| Subject: Re: Spongy brake pedal for 1988 Honda Accord |
Author:
Glen
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 07:24:12 01/01/05 Sat
Author Host/IP: 02-135.751.popsite.net/64.24.209.135
In reply to:
Greg
's message, "Spongy brake pedal for 1988 Honda Accord" on 02:04:06 12/31/04 Fri
Greg,
Worn pads should not make a brake pad spongy. That is caused by either air in the lines or by a bad master cylinder.
First start by bleeding the brake fluid. You may have a lot of air in the lines. Start at the front left then do the rear right, then the front right and then the rear left. The Hondas use a diagonally split circuit, so that is the reason for the pattern. If the brake fluid is old, I'd siphon out all of the old fluid from the master cylinder with a turkey baster, and then replace with new fluid, the start your bleeding. You'll be able to notice a fluid color change at each wheel cylinder when you start bleeding so you'll know you've replaced all the fluid. I replace all my fluid every two years, and I've never had brake trouble. Brake fluid is hydroscopic (sp?) and so it abosrbs water, which can cause rust inside. It's cheap to replace, and is cheap insurance.
A worn out master cylinder may also make the pedal spongy, but it usually is accompanied by a sinking pedal (i.e. the pedal will fall to the floor under hard braking and has to be "pumped up" to get the car to stop). This is caused by cluid leaking past the seals on the master cylinder piston, not uncommon for older cars. If you plan on keeping the car a long time, you might think about replacing it with a rebuilt while you've got the whole brake system open for bleeding.
Finally, it may be that they did not assemble the rear brakes properly, and they are not self adjusting. That would make the pedal go down farther then it should because the rear brake cylinders have the push out the brake shoes farther before they contact the drum. However, the pedal shouldn't feel spongy.
You might also see about driving someone else's Accord and see if this a trait of this model. Depending on what you drove before, you might be expecting it to be the same. However, if you think it is mushy, then it probably is.....hope this helps...Glen
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 