# Brakes still don't work



## Hendrix (Jan 17, 2004)

I'm getting little to no braking power. I did a search and couldn't find the answers I needed. I changed the front pads and noticed that the pedal felt soft so then I bled the brakes. Still no change in the brake pedal. I purchased a new master cylinder and installed it. Again I bled the brakes. (By bleeding the brakes I let each line drip and pumped the pedal with the car on and with it off.) This time my brake pedal is goes to the floor. Even with the car off I get some pressure in the brakes, but I can still push the pedal to the floor. The parking brake works better than using the pedal. What else could be happening here?


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## jadehardbody (Aug 18, 2004)

My friend and I ran into the same problem with and installation of a new master cylinder on his integra. ended up using a pressure bleeder and only with that were we able to regain good brake pressure. all i have. good luck.


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## Hendrix (Jan 17, 2004)

Thanks, Im gonna try bleeding them again today.


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## southpawcj (Sep 9, 2004)

slow_sentra322 said:


> I'm getting little to no braking power. I did a search and couldn't find the answers I needed. I changed the front pads and noticed that the pedal felt soft so then I bled the brakes. Still no change in the brake pedal. I purchased a new master cylinder and installed it. Again I bled the brakes. (By bleeding the brakes I let each line drip and pumped the pedal with the car on and with it off.) This time my brake pedal is goes to the floor. Even with the car off I get some pressure in the brakes, but I can still push the pedal to the floor. The parking brake works better than using the pedal. What else could be happening here?


Are you pumping the pedal with the lines unhooked? If so that's the start of your problem. Also do you have ABS? If so you have to bleed all the wheels in a certain order.


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## lshadoff (Nov 26, 2002)

slow_sentra322 said:


> Again I bled the brakes. (By bleeding the brakes I let each line drip and pumped the pedal with the car on and with it off.) This time my brake pedal is goes to the floor.


To bleed the brakes you need two people. One person works the brake pedal and the other works the bleeder. The pedal person pumps the brakes slowly and then holds the pedal down and says, "Ready". Then the bleeder person briefly opens the bleeder (which has a transparent tube connected to a container with some brake fluid in it. This keeps air from getting into the system.). The bleeder person watches the fluid in the hose for bubbles while the bleeder is open. The bleeder person says, "Pump" after he has the bleeder closed. You do this again and again until several ounces of fluid are bled. The cycle should be repeated at least five times after bubbles are observed. The pedal person keeps checking the master cylinder reservoir to be sure it is full.

This procedure keeps air from entering the braking system when the brake pedal is lifted, and makes sure there is no air in the system.

The wheels for your car should be bled in the correct order: Right Rear > Left Front > Left Rear > Right Front. (It may be different for other models.)

Usually new master cylinders come with bleeder tubes which connect to the outlet ports. The ends of the tubes are run back to the reservoir. After the master cylinder is installed and the reservoir filled, the pedal is pumped until no more bubbles are seen. The tubes are removed, and the brake lines are then hooked up and the entire system bled

Lew


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## Hendrix (Jan 17, 2004)

Thanks for all the advice. I did the bench bleeding on the master cylinder and I used the correct order for bleeding. It got hot outside and I had stuff to do so I took it in to that the system bled. $40 plus tax  but it's worth it


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