I participated in John Eagle Honda's track event this weekend at Texas World Speedway, and after the first day noticed that the brakes were extremely spongy.

I bled the brakes today, but still the brake pedal goes halfway down before the car begins to stop -- if I'm doing a panic stop it almost hits the firewall!

Can anyone help? Since the fluid is new does this mean I glazed the pads and need to change them, or am I missing something? Is the ABS module "bleed-able" or does bleeding each caliper clear it out?

Thanks much --

 

Still sounds like there's air in there somewhere.

 

Yes, it definitely sounds like you have air in the lines. Brakes are the simplest things to work on, given that you take care in bleeding. I turned my stock brake fluid into what looks like flat Coca Cola in one track day, then put Motul DOT4 in and the pedal came right back.

Bleed them again. But this time, take the car out and actuate ABS a few times to get that fluid out of the ABS lines. Then bleed them immediately thereafter. Jason S, meat and I just did mine a few weeks ago, even though no unusual looking fluid came out after the ABS actuation, it is still good to get rid of the fluid in the ABS lines.

Second, get some Speedbleeders. http://www.speedbleeder.com ...

They turn a two person job into a one person job. Great products and a nice couple that run the busines. I met them a month or two ago. They are going to do some sponsorship for S2KDays, as well...

HTH!

[Edited by gregstevens on 02-11-2001 at 02:07 PM]

 

What Greg said! Be sure to replace the brake fluid and re-bleed the system. You may have really boiled the stock fluid, so replacement is a good idea - and it's a pretty cheap safety measure. I'll also heartily add a "second" to Greg's recommendation for speedbleeders.

 

OK, here's an update --

I bled the brakes (for the 2nd time today) after taking the car out and doing about 5 ABS activations....

I also replaced the front pads (they were 2/3rd gone anyways).

Well? Brakes STILL MUSHY!!! They are marginally better than before, but just barely.

What to do? Should I just bring it in and let the dealer mess with it?

 

Steve, if you are more comfortable with having the dealer do it, then take it in. But make sure that before you do, you are bleeding them properly. I am of the school that says to start from the passenger side rear wheel and go around the car according to the greatest distance from the master cylinder. Yet, others, and I think this is what the manual says, say to to start with the driver's side front wheel and go clockwise. Either way, I'm sure it will work...

BUT

Make sure you have someone screw the bleeder valve back into the caliper after you have had several squirts of fluid that are bubble free and a constant flow of fluid. THEN screw the bleeder valve back down. And you only need to unscrew the bleeder valve about a 2/3 of a rotation.

Now, if you REALLY want to get all the old burned fluid out of the system, you can pump them so when you bleed so that ALL the fluid comes out. I removed my calipers altogether and let them drain to get all that old crap out of them. This gets ALL the dirty/burned fluid out of the system...drastic, but very effective

What *I* would do...

Open the pass. side caliper's bleeder valve, pump it until NOTHING BUT AIR comes out. Then do the driver's side rear, pass. side front and driver's side front...and pump the pedal until nothing but air comes out. Then have plenty of DOT 4 fluid and repeat the sequence, but close the bleeder valve when you get a steady, bubble-free stream of new clean brake fluid.

That should solve the problem. And as I said, bleeding brakes is a no brainer. And replacing brakes pads isn't either...(I put 6 sets of pads on last year... ) So try that, but make sure that you screw the bleeder valve back down while the brake pedal is fully depressed...otherwise you will suck air back into the lines.

Others may have a different approach to this, but this one has worked for me for as long as I can remember...

Try it...and post your results.

 

Simple question.....how far up does your e-brake go?! If its more than 3 clicks then pop the center consoul up and tighten up that thing!

I did that and my brakes stopped on a dime! I never use my e-brake because of that. I brought it to the dealer for a checkup they measured the brakes etc. Parked the car and with Super Man strength yanked the e-brake up!!!

Brought it back a week later they tightened it up and wow! What a difference.

 

Pinky, the e-brake is mechanical, not hydraulic...meaning that it has nothing to do with the hydrualic action of the brake lines.

Weird that it made a difference in what you are describing, but no, the way the e-brake connects to the rear brakes has nothing whatsoever to do with brake fluid, lines, ABS, etc....

Hmmm

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gregstevens
[B]Pinky, the e-brake is mechanical, not hydraulic...meaning that it has nothing to do with the hydrualic action of the brake lines.

 

I would guess the brake feel issue is two things..

1) you boiled the fluid, go ahead and replace it (extensive bleed). Be sure to have the parking brake off when you bleed the rears.

2) the stock pads lose feel (sensitivity) when they are heated repeatedly at the track. The feel will return after hundreds of stops that wear the baked area off (you can also fix this by switching pads but that is a more expensive remedy).

Don