Bleeding master cylinder question...

[xlr8nflorida]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

What would prevent air from getting in when you remove the adapters to re-install the brake lines?

The air in the brake lines at the connection will be nill, unless you are horsing the lines around. The big issue is you need to bleed the master so it is primed and ready to go. You can't effectively bleed the master when it's all hooked up as the air compresses as the piston is pushed in.

[GOLDCYLON]

Im waiting to see Bob what you report about how well the spring works.

[xlr8nflorida]

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Im waiting to see Bob what you report about how well the spring works.

I don't have it, I was told that I had to be careful with the 6 piston setup or I would be replacing the master cylinder. I'm sure it makes a decent difference on a stock system.

[tomtom72]

I love my DRM bias spring!

I have a stock set up...well DRM GS calipers w/ss pistons up front & rebuilt stockers out back all on ss lines and a stock M/C & Power stop semi's (the dusty kind)...oh, forgot, rotors swapped out for some 'bling'...all four are drilled & slotted from Rotorsonline.com...last Dec they had a fire sale all four shipped for $200.00. The local NAPA wanted that much for stock replacements!

Anyway, over all the spring took away some of the severe nose dive under sudden braking, ya know when ya get cut off....yea, imagine that happening in Metro/NYC

Other than it seemed to make the car "feel" more balanced under braking, which maybe my imagination....I did the brakes in stages. Spring, M/C kit, ss lines, caliper kits all on OEM rotors & pads. GS/DRM calipers & "bling" rotors & power stop semi-metallic pads were all the finish step. Now the total package seems to be much better than the either the pure OEM stuff and the phase 1 stuff.....the phase one comparo could be my imagination, but the end result is way different than the OEM configuration. Way more initial bite, less pedal effort / stopping power increment (does that make any sense?), nearly level sudden braking, waaaay more dust even on the rear wheels!......and the rotors look cool behind my chrome fake A-molds!


tom

[xlr8nflorida]

This is not exactly ZR-1 related but maybe you guys can help me. On my 93 LT1, the pedal feels very hard to push and the car seems to take longer to stop then it used to. Now to be completely honest, this car has sat about a year, other then starting up every few weeks, pumping the pedal and a few occasional drives, the car has not seen alot of use. My 92 seemed to do this as well before I sold it. It's hard for me to remember what stock is anymore. My father drove it the other day and said the brakes are shitty. He has an Acura TL which has brakes that really bite. On my ZR-1, I have the 6 pistons and C5 I have the stock brakes so I told him the system is just older. Deep down, I think there might be something wrong with it. Also, come to think of it, I'm not too good about draining brake fluid on my daily drivers, could that cause the issue? The best way to explain it is that when you hit the brakes, it dosen't really bite, it more or less stops smoothly but very slow smoothly. LOL

Thanks!

[tomtom72]

XLR8,

Two things pop out at me right away:
Booster issues:...symptoms could overly high pedal effort to stop = bad booster, and a hissing sound when you step on pedal = internal leak in booster, or a bad vacuum check valve &/or vacuum feed line.

Something like glazed rotors or pads.....which I doubt, oh, and one more thing maybe stuck parts like water in old brake fluid causing some corrosion in the caliper reservior or just stuck pistons......okay so sue me that's more than two....


Tom

[xlr8nflorida]

Originally Posted by tomtom72

XLR8,

Two things pop out at me right away:
Booster issues:...symptoms could overly high pedal effort to stop = bad booster, and a hissing sound when you step on pedal = internal leak in booster, or a bad vacuum check valve &/or vacuum feed line.

Something like glazed rotors or pads.....which I doubt, oh, and one more thing maybe stuck parts like water in old brake fluid causing some corrosion in the caliper reservior or just stuck pistons......okay so sue me that's more than two....


Tom

I'm not getting hissing. Not glazed rotors or pads as I drive that 93 like an old lady. I haven't changed out the brake fluid in like 5 years, maybe I'll start there LOL

Thanks for your help.

[tomtom72]

okay on all the stuff in left field.

One of the symptoms of a bad or going bad booster is high pedal effort. The car stops, but it's eventually and the pedal feels hard, not mushy. The worse the booster is internally, the harder the pedal feels and the harder you have to step on it to get to stopping. It's like "man, I got a rock solid pedal, but the car don't stop!" is the usual observation.

[Aurora40]

FYI, so the battery in the car died incredibly suddenly and severely (less than 1v when attached to the car, about 8v when unhooked). I got a new one, and after trimming off the big fat flare for the handle that was on the ACDelco replacement, I drove the car today.

The brakes are pretty crapola, the pedal moves a ton before they engage. So hopefully there is still air, but they actually feel fairly firm once they start working. I'll try bleeding at the calipers again and cross my fingers.

I think I've definitely hit that point where I realize (for the millionth time) that if something works, leave it alone. The stock brakes were perfectly fine. And more importantly, they worked correctly. I don't know why I always have to re-learn that lesson...