I'm in the process of fixing my winter car and have noticed when I drove it to get gas today my brake pedal was super soft. as in I have to press it in nearly as far as it will go before I can start slowing down the car has sat for a good 3.5 months I did start it during then. if I slam the breaks they won't lock up it's a stock DX so no ABS the pads and rotors are new last year have maybe 15,xxx kilometers on them there is enough fluid in the BMC also. thoughts ? if I pump the pedal enough I can lock them up.

 

I would suspect the master cylinder as the first thing imo but I am sure someone will advise to bleed your brakes and take it from there.

 

Took the caliper off today the pad on the inner driver side is gone ! in the sense worn down to the metal of the pad it's self. I have new pads and am just waiting to get a big c-clamp and push the piston in also topped of the BMC with fluid.

 

That's clearly a problem, but I'd still be concerned about the MC.

 

I'll be greasing up the sliders real good I had this with my gsr except the pedal pressure was fine. no leaks from what I see will report back once the new pads are in. the car currently isn't drivable but once I get it going I'll be able to do some road tests tires are good also just steels with toyos of some sort.

 

Use the proper grease so it won't eat up the boots.

 

Get a 1" type r MC.

 

Worst
Advice
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The braking system is a balanced system. Too big an MC, and you push too much to the calipers, which causes them to lock too easily. Too big of a caliper, and your MC doesn't push enough fluid to properly brake. Manufacturers properly balance braking systems for the car. There is absolutely no reason to go to a 1" MC on stock calipers.

 

Problem fixed guess worn to **** pads were doing it pedal feel is normal again topped up the fluid also. And throwing on a big BMC is not the answer to a suddenly soft pedal this thing doesn't even have ABS.....I can't even imagine it with a bigger MC the dx has the smallest brakes of all the 96-00 civics even the Canadian Si(usdm EX) has better brakes. they locked up fast as **** when I had new pads+rotors a year or 2 ago.

 

Works fine for me, I guess its probably because I learn to control my foot when I drove a truck. The rear was sliding all over the place.

 

glad it worked out for you

 

Ok so I FINALLY got the car running again lol and even with the new pads it still 1:smells like clutch when you brake I know it's just the breaks my integra did this when I put new pads on it. 2nd won't lock up the brakes even when you stomp and hold the pedal !! non abs as it's a DX the BMC has plenty of fluid but to actually stop the car you have to push the pedal down to the floor basically.

kinda scared input welcome

 

Bleed it. Bleed it some more. Bleed it again. Keep bleeding it. Bleed it until you flush the old fluid out and have all new fluid in the system.

 

Replace the master cylinder. Seals inside are leaking causing brake fluid to leak through without producing any pressure causing the low pedal. Try pumping the pedal rapidly and firmly while driving. If it feels like it produces pressure for a second then you know for sure the master cylinder is toast.

 

the pedal sits at it's normal level and has pressure all the way "down" I just can't lock up the wheels/missing some of my stopping power as for replacing the mx would I need to bleed it after. Am bit hesitant on bleeding the brakes my self as I've seen several threads of it going south for ppl and I really have no tie for hiccups as school starts in a week basically. Will ask some garages

 

Seems to break better now that some of the rust/glaze came off the rotor(car sat for 5 m/o) still can't lock the breaks up but I can't remember if it was EVER able to lock them up. Check valve perhaps ? BMC is not leaking at all neither are any of the lines car has not had any brake work recently other then new pads. Seems safer to not lock them up u guess looks like I have ABS in a non abs car lol.(that's obv a joke)

 

Not being able to lock the brakes up is an obvious problem.

 

Bleeding the everliving **** out of the braking system (and flushing out all old fluid in the process) is more than likely to fix your problem. I don't know where you're reading these horror stories, but as long as you do it correctly, you'll be fine. Either get a friend to help you, or buy a pressurized one man bleeder kit.

 

Either air in the system or your BMC is leaking internally. Bleeding the brakes is the cheapest option, do that first.

 

Well update i'm slowly getting to be able to lock the brakes up ! seems like the fact that it sat so long/rotors got some weird buildup(not rust) on them they're starting to look like my other cars rotors clean with not strange build up.