OK, well I finally got my car done and road worthy only to run into this surprise. As I am driving, the brakes get stiffer and stiffer until the car is near impossible to move and they are seized. Now I have not gone out there to see if it is all 4 or just the front, still hot right this minute. This was a gradual seizure of the brakes, and not all of a sudden, plus the pedal gradually has gotten stiffer. I barely made it home. My concern is what could be the problem here. A little background on this:

The car has upgraded EX spipndles, The calipers are brand new and functioned perfect on install (EX), the pads are Hawk (EX) the rotors on the other hand are 91 integra rotors. But upon receipt I measured everything (w/ micrometer) and all was the same. The car has the 4040 proportioning valve, but still has the 13/16 MC and stock Brake booster installed.

I am at a loss and would just like to get this thing fixed and ready to take me to work here soon. I have the weekend to get this figured out so any help from someone who has encountered a problem of this sort would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

justin

 

so as you press the brake pedal more and more, the harder it gets? are you SURE the calipers are brand new? did you buy them?

cuz that sounds like ur caliper pistons are getting stuck, or maybe not lubed up very well. this might sound weird but try bleeding the system and see if that helps.

 

thanks for the reply! calipers are brand new (i bought them) and lubed. its not the more i press the harder it gets. it gets there on its own it seems. it just suddenly got harder and harder to drive. like the brakes were applying themselves. I barely made it home, and it was only about 2 miles. I had to sit by the car with a fire extinguisher for my own peace of mind.

update: went out to move the car and all was perfectly normal. nothing siezed, no grinds, or squeals. thinking maybe booster or master cylinder, but I dont want to throw parts at this money pit.

 

go to a pick and pull or some junk yard and try to find an EX mc and bb, sounds like something hydraulic is messing up rather than mechanical.

by any chance did you mess with the brake pedal height? i've never done it but it seems possible to set the height too high so the slightest touch will engage the brakes.

 

did not touch pedal height... more i stare at it and think about it sounds like MC is passing fluid. ive got a donor car here so i will try another 13/16 MC in the morning. using a 13/16 on the EX setup up front shouldnt cause siezing, so shall see what happens. I will tear down the old one and report anything I find out of place....possible an internal bushing or cup is shot...

 

hey do you know a good way of removing the booster? the only time i've done it, i had a very very hard time.

 

I'll let you know tomorrow...lol, can't be too hard...

 

instead of adding another 13/16 mc, why not get a 15/16 mc from a 89 prelude si?

 

yea its not "hard", but have u ever had to replace the stop light switch or clutch switch? well the booster is even harder to get to!

 

Steve, that **** is cake, you are just a *****! You probably had some water that got into the piston of the caliper. rebuild it, or buy new ones. The Integra rotor is the same size, so that is not the issue. If you need some calipers, and the EX brake booster and master cylinder, pm me, I have both for sale.

 

Why not get a 15/16" from an EX (bolt on and no mods required!)?
Wait... why throw parts at it and not even know what is wrong???

My suggestion is that you get a copy of the manual and do the brake troubleshooting check.
I know somebody has posted it a few times in these treads, but I don't know where =/
Service manual is always good to have anyway
That will tell you where your problem lies.

Hey? What brakes are you running in the back?
It's got me curious because you are running the 40/40, but you didn't say if you had drums or discs back there.


BTW: When a master cylinder fails and fluid passes by then your brakes don't work.
It would require you to pump the brakes to stop.
Failed booster makes the pedal very hard to press down (like turning the engine off and pushing the brakes).

 

it is not your mc when it has a failure it tends to sink to the floor. sounds like it might be a bb check your brake pedal height first it should be around 6 inches from the floor board to the brake pedal.

 

clipsed, you will have pm shortly. I will be checking the clearance from the pedal to the arm in the morning. i went through the trouble shooting and this is where it has led me. . .

I have done both of those switches before, they were not easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy, right. I dont want to put another 13/16 on there, but time is of the essence. I need this car to get to work pronto.

I am hoping that it is just that pedal to arm clearance....

 

I said throwing parts at it as a joke. I have just sunk a lot of meny into this car and want what I have put into it. In the back I am still running drum. . . from what I hae read this would not be causing my issue. if it is then I can always just change back and deal with a weaker pedal(assuming)

failed booster makes the pedal hard to press down: thats the feeling it has after a bit, I have not yet had the chance to let the car sit and see if the pedal stiffens, I will do that tomorrow also after checking the clearance from the pedal to booster arm. By the way, anyone tell me the clearance please? The haynes manual does not have the clearance listed, it has a diagram and instructions but no measurement...

 

I have a 40/40 on my EX with drums, I have no issues, and have never locked up my brakes.

 

OK, I lose. . . never had to stick my head under there since i bought the car two years ago. Apparently the little button for the brake light switch fell out so the previous owner found it suitable to stick a bolt in there. The brakes were applied, about 1/4 inch of the arm depressed and causing the brakes to drag and not allow the pressure applied be relieved, so after a few aplpications brake pressure just got so high they stuck. Pulled out the bolt, replaced it with a flat head body panel screw, and readjusted brake light switch and all is well. thanks for all of the input from everyone I greatly appreciate it!

 

lol jesus some people scare me when they rig ****. glad you got it fixed. i was leaning towards Brake booster too cause it causes a high stiff pedal.

 

I wasn't suggesting that the prop valve was the issue, but I do suggest you switch back to the regular one since you still have drums.
Your brakes are off balance the way you have it now.