Pickelz10

I drive a 1996 Honda Civic del Sol si. I needed new brakes on the front so I replaced the pads and rotors. after i was done, i took it out for a test drive and after about a mile and a half or 2 miles, the brakes started dragging and it just got continuously worse. I would let the car sit for a few hours and let everything cool down and it would ride fine until another mile or 2 and it would do the same thing. thinking I had bad calipers and that the pistons were sticking i replaced those. That did not fix it so I then replaced the brake hoses thinking that since they were so old the fluid would get to hot and expand the hoses causing a pressure issue and it still did not fix it. So now i have brand new calipers, rotors, pads, and hoses and the brakes are still dragging/sticking. its like the car is braking when i'm not pushing on the brakes. I've spent more money than what i have wanted to and now im just frustrated. if anyone knows how to fix this or knows the problem, please help me.

doublezerohatch

did you grease the calipers . . .even new ones need grease . . .

Pickelz10

we re-greased the old ones and it still did it and we greased the new ones.

Tyler Dirden

iTrader: (3)

Take the car out for a short test drive again, only this time quickly return and pull both front wheels, try to turn them by hand and feel for the level of resistance that they have( you may need to use a long screwdriver in the studs because of heat). Then release the bleeder screw and try it again. Did it get easier to turn? Then you have a sticking proportioning valve. There is no other pressure control device on these cars (non abs equiped) only steel lines and prop valve on the firewall. I would also try FULLY compressing the calipers with a screwdriver in the caliper hole and pry at the rotor to compress it fully. Once you get the clearance of a fully compressed caliper than you must be able to move the caliper freely back and forth a bit by hand on the greased slider pinbolts. If you can't wiggle the caliper, you have a binding issue. that should cover it.

Pickelz10

so how would I go about fixing this then?

axis11

Since when did this binding issue started? Any works related to the MC and brake booster? Verify you have enough clearance between MC piston and brake booster push rod. Adjust if required.

Pickelz10

This started when I first changed the rotors and pads. Still had the old calipers and hoses on.
I then changed everything else in an attempt to fix it all.

EsotericImage

iTrader: (8)

I usually clean the alignment pins, boots, and sliders with brake kleen and re-lube with permetex purple ceramic brake lube. This usually prevents sticking and other issues that may come up.

My only other guess is MC is taking a crap. I mean its a 15 year old car. parts die after a while.

Tyler Dirden

iTrader: (3)

Once you determine the failed part (binding caliper pins) would require that you clean the pins from all corrosion and regrease and test for sliding smooth.
If the rotors are easier to turn once the bleeder screw is opened than you must reverse the fliud flow back to the master cylinder to try to restore prop valve setting. These valves are factory set to produce a SMALL ammount of residual pressure (maybe 5psi) to keep all clearances small for faster brake activation. Yours may have become stuck on a higher pressure when your calipers were compressed and old fluid passed backward through the valve into the master cylinder, maybe even letting a little debris settle into the valve. I would excessively bleed the front calipers with a friend, around 30 full pedals worth or a full quart of fluid with firm pedal presses to clean the line and valve out.

MadVladCivic

Per your comment re the proportioning valve being stuck on a
higher pressure setting. If this can occur due to backflow of
brake fluid thru the system upon compression of the piston,
do you recommend compressing the piston w/ the bleed screw
open to prevent this?

Tyler Dirden

iTrader: (3)

Almost all of the contaminated brake fluid will be in the caliper, it's just a matter of location being totaly swamped with dirt, dust and water. Yeah, the initial caliper compression could be done that way, though bleeding under pressure is mandatory later. A typical piston can contain around 4 oz and the line to prop valve is only able to displace about an oz. most of this is going through and back to the master cylinder.