My G/F has a 96 Accord V6. I recently changed her pads due to wear. The problem now is when you are trying to stop the pedal goes to the floor. I thought there might be air in the lines so I bleed the s*%t out of them. But the problem is still there. I talked to a local parts store and he said it could be the master cylinder. I heard that there can be brake fluid under the carpet if this is the problem but I couldn't find any. Does anyone know what is going on?

 

did you bleed them right?
you have to start with the tire the farthest away from the master cylinder. then go to the second farthest. then third farthest.. then do the last one.

buy a bleeder too. its very helpful when bleeding brakes alone.

if your brakes were working fine before you changed the brake pads. then it shouldnt be the master cylinder.

 

It is probably your master cylinder. It could have been caused by the old fluid if it is dirty. Or it could be when you did the rear pads (if it has rear disks). If you pushed the caliper piston in without turning it you could have damaged the master cylinder. The rear caliper piston is threaded for the emergency brakes and has to be turned while you push it back in. Either way, that is when most master cylinders give out.( Right after a brake job.) If the fluid is dirty, change it, in any case. If the fluid hasn't been changed since 96, it definitely needs to be.

 

Actually, you start at the closest caliper and end at the furthest point (usually r/h rear) when bleeding brakes.
But it sounds like you've now got a bad master cylinder. Why now you ask?

Now that you've replaced the brake pads, and retracted the caliper piston back into the bore; the Master Cylinder pistons are traveling in a different (damaged) area of the Master Cylinder bore. Damaged? How?
Brake fluid is alcohol based (Other than silicone based B/Fluid) and because of this, it collects water over time. If replaced (Power Flushed) at the recommended intervals, it never gets to the point of Super-Saturation; where it can no longer hold water in suspension. Once it reaches Super-Saturation, this water puddles in EVERY brake component, corroding what is supposed to be a smooth/round bore to the point that the piston seals no longer work. And your pedal goes to the floor.
Traditionally failures occure thus:
1) Master Cylinder
2) Rear Brake Cylinders
3) Steel Brake Lines

Once you get the M/C addressed, entertain having the system power flushed

P

 

I bleed them right and there isn't any air in them that is why I am wondering what it is. I did open the bleeder valve when I changed the back pads to try to push the piston in. This was b4 I knew it screwed in. So there was air in the 4 a while. Which makes me wonder if the air could of caused the master cyl. to go out. heard that could make it fail.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I will go ahead and replace the master cyl. then.

 

Air traditionally will cause the pedal to get "spongy", But it would recover (somewhat) if you pumped the pedal several times quickly. You would have had to injest a LOT of air to behave anywhere close to the way you're discribing.

P