shlammed

Well, just changed my brake pads and we had to compress the piston to get the calipar to fit back over the pads. The one side was fine. When we did the other side a little fluid came out of the piston. The car brakes fine, but I have to push the pedal almost all the way down to make it stop. The brake fluid is also stuck at the top of the resevoir. Did we get air into the system?

98 civic cx hatch

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

no, you have a bum caliper and need a replacement. if fluid is leaking out of the caliper, that is bad. mmmmmkkkaay?

imported_cet_civic

by changing the pads...I honestly dont think its possible (unless someone can enlight me) to get air into the line.
Something could be wrong with the caliper.

I would take off the caliper and inspect the seals, and then I would bleed the system to purge the air.

shlammed

If the calipar was bad, why was it braking fine (minus the squeeling) before I changed the pads?

shlammed

P.S. fluid didn't leak until we compressed the piston...other then that it seemed fine.

bozz44

Take your brake pads out. Look at the piston and make sure the o ring did not roll out of possision. If there is fluid leakage than it probabley did. you will need to pull out the piston and reseat the o ring. Then bleed the system.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

yeah, you fuct her good when you pushed the piston in... just check that it's good, and if it's not leaking anymore then you DO have to bleed the system, cuz as soon as fluid leaked, that means the system was open to air, and whatever fluid leaked out was replaced by air immediately. so if it is NOT leaking anymore, then just a good bleeding (of all 4 wheels) SHOULD fix it. if it IS still leaking, then check the o-ring, maybe hone the cylinder with a hone brush and a drill, then pop in a new o-ring (Parkway Honda of course) and bleed it.

shlammed

Is it possible that just that stupid boot around the piston isn't on properly?

bozz44

Also just for Sh*t's and giggles pull off your rear drums and make sure you didn't pop a rear cylinder. It' s happened before.

bozz44

That boot is just to keep the crap out, helps in longevity.

shlammed

We checked it and it leaked a bit and the boot is ripped. I just ordered a repair kit. Which part is the o ring?

imported_teflon

I would seriously consider unbolting the caliper from the car and the line and doing a full inspection. You may have an air pocket in the line, that would cause the soft pedal. But most likely the seal around the piston has been compromised.

This isn't a big $$$ fix, just time consuming. I'd take the time rather than the $XXXX.XX of front end damage from brake failure.

b

shlammed

Bleeeding the brakes takes care of the air no?

imported_gatherer

yes Shlammed Bleeding the brakes takes care of Air...

shlammed

K I'm just saying cuz if we repair the calipar we obviously gotta bleed everything too. I just wonder if the repair kit comes with an o ring and I still have no clue where it is cuz all I see is a piston with a boot around it unless the o ring is found when pulling the piston out...

imported_teflon

All I'm saying is if it leaked once it may leak again. Bleeding will get the air out but WILL NOT solve the leak problem.

Good luck.


b

shlammed

^^ That's why I have a repair kit ordered if you read the thread

bozz44

When you take the flex line off the caliper make sure you unbolt the line as far back as you can. This will give you lots of slack, then zip tie it up as high as you can and push the bajo bolt through it. this will keep your fluid loss to a minimum. Keep the cap on the brake resevoir. Replace your o ring, hone out the cylinder walls to clean out any crud build up on the walls. This is probably what caused the problem. Use lots of brake clean. Purchase some brake lube and goo up the walls and the o ring. This will prevent it from rolling over during reassembly. Use new crush washers on the banjo bolts and torque to spec. Make sure you replace the boot also and make sure it is installed properly.
Use a whole bottle of fluid to bleed the system. This will flush any contaminated fluid out.

imported_Cablerat

Just take locking clamps and squeeze the brake line for the caliper.. then disconnect the caliper. if you do it properly, you won't have to bleed anything..

Either way, you'll probably just need to bleed that one caliper. if you don't clamp it, do what bozz said and keep the resevoir cap on. It's liek that straw deallyy.. stick a straw in water, plug the top and lift the straw out... no water will come out..

aren't you supposed to open the resevoir cover when you squeeze the piston? That way you're not fighting compression?

bozz44

Ya, but if you don't the lid bleeds pressure. But ya you are exactly right. But Shlammed does't need to compress the piston to remove it. I also agree with the clamping of the hose I usually don't tell people to do that because they clamp it with vise grips and I have had to replace a lot of flex lines do to cuts caused by vice grips and such. Just take care!