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Brakes need to be pumped

Hi,

I've got a 1977 Civic with brake problems. I burnt out a wheel bearing, and when the wheel wobbled it opened up the front brake calipers. You then had to pump the brake pedal to narrow the pad to disc gap, and get brake pressure again.

I put a kit through the master cylinder and replaced the wheel bearing. I noticed when replacing the knuckle that the new wheel bearing seemed very loose like the old bunky one, but once I tightened up the CV joint it all seemed to firm up.

Now the brakes are worse than before. If I go around a turn or a bend, then I lose brake pressure, and the pedal goes to the floor. I'm not losing fluid, though. I get brake pressure back after a few pumps of the pedal.

Any suggestions anyone?

Murray R. Van Luyn.

Reply to
Murray R. Van Luyn.
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My first instinct is that you should not have messed with the master cylinder when you knew the problem involved probable damage to the wheel caliper. Your symptom sounds like either a bad master cylinder or air in the lines.

First check that the system is completely air free. Do a complete bleeding according to the sequence in the shop manual. Then check that the suspect wheel caliper in fact works correctly, or maybe just replace it to be safe.

If it still has problems after that, then the most likely suspect is that the master cylinder did not survive the rebuild attempt and should be replaced.

Reply to
E Meyer

Hi E,

Yeah, the sequence was

  1. replace master cylinder - replacement couldn't be primed, so was discarded.
  2. rebuild old master cylinder and refit - no change.
  3. replace wheel bearing - problem much worse.
  4. Bleed entire brake system per shop manual - no change. Pedal still reaching floor after turns or curves.

I'm going to change the front right knuckle, bearing, disc and hub assembly. I didn't like how loose the replacement with the new bearing was before the CV was done up. It felt all sloppy like it was with the old bearing, but feels quite solid now that it's fitted. I should have looked into the sloppiness of the new bearing before I refitted the knuckle. It's quite possible that I had the wrong bearing, and the blokes that pressed it in couldn't give a rats.

If that doesn't fix it, then I'm stumped. It's definitely front disc calipers openning up around corners and bends. You have to pump the brake pedal to close the gap before you get a solid response.

How does that sound E. Am I going about it the right way this time?

Regards, Murray R. Van Luyn.

Reply to
Murray R. Van Luyn.

Get somebody (else) to check the runout on that disk after its all done & that should tell you definitively if there is any problem still at that wheel. Probably a good idea to get a different set of eyes to go over it all.

Reply to
E Meyer

I'll do the knuckle, 'cause the cost is just time. I have a mildly worn spare that will do, and it's all about losing pressure going around corners. If that doesn't do it then it's time for a professional diagnosis I guess.

Yes, I acknowlege that brakes are a very dangerous thing if you don't get them right. That's why I prefer do the work myself, rather than let some grubby, time pressed ape stuff about with them.

Thanks very much for your invaluable advice E. I appreciate you letting me bounce that one off you.

Regards, Murray R. Van Luyn.

Reply to
Murray R. Van Luyn.

"Murray R. Van Luyn." wrote in news:47ccc543$0$23635$ snipped-for-privacy@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au:

With the road wheel off the ground, supported under the lower control arm, grab the top and bottom of the road wheel at 12:00 and 6:00 positions. Is there play when you rock the wheel in and out?

Now have a helper step hard on the brake and hold it. Perform the same rocking action. Is there play now?

If play disappears when the brake is pressed and held, the bearing is loose. If the play is still present with brake held, something else is loose.

Reply to
Tegger

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