EG's by myself without any fancy tools. I just pop the bleeder open, pump the brakes until i see a nice amount of fluid shooting out, then close the bleeder. I have had no issue with air in the lines using this method, and I raced one a full season without a problem.


Now I'm not telling everyone to start bleeding their brakes this way, it works, but if you have time and a friend or the speed bleeders, bleed them correctly. Ive just never had the time(or just haven't felt like doing it) to bleed mine properly and Ive found this method works fine.....Now my brake booster did go out at the end of the season on my race car, or is starting to go out on it, and I don't know if my method was the cause of it, but the brakes still work.

He is right on this...I use a one man bleeding kit..it is like the cup that has an inlet tube that sits in brake fluid and an outlet for the fluid to escape (its like the fluid cup you get with the one man vacuum bleeder) you just connect this thing to the bleeder screw, loosen the screw and pump the brakes, all by yourself. the only difference between using this tool and doing what tony says is that there is a cup to catch the fluid. You can buy these things anywhere for 4 or 5 dollars.

[Tony]

Yea, having a cup to catch it wouldn't be a bad idea, but on my cars so far I haven't cared if the brake fluid gets in the wheel well or wherever right now. ofcourse you could probably make your own cup with a piece of vacuum like and a bottle.

The main difference with the cup other than it catches the fluid, is since the tube is sitting in the fluid, it won't let air back in the lines when the pedal is release. I'm sure my bleeding leaves air in the lines, but it hasn't been enough to bother anything.