car is 00 si.

I tried searching with no help. I'm not a brake expert so forgive me.

I should've replaced them prior to this problem but i was broked. I was driving on very very low brake pads and rotors. Then all of a sudden the brake pedel felt harder to step down (occassionlly). So when Im driving it feels like the car is trying very hard to go. As if if Im driving with the E-brake slightly up. Its like the caliper is not releasing or something to that affect. Sometimes, it would be normal if I give the brake pedel some pumping action, other times it would get worse. I dont get the car coming to a rolling stop on nuetral anymore. Even on a hill.

So I decided today to get some Brembo Blank rotors and PBR pads from 88 Rotors. Replaced them all. Test drove the car. Was fine until later on it started happening again. I will say it was alot better then before. Still the problem exists.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Your calipers aren't functioning properly. There's no way to fix the problem you have to get a new caliper, I'll tell you how you can test though. Drive the car around to the point of it feeling draggy, then pull over. Feel the hubcap or center of each rim, if one of them is really warm, that's the one where the caliper is locking, I had the same problem, only way to temporarily fix it is to pry it out with a screw driver, in which case it'll just jam up the next time u apply breaks.

Or if you can see your calipers from outside the rim you can drive it until it bogs, then stop, and look at each caliper, you'll notice that one's flush up against the rotor, or maybe not 1, maybe 2, 3, or 4, (usually just one at a time though). Either or take the tire off, that part's up to you.


Probably the best way:

If you suspect you know which caliper it is, the test is very simple, jack up that wheel with the car not in gear and the e-brake down (yes, this is very unsafe, I know, so if ur testing a back wheel leave it in gear and if u're testing a front wheel leave the e-brake up (not both though). Either way, with the wheel off the ground and not engaged in anything (be it transmission or e-brake) it should spin freely, one of the wheels (the one with the closed caliper wont' move easily at all, it'll be really draggy and you won't be able to spin it, it'll just stop moving when you let go of it. just remember to disengage it, you don't need to have the e-brake up while testing a back wheel and feel it drag (because it will with disc breaks, it won't lock like drums)

e-brake if you're testing front wheels, put it in reverse (smallest gear in your tranny) if you're testing a rear wheel, just spin it after it gets boggy...

Hope this helps, it definately sounds like a closed caliper.. You should be able to wedge a screw driver in there and push it open, but like I said, it'll close again and jam when you depress the breaks, and you can't fix it, g2 buy a new one.

GL, hope this helps, peace

 

So the caliper sticking would cause the brake pedal to build up pressure?

Any idea on how much a caliper will cost me?
Im going to give it another day of testing to see the problem may fix itself. Sounds stupid, but hoping for a miracle. Thanks dude for the info.


Modified by klomast3r at 10:23 PM 1/28/2006





Modified by klomast3r at 10:24 PM 1/28/2006

 

Update.

So it went back to the mechanic shop and told that guy that my brakes are locking up and smoke are coming out from the front wheels. He bleeded both wheels and and told me to give the car a test drive around the block. It felt alot better. So he thinks that the caliper is not the problem, more like the brake booster giving up.

With the brake pedal stiffening up when this happens, do you guys think its the brake booster? This would cost me 80 dollars for the booster and not mention labor. Damn.

 

sounds like a booster or master cyclinder problem to me as well.

you just need to shell out the dough to get it fixed, if you are not good with brakes then pay to get them done, its not worth your life and the lives of others driving around with bad brakes

good luck man