Ok, a couple of weeks ago I was getting ready to go to work. On the way to work my BRAKE light came on. I knew at that point my fluid was low. So I added some after getting home from work (I only work 10 mins away). I didn't have to add much fluid and I don't think the fluid was below the MIN line.

Skip forward a week, I leave my GFs house and noticed the pedal a little soft. The pedal at random times goes limp, but other times feels firm. I did my brakes (changed pads) a few days later and bled the lines. For the next week, it does the same thing. Feels firm when it wants, but goes limp randomly.

I re-bled the lines twice this morning. I didn't see any bubbles coming from the bleed screws. I have the same symptoms, but the pedal doesn't go as soft as before but it is still soft at certain times. Do I still have more air in the lines?

 

is your brake booster line from the intake manifold in good condition? how did you bleed the brakes? IE: what kind of tool, and did you start farthest from the MC?
*edit*
did you leave the cap on or off while doing this?

my friends CRX that we did a typeR suspension swap on had this problem. after the install we had to bleed the brakes due to the new setup, and after a few trys we realized the MC was shot.

 

I haven't checked the vacuum line from the IM to the BB. But I will check. I bled the lines according to the Helms, FL, FR, RR, and RL. Although I have bled brakes furthest from the MC in my other cars. I just used aquarium clear tubing and a flared nut wrench to bleed everything. I don't think the MC is shot because the pedal is firm when pressed on. Meaning it doesn't slowly sink to the floor when you press the brakes. Oh, I left the cap off when I bled the brakes.

To be more detailed on my problem. The pedal distance from the floor and when the brakes grab is sometimes less when I come to a stop. But at times the brakes can feel stock, where the distance from the floor and the brakes grabbing is higher from the floor when coming to a stop.

 

i have always done it farthest from the MC first. i did notice alot of others saying to do it otherwise, however doing it:
right rear
left rear
right front
left front
seemed to work the best for me, it helps to have 2 people too.

 

this is helpful too: (from another forum)

With the bleeder screw opened have the brake pedal pumped, slowly, about three times (probably more in your situation) then hold the pedal all the way down. Tighten the bleed screw while the pedal is fully depressed.

http://www.forumdig.com/search...ort=1

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by typeR#0427 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i have always done it farthest from the MC first. i did notice alot of others saying to do it otherwise, however doing it:
right rear
left rear
right front
left front
seemed to work the best for me, it helps to have 2 people too. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I had my brother pump the brakes for me. The car is still drivable but it can get irritating.

 

I bled my brakes again today until no bubbles and only new fluid came out. But my brakes are still mushy.

 

I read your post and a few of the responses... If no air came out stop worrying about air? There's a seal in the BMC that goes bad and leaks into the BB, which will cause the breaks to feel mushy with a low pedal engagement. Pretty sure if you get a new seal and BB then it should be good. If still not get a whole new BMC.

 

Could be you have some bubbles stuck in the ABS system. I hope not because I never did figure out how to bleed it.

Worst case you might need a new master cylinder, but those usually last a long time. I had an '84 prelude that needed one after about 170K miles.

 

Yeah, starting to think it's the BMC.

 

PMed

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">PMed</TD></TR></TABLE>

You still think there might be bubbles in the lines?

BTW, my PM window doesn't load completely for some reason, which is why I am posting instead of responding to your PM.

 

try...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try...</TD></TR></TABLE>

It'll have to wait until next weekend. Sick and tired of bleeding the brakes.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Skip forward a week, I leave my GFs house and noticed the pedal a little soft. The pedal at random times goes limp, but other times feels firm.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sorry it took me so long to clue in on this one

Check your wheel bearings. If the wheel bearing has a little play, the rotor will knock the pad back a little and cause a sloppy pedal.

Check to make sure nothing is knocking the caliper at full lock. Someone recently had their strut forks backwards and was causing it to clip the caliper at full lock and causing the same thing.

But yeah, I'm starting to think it's a wheel bearing. Jack up each corner and check for play. And, listen for any strange whirring/rubbing/grinding noises when gently bending left/right. Also check the torque on your axle bolts, if one comes loose it'll cause the brake caliper to hold the hub in place and cause pad knockback.

-Chris

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Also check the torque on your axle bolts, if one comes loose it'll cause the brake caliper to hold the hub in place and cause pad knockback.

-Chris
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, my drive axle nut does not thread all the way to the hub. I was trying to remove it to make it easier to remove the halfshaft (to change my axle seal). Somehow I messed up the threads when I tried to hammer the axle out. Right now, the axle nut is like a millimeter away from sitting flush, but the axle is seized in the hub.

 

I think I might buy a vacuum bleeder this week. I will know for sure all the air will be out of the lines. And if the problem persists, I will know the problem will be something else.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well, my drive axle nut does not thread all the way to the hub. I was trying to remove it to make it easier to remove the halfshaft (to change my axle seal). Somehow I messed up the threads when I tried to hammer the axle out. Right now, the axle nut is like a millimeter away from sitting flush, but the axle is seized in the hub.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I bet this is it. Regardless of the seizing in the hub, there can be some play in the bearing if that nut isn't tight!!

Toss that **** right away and get a new axle and axle nut. $120-ish new axle at NAPA will fix the issue, and it comes with a new nut. You may have trashed the bearing already, you might need a new one.

-Chris

 

Any ideas on how to get a seized axle out?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any ideas on how to get a seized axle out?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes:
http://www.team-integra.net/fo...earch

 

Thanks. Search function is down. But I'd hate to buy something I'd only use once.

 

Well you could use it anytime you pull the axles for work etc. Its one of those things you may use very rarely, but when you do it would could be worth the investment in terms of time/energy/headaches.

btw, you can always search through google: "site:www.website.com (insert search text here)"

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any ideas on how to get a seized axle out?</TD></TR></TABLE>

BFH.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BlueIntegraBoy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But I'd hate to buy something I'd only use once.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What kind of parts stores do you guys have in HI? AutoZone lends out free tools and you could probably find something similar that would work for free.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by brokenCRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

What kind of parts stores do you guys have in HI? AutoZone lends out free tools and you could probably find something similar that would work for free.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, we have Checker and Napa. No vatozone though. I'll try Checker.