imported_Cablerat

My GSR has really crappy brakes... Bought it like that.

Under regular driving it brakes fine... However, under highspeed hard braking, the pedal will literally sink to the floor. The fluid was really dirty so I recently did a full brake bleed based on intructions found on team integra.net for a 98 GSR.. Brakes are still really bad under hard braking. I basically cannot get the car to lockup and engage ABS. The pads and rotors are still in great shape.

I know the ABS system is working, because while doing a run on a dyno, the abs light came on since all four tires were not spinning. Then it went off after driving over 40km/hr with all tires spinning..

Is my master cylinder toast? Or what else should I be looking at? I'm not sure if something else needs to be bled or...? since this car has ABS.

Any help is appreciated..

imported_Joe_98Si

you could have a leaking wheel cylinder or a leaking master cylinder, check the firewall under you master cylinder to see if there is brake fluid leaking....you could also have an internal mastercylinder leak which means one of the seals on the piston is worn and not sealing in the bore of the mastercylinder body

imported_Cablerat

At this point I'm figuring that it is the master cylinder, because I've had stuff like this happen in the past, however I know there is something to ABS systems as well, so could it be something to do with that?

I don't want to spend like $150 on a rebuilt MC and then find out I just needed to do a ABS Bleed or some****..

B18C5er

I have the same problem where the pedal travels to the floor. It's the master cylinder. Does it get worse on really hot days?

FYI rebuilt master cylinders are garbage. I watched a mechanic go through 4 of them on one car while trying to replace it. They just wouldn't bleed properly. He ended up picking up a used one and that one worked on the first try.

I ended up buying a new one from Honda...discounted of course. Those things are damn expensive, but i got a good deal on it. I have yet to get it installed though.

chris_si98

if its the master cylinder.. when your at stop the pedal will slowly sink. Same with a leak. then if u pump it up a bit it'll come back to normal height.. then sink again, etc.

If it's air in the system the pedal will just go down and it'll be like you have no brakes

B18C5er

werd.

chris_si98

yeah rebuild MC's really do suck. There were a bunch of them coming in to my work that we sold them lol

sleeper_civic

Hey I had the same problem as you man.

And for me I had to change the Passenger side CALIPER, and the brake hose attached to it, the one that is about 2 feet long.

My brakes now work mint.

BTW did you have to keep toping up brake fluid every few days? I had too. Hope this helps

chris_si98

so you had a leak? right?

Cynikal.Mindset

we sell rebuilt and new mc's and the return rate on rebuilts is very high at all...but now we have new ones available for like 15-20more than the rebuilts

imported_Cablerat

So how much is a new one?

Everyone is saying how expensive they are.. but what are we talkin here?

I get dealer discount at honda..

imported_Cablerat

And do most MC purchases come with a bench bleeder kit?

imported_Joe_98Si

^there is not kit for bench bleeding
place the MC in a vise with a rag around it to make sure no damage occurs...fill the reservoir with brake fluid get someone to hold their fingers over each brake line hole and compress the piston with a screw driver...compress the piston a couple times then get the person to open the holes ...then cover the ports back up and do it again entill you have a steady stream of brake fluid comming out when the ports are open...this means their is no air in the system...top up the fluid and its good to go

B18C5er

I can't find my receipt, but I think I paid $270 with dealer discount for a brand new Nissin unit. It also comes with a new resorvoir.

imported_Cablerat

I know there are bench bleeder kits.. seen them before.

So does anyone know if the lose of brake pressure could be something in the abs system? I know the lines run series through the abs module that has pistons and valve to release and apply pressure on all four corners.. but what or how(if anything) should I be testing before I decide to replace my MC.

imported_Joe_98Si

there might be a kit but why buy a kit when you can do what i said which will do the same thing....just trying to help

imported_Cablerat

I appreciate the help.. I need answers to relevant questions though. The benefit of a bleeder kit allows you to bleed the MC without removing it from the brake booster.

imported_My93Civic

I got a 1/2" MC (the bigger ones like the Integra - maybe I got the number wrong). Anyways looked around and got it for I recall less than $140 new.

My brakes work better now, but still needs to be pressed halfway then the car starts doing something. Maybe I will change my brake lines when they go rusty.

imported_mikepasini

my pedal used to engage halfway down as well... or seems like it finally started braking... i couldn't even lock up my tires...

changed my front brake assembly to gsr fronts for less than 220 and it was like brand new... hahaha, i locked up my tires soo many times braking not even half as hard as i was before and i couldn't lock them up...

newman

Definetly sounds like the master. I will never purcahse a used MC as bleeding them is a pain in the *** and often doing it will ruin them, as the selas have already been dried out. Also getting a rebuilt MC is a bad option considering new ones are just a little more. I have always had good luck with new aftermarket as they are around $120 instead of $380 for an OEM.

Make sure you bench bleed the MC before putting it in. Everytime I purchase a new one they come with a bleeder kit for the MC. To bleed it it's really simple. Put the MC in a vise so it won't move. In the kit it comes with two connectors and connect them to the holes in the MC and then run the supplied hoses and run them into the resovior. Fill the resovior and then use a screwdriver to slowly pump the MC. Don't push too fast because you'll blow the lines off, make a mess and start again. Continue pumping it until all of the bubbles disapear.

Once its bleed you can also bleed the brakes, but if you don't do the MC right will be near impossible to correctly bleed your brakes. Oh and if you ever spill the brake fluid on paint wash it off with water immeaditley as it will ruin your paint, or leave it if you like that ghetto look.