Hi,
I have a 94 Accord LX non-abs. I recently had a clutch hose burst so I decided to also change all four brake hoses. I cannot get a firm pedal with the engine running now. Its very firm and holds pressure on the pedal before I start engine, then the pedal goes just about to the floor very easily. I've tried re-bleeding all of the brakes in the order in the service manual. I've run through almost 3 quarts now, about a quart for each of the rear. I broke a bleeder bolt on one of the rear calipers so I'm bleeding from loosening the hard line where it goes into the caliper. The bleed bolt is not letting air in or leaking, it didn't budge at all before it snapped. I'm having another person pump the brakes continuously and keep pumping while I tighten the nut so air doesn't go back in. On the front I'm using the bleeder bolt and a clear tube and haven't seen any air come out at all. What am I doing wrong here? Possibly pump the pedal too fast? Doing some reading on here some people suggest that might be a problem, we were pumping it fairly fast. Did I get air in the master cylinder? The reservoir did drain completely each time a hose was removed for the front hoses (I don't think the cap is air-tight on this one), but the pedal was never pressed without the reservoir full. I'm thinking about changing the master cylinder before I waste any more fluid bleeding because it needs to be done soon anyway, there is fluid starting to leak slightly at the brake booster. Any suggestions for how to go about bleeding after I change the master?

 

Ericthecarguy has a perfect video for you to watch on YouTube..

 

I watched it already before I started the job, thanks.

 

Is this the one you're referring to? If so I'll try that if I'm still having issues after I replace the master.

 

So I replaced the master cylinder and bled all of the lines again in order, still have a squishy pedal with the engine on, firm with it off. Drove it a little on my driveway, I can get them to lock up but they are way too weak. I bled through at another 2.5 quarts. Haven't seen a single air bubble in the front where I'm bleeding through a clear tube. This time on the rear I only opened it after pumping a few times while someone held pressure on the pedal. Any ideas before I have it towed somewhere?

 

Oh and I bench bled the master cylinder with a kit with two clear tubes going into the reservoir.

 

I hope someone can chime in with some help...are the vacuum lines hooked to the bake booster correctly...idk..

 

LX should be rear drums. Why not just replace that rear bleeder screw so you actually are positive that air isn't getting in the line? I'm nearly positive that is the issue and the process is causing air to get in. There should't be any reason the lines have air in them after 5+ qts of brake fluid unless there is a leak at a connection or the bleeding process is incorrect, that is crazy.

Additionally, you shouldn't be pumping the brake pedal when the line is open. Line closed -> pump brake pedal multiple times -> hold brake pedal down -> open bleeder valve -> shut bleeder valve -> repeat

I just replaced/spliced in both brake lines on my 97 LX from the firewall back. Go spend $18 on a Harbor Freight brake bleeder and you can do it all yourself in no time at all. Its super easy and it wont let air in. Do it in this order: front left, front right, rear left, rear right.

This method is simple: Fill master cylinder, leave cap off, put hose from vacuum pump on bleeder bolt, pump up vacuum pump, open the bleeder valve until air stops coming out being sure not to let the master cylinder empty completely, close bleeder valve, refill master cylinder, and proceed to the next bleeder valve. Can do it by yourself.

 

I don't think air is getting in there as it didn't budge before it snapped, and nothing is leaking out of it at all. I don't know how to go about replacing it, it broke off flush with drum housing.

 

That's the way we did it today after replacing the master cylinder. Is it possible there is air trapped in the junction where it splits the line in two right after the master cylinder?

 

no..Ericthecarguy..how to change your brake fluid

 

Watched that before I started, also following the service manual.

 

My suspicions are, air is getting into the system since you are not using the bleeder screw in the rear, the brake booster is bad or the brake pedal push rod to master cylinder hasn't been adjusted properly (meaning its too short and you aren't getting enough pressure from the pedal to the master cylinder).

 

You probably pumped alot of air in the system if you were pressing and depressing the brake pedal when the line was open.

You need to replace the bleeder screw and may as well do the wheel cylinder. Eric has a video on doing those and its cheap. The bleeder screw is broken and you are guessing that air isn't getting in the system but there is no way to tell.... and you've gone through so much fluid.

bleeder screw is broken. Can't get air out of brakes. Fix bleeder screw and try again. You're just wasting money, time, and fluid on randomly replacing parts that you don't know are bad. Makes 0 sense. Now you've replaced the master cylinder with most likely a Chinese part that could be bad from the start (not uncommon) and introducing a new variable.

 

I didn't realize how easy it is to do the wheel cylinder, thanks I'm going to do that next.

The master had to go anyway and it was already a Chinese part, I got a new (not rebuilt) from O'Reilly. I don't think the master is an issue, the pedal is really solid with the engine off, and with it on its not sinking continuously, its just going down too easy.

 

I got the air out! Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. This is my first time on here with questions but this forum has saved me a lot of money.

The problem was you can't get air out of the rear drum cylinders without the bleed screw. Maybe bleeding from the line works for a master cylinder change, but if you have the hoses off air gets in the cylinders. I immediately saw air come out this time.

 

nice work

 

I thought I was done I realized the self-adjusting mechanism in the rear drums brakes is ceased and not working. The shop that changed the pads a few couple years ago didn't bother to lubricate anything in there. Also the new wheel cylinder is already leaking and Honda doesn't make these anymore, going to try one from Beck/Arnley. So now I've disassembled the whole drum brake, it was way easier than I thought it would be. Even though I have no experience with this I trust my own work better than any shop's. I'll be done with the brakes on this car eventually...

 

Drum brakes aren't too bad, but I really hate doing them since disc are so so much easier.