Brake, brake.. BRAKES!

[InitialD]

The brakes on my car have been sucky for quite some time, Basicly flat to the floor the brakes dont lock up, and its very spongy.

I assumed this could be the master cylinder and changed it today with a VERY clean working Master Cylinder.

The issue is my brakes are spongy as hell and the car is VERY hard to stop.

After bleeding each caliper about 3 times to get the air out some things seemed wierd. I noticed when I undid the bleeder valve on the passenger side front caliper, the brake fluid flow was VERY slow and when the pedal was depressed, even with the bleeder valve loose, It didnt blow any fluid out. Also the caliper appears to make a "knock" sound when you brake when driving.

Each of the other 3 calipers shot fluid out at a great speed as usual. Could this be my issue because the caliper isnt bleeding correctly? The only other thing I have left to change is the brake booster...

Thanks

[niko]

good luck with finding out the issue, and also have u tried better pads? something without "silverline" stamped on it ;)

[BlOWN-EA]

the way to test if the caliper is bleeding corectly is to as you did check if the fluid does not flow properly etc. then if it doesnt flow properly out of one bleed nipple. remove the brake line from the caliper, retest if it flows well now you know you have a blockage in the caliper, if it doesnt flow well then you would probly find one of your lines are kinked.

[InitialD]

Niko: Actually Im using "bendix Advance" all around :

Blown EA: Yeah Ive done that and it looks like its the caliper with the issue.

[Simmo]

i got some recoed calipers off an ED you can buy if you want.

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by Simmo

i got some recoed calipers off an ED you can buy if you want.

thanks but Ive got a full set of spare calipers here infact (red and all :P)

Ill change this caliper tomorrow but Im still in need of a booster asap. Would people think that should be changed?

[EFFalcon]

if i gradually put the brakes on in my car it won't lock up the brakes either, but if i stomp on em it will.

[geckoGT]

I doubt you will need to change the booster, try the caliper and if that doesn't work it only leaves the booster. I bet you have a decent amount of air in the stuffed caliper.

[Brent-EA Ghia]

Hey InitialD, did you remove the bleed niipple from the caliper to see if it was blocked? Its quite common that they get blocked, just clean them out with a needle or wire. Might help.

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by Brent-EA Ghia

Hey InitialD, did you remove the bleed niipple from the caliper to see if it was blocked? Its quite common that they get blocked, just clean them out with a needle or wire. Might help.

Yep brent, I did this to discover alot of brown gunk comming out. I tried 'fishing' around in there and it didnt change :(

[Brent-EA Ghia]

lol, thats prob shows how long since its been bled, and its the holes in the nipple itself that get blocked,

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by Brent-EA Ghia

lol, thats prob shows how long since its been bled, and its the holes in the nipple itself that get blocked,

I removed the nipple itself COMPLETELY while my assistant fairmont_EL had the pedal to the floor.

The fluid just sorta pooled out very slowly with dark brownish fluid.... Id say that caliper is toast :

[spope]

LOL @ "Silverline" pads - what, don't you think you get quality at $20 for brake pads?
I would never let them near my car. I am fortunate to still have bendix advance with asbestos on my car Bloody sensational pads.
As I mentioned InitialD, a spongy pedal most frequently indicates water or air in your brake fluid.
I reckon you might be ok with just the replacement caliper - it should even out the pressure in the whole system. If you can, I'd change the RH side while you're at it to make sure both side pistons have similar pressures.

[Ozfords]

Off topic a bit, damn Ferodos are a freakin dust fest. Last time I buy the cheap pieces of garbage, my alloys look black for petes sake!

Hope you find out whats troubling the EAB soon.

[NZ]

All 4 of my bleed nipples were clocked up. I guess thats why orginally from factory they had little rubber caps. Check that your slides are working. if they aren't you'll get one pad pressing on the disc and the other doing bugger all. Some cases if you have one seized slide you'll get very little of the pad contacting making it even worse. I suggest buying an ample amount of new fluid. 4l is about $40 and go through the system again.

If your booster is shot you will know. It will give you braking much the same as when your engine is off and a very hard pedel.

Thise bleed nipples take some cleaning out too. Mine took around 15 mins each of just digging out the crap with a thin peice of wire and a can or crc to try and soak it

[NZ]

Originally Posted by InitialD

I removed the nipple itself COMPLETELY while my assistant fairmont_EL had the pedal to the floor.

The fluid just sorta pooled out very slowly with dark brownish fluid.... Id say that caliper is toast :

Maybe disconnect the brake line from that caliper and see what the go is then.

[INJECTED_250]

i chucked a set of cheap as silver lines in the back of my car to see what there like.... THere quite, dont make a noise, DUSTY AS HELL though.. and feel like the bite pretty well.. Apart for the dust im pretty happy with them for the cost.

i didnt read ya whole past.. but things that can cause a spongy brake pedal are..

.SWalen brake hose (watch out for this one)
.Ciesed caliper slides....
Air in brake lines..

[Papa Smurf]

Also, the Copper washers on the Brake hoses, might be worth adding a set of NEW ones? Hoses DO swell also.

[EB6]

if ya wanna test your booster ya do this. with the car off pump the brake pedal till it goes hard then with ya foot still firm on the pedal start the car. the vac form the enigne will fill the booster and allow the brake pedal to depress more it its all workin. if theres a tare in your daiaphram it wont depress any more when ya start it. but spongy braks r 99% of the tome air in the hydraulic lines. good luck.

[Damo]

maybe that's why you couldn't stop in time when you ran up the bumb of that :P I did my first ever brake blead on monday, i thought it was gunna be hard but it's a piece of ****. Remove the brake hose from the caliper and bleed em, if it bleeds fine then change the caliper, like has allready been said. I think you knew the answer to your problem before you even posted. :P

If all else fail convert it to manual.

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by Damo

maybe that's why you couldn't stop in time when you ran up the bumb of that chink. :P I did my first ever brake blead on monday, i thought it was gunna be hard but it's a piece of ****. Remove the brake hose from the caliper and bleed em, if it bleeds fine then change the caliper, like has allready been said. I think you knew the answer to your problem before you even posted. :P

If all else fail convert it to manual.

LOL damo your a laugh... convert to manual :

Actually your sorta on the money with the first comment. Reason why the car didnt stop over a carlenth distance. I should have fixed this earlier I hear myself say....

EB6 - When you pump the brakes to Rock hard, then start the car the pedal goes down towards the floor. So The booster is ok then?

[Aaron_EF8]

The booster should be fine, all they really do is hold vacuum. If the pedal goes down after you start the car its all good :P

[InitialD]

Ive changed the caliper over this afternoon.

The brakes are better then they were by far, but still not as good as my old lady's ea ghia.

I cant lock the brakes up and if you jump on them suddenly the car takes about 2mtrs to stop completely. Is this ok for an ea?