On my 91 Civic Si, the pedal feel is absolutely horrible and I have several inches of pedal travel because the brakes actually engauge.

I have new pads, rotors and just ran a large bottle of fluid through the system so I know there are no bubbles in the lines. All parts are oem size and no big-brake kits or anything.

My guess is master cylinder.

1) Where is the best place to get a good master cylinder (autozone or honda dealership--any difference?)

2) I assume if I bench bleed it I won't need to drain the entire system. 2a) How the hell do I bench bleed

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">On my 91 Civic Si, the pedal feel is absolutely horrible and I have several inches of pedal travel because the brakes actually engauge.

I have new pads, rotors and just ran a large bottle of fluid through the system so I know there are no bubbles in the lines. All parts are oem size and no big-brake kits or anything.

My guess is master cylinder.

1) Where is the best place to get a good master cylinder (autozone or honda dealership--any difference?)

2) I assume if I bench bleed it I won't need to drain the entire system. 2a) How the hell do I bench bleed </TD></TR></TABLE>
OK the best way to test to see if it really is your master cylinder thats bad is to see if your pedal sinks to the floor eventually when you have constant pressure on it. So basically go out to your car and push the pedal down with the car not running and see if it eventually sinks if it does the next thing to do is start up your car and do the same thing if it still sinks to the floor you have a bad M/C.

As for which are better well I have never had a problem with an Autozone one never tried a dealer opne but the autozone one that I have came with a lifetime warranty so well didnt really see a problem with that.

As for bench bleeding it, the best way that I have done it and learned how to do it is when you get a new M/C it will come with a bench bleeding kit which consisits of 2 hoses and 2 nipples that screw into where the brake lines go. You take the nipples screw them in take the hoses put them on the end then lead them up into the resovoir, fill the resovoir with fluid and then start pushing the acutator on the back of the M/C back and forth until there is no longer any air bubbles coming through the hoses anymore then it bled!! Oh and I forgot to mention when doing this your best bet is to put the M/C as straight as possible into a vice that way you dont have to hold it. I had to hold one of mine and it was a big pita to bleed it.

 

Thanks for the tips.

I probably should have mentioned that the pedal can pump up really firm when the car is off, but as soon as I turn it on the pedal goes almost to the floor and it refuses to pump up.

I will check to see when I hold the pedal if the brake sags. Car has 117K on it and has never seen salt, so I don't think it is mylines or anything as they all looked good. Could be the booster I guess, but it doesn't really seem like it.

 

it might be the booster. if you are getting pressure with the car off and its holding that pressure, then its most likely not the MC.

 

Yeah they will be able to be pumped up in fact when I replaced my M/C I was able to bleed the brakes and everything and didnt even know I had a bad M/C (I replaced it cause I wanted to put the Si one on since it was bigger than my DX one).

So then you can pump them up and it holds but once you start the car they sink? Just check and see if they sink when the car is running and when off and then you will know for a fact that its your M/C. Sorry didnt mean to repeat myself

 

I know master cylinders are a problem with the 88-91 cars, but what about the boosters? Didn't think folks had many problems with them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know master cylinders are a problem with the 88-91 cars, but what about the boosters? Didn't think folks had many problems with them.</TD></TR></TABLE>
The boosters are give and take some have problems most dont.

 

good time to replace the brake lines too