1994 Civic LX 1.6L Brake Bleeding

[Gito]

I have a Motive Brake Bleeder but they do not manufacture or sell a Master Cylinder reservoir adapter cap to pressurize the brake system.
They do sell a universal adapter that is supposed to work on the reservoir but I have read many bad reviews and actually warn people to not buy it because it leaks.
Some have made their own modifications to the adapter and have made it work for them.

I'm not looking forward to asking my wife to help pump the brakes for about an hour.

Is there a brake cap adapter/brake bleeding system that someone else has used that will work on a 1994 Honda Civic LX (ABS), 1.6L?

Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I like speed bleeders

 

[Gito]

I might have to buy some (speed bleeders). I do have 4 brand new ones that I never used and purchased many years ago for my 1991 Honda Civic. I Wonder if they are the same size or same part number. I'm willing to give them a try but need to get the car done by next Friday.

 

[ctechbob]

If you want to do a single person bleed without (much) extra equipment.

All that's necessary is that whatever tube you have attached to the bleeder stays above the caliper. Only crack the bleeder enough to allow flow. Pump the pedal down and slowly let it up. The fluid in the tube above the bleeder won't let air back into the system. I've done it this way with every Honda I've owned and I flush my fluid on a regular basis.

I should mention, I have owned and used Speed Bleeders, they work great, I just found that they're not all that necessary.

 

[E150GT]

speed bleeders are nice. I use them on my truck and I will probably get them for the mazda. I do have a motive bleeder but I have never used it. You can buy a new cap for your reservoir and make your own adapter. I might do that,

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Russell Speed Bleeders. Use 3M silicone grease around threads to preclude air ingress. I remove wheel for access to caliper. No problem spreading work out over days or weeks. Every two years. Valvoline DOT 3/4.

 

[Gito]

Replaced the Master Cylinder and now I'm having trouble getting brake fluid to drain out of the rear brake lines.
I turned on the car just to see if the pedal would dive and it did but still no fluid out of the rear lines.

Had my kid depress the brake pedal while I loosened and cracked open the bleed screw at rear right caliper.
Nothing came out.

Tried to drain and bleed the front and very little fluid is coming out and pedal is hard to depress.
I then turned on the car and depressed the brake pedal and fluid started to come out along with air bubbles but still not draining enough fluid as I expected.

I wonder if the ABS has anything to do with it or should we expect a hard pedal and should we just push through it.

I've been using a Motive brake bleeding system for so long on my 02' Silverado 5.3L and on my 70's Mercedes that I kind of forgot what it felt like to push and release the brake pedal. I'm also wondering if the lines are clogged or if the channels leading to the brake bleeding screws are clogged.

I did also removed the banjo bolt to the end of the rear caliper brake hose and NO fluid dripped out while car off and not depressing.

Going to have to get the wife to help but I'm watching her sing and getting the cast iron ready for chicken.

Please advise

 

[Gito]

Got my wife to pump the brakes and finally starting to get air and fluid out of the Rear Right (RR). I hope the other sides go well.

 

[Gito]

Went for a test drive and still feel the pedal sinking to floor while braking. It does brake but it sinks.

I did brake hard a few times to see if it would skid but it dod not skid and did brake the way it should.

I'm going to try to see if there is still air to bleed out.

Oh boy...starting to sound like I'm going to have hard time with this car.

 

[mk378]

Stops and then sinks as you try to stay stopped is not an air issue. Either a bad master cylinder or a fluid leak.

With air in the lines the pedal will go to the floor directly every time and there will be little or no braking ability.

 

[Gito]

MC replaced and bench bled.

Parked uphill and pedal does not sink.

Travels too far down for my taste.

Focusing now on rear brakes pads. They are shot and are the original pads.

Please advise

 

[andyd]

Rear drum brakes? If so pull both drums, then work a side at a time.

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Rear drum brakes? If so pull both drums, then work a side at a time.


Rear disc

Right rear brake caliper piston seized. Used my C-clamp and I could not move it back into the caliper to fit the new brake pads.
The piston should have moved back with not that much pressure (using C-clamp)

I did have my father step on the brake pedal to see if the piston would move and it moved very little.

I was able to fit the old brake pads back on and took the car for a drive.

Came back and parked on my driveway while on Drive (D) and stepped on the brake pedal. The pedal felt soft but did not sink once is grabbed on.

Could it be another bad MC or bad ABS system?

I feel like the problem is at the rear brakes but not 100 percent.

Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[ctechbob]

Are you sure the rear caliper is seized? On Honda's that use the caliper as the parking brake you cannot use a c-clamp to push the piston back in, you use a large screwdriver and screw the piston back in.

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted By: ctechbob
Are you sure the rear caliper is seized? On Honda's that use the caliper as the parking brake you cannot use a c-clamp to push the piston back in, you use a large screwdriver and screw the piston back in.


Aw man, you might of hit the jackpot with this one. I did not turn the cross looking piston.
Its ringing a bell. I remember turning something that looked like a cross on a caliper back in my teens (90's).
Going to give it another shot

Would the very thin brake pads cause all of the mentioned issues like the brake pedal traveling to far and grabbing good after depressing the brake pedal more than half?

Please advise

 

[JeffKeryk]

You can borrow a tool from O'Reilly that makes the job of retracting the pistons easy.
For a few bucks you can but a cube tool that fits in a ratchet extension...

Bowwow the tool; easy $$.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Honda Rear Caliper Piston Retract Tool

 

[Gito]

Still wondering if the rear brake pads being shot (thin with no meat) would cause the weird soft pedal and the late grabbing of the brakes.

 

[AVB]

The thin pads should not affect the pedal travel. Most likely it still has some air in the system.

I ran into a similar complaint on a Ram 3500 this morning. The right front wheel bearing was so far gone that the brake rotor was wearing against the caliper bracket. The angle of the rotor was compressing the pistons more than normal so it took a half of a pump of the petal to take up the slack in the brake pads. I found 2 of the rollers from the hub sitting next to the lower ball joint.

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted By: AVB
The thin pads should not affect the pedal travel. Most likely it still has some air in the system.

I ran into a similar complaint on a Ram 3500 this morning. The right front wheel bearing was so far gone that the brake rotor was wearing against the caliper bracket. The angle of the rotor was compressing the pistons more than normal so it took a half of a pump of the petal to take up the slack in the brake pads. I found 2 of the rollers from the hub sitting next to the lower ball joint.


We went at it with the foot pump method for at least one hour.

What other air bleed method can I use on the reservoir and brake system?