*This is ITR related because some of you might be able to help that were at the HT trackday in Sept @ MAM...those of you that were at White Dragon's party will remember my white hatch with the seized caliper*

Okay, this might take awhile. My brakes are pretty messed up. I'm going to explain this in phases when I did what I did and why I did it. I have a '92 Honda Civic CX hatchback with a '94 GSR swap.

I was on stock CX brakes. Completely stock everything since the swap in April '01. Stock pads, stock fluid, etc. I did some drag, and then AutoX, but never roadcourse, so I wasn't really ever that hard on my brakes. I was at a somewhat fast AutoX this year (maybe March '03) and at the end of it you had to slam on your brakes to make the exit through the cones. After about 4 hard runs I noticed my brakes feeling a bit "sponge like" and mushy. I hung it up after that and decided it was time to upgrade.

Fast forward to Sept '03 just before the Honda-Tech trackday here at Mid America Motorplex. I upgraded to new Cobalt pads, Valvoline Synpower upgraded brake fluid, then bled the brakes. The bleeding didn't go well...we must've tried it like 5 times and it still felt like it would go to the floor. I would get the "whoosh" as I pressed the brake pedal as if there is still air in the system.

After numerous debates, brainstorming and research...we changed the master cylinder. At last I thought my hatch would be ready for the roadcourse, but no. We still had the same problem. We jump to conclusions and decide it has to be the power booster. We're all done (or so we think) and it's the night before I go to the roadcourse. I'm heading to the pre-party and I get off the interstate. My pads look to be smoking from my left driver's front brakes. I'm thinking that everything might be okay and we only have about a mile or so to get to my buddy's house. Next thing I know my car seems slower...MUCH slower. The brakes are dragging and now my pads are smoking like crazy!!! We make it there and my caliper is seized up and the rotor was red hot. It took like 7 of us to push the car downhill with that caliper seized up. We ended up getting the caliper off. The car sits because I decided rather than buy a new CX front caliper I will just upgrade.

Just the other day I have a set of Integra front spindles I'm going to install. My buddy and I get it all done and we're ready to test it out (after installing new lower ball joints...damn junkyards and their air tool happiness). We're all ready to go and we re-bleed the brakes again. All seems well and the brakes feel good. I go for a short test drive around my neighborhood. Everything seems fine for a block or so, then the brakes start seizing up again!!! That's right...it's my driver's side front caliper sticking again. Luckily I make it home and we immediatlely loosen the bleeder screw to release pressure.

I really need help everyone...what is the problem? We're starting to think it's a bad prop valve or possibly bad lines. The only thing I don't understand is if it were bad lines why would we be able to bleed it? If it were clogged up then it wouldn't push fluid out.

Thanks,
Todd

 

Fixed! Luckily it was just the adjustment from the pedal to the booster. I had to adj it all the way as far as it would go. I'm not sure if my parts store gave me some universal crap booster or what.

 

heh, well then, you got that fixed.

besides bleeding.. did you flush the entire system?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dk127 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">heh, well then, you got that fixed.

besides bleeding.. did you flush the entire system?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Definately. I was initially ready for the roadcourse until this happened. I'm ready for the next AutoX for sure. I do need some new pads though once again and I think I'll go with the Cobalts once again.

 

Wow...glad it's working now man!

If I wasn't so tired from the drive, I would have grabbed my camera when everyone was pushing your car downhill. That had to be one of the weirdest things I've ever seen!

Again, glad it's working for you. Maybe we can setup another track day at MAM...I had a great time and really enjoyed the track.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cheezthis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Wow...glad it's working now man!

If I wasn't so tired from the drive, I would have grabbed my camera when everyone was pushing your car downhill. That had to be one of the weirdest things I've ever seen!

Again, glad it's working for you. Maybe we can setup another track day at MAM...I had a great time and really enjoyed the track.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks! Yeah at the time I wasn't that amused by it, but when I look back I can laugh about how 7 of us were struggling to push my hatch downhill. LOL! A pic of the rotor red hot would've been a nice addition as well.

Winter is coming here in the Midwest, so we'll definately have to wait til spring unless you Hype R racers want to go against my WRX at MAM in the snow.

 

Haha, I just kinda tried to picture 7 people pushing a car downhill..........


HAHAHAAHHAHA

Glad you fixed it.